David French on Being Canceled by His Former Church
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- A few months ago, the Opinion columnist David French and his family were canceled by their former church. In response, French wrote about (www.nytimes.co...) the painful experience of being abandoned by his faith community. The column led to an outpouring from readers sharing their own thoughts and similar experiences. In this audio essay, French sits down with his editor, Aaron Retica, to discuss the fallout and listen to some of the responses he received from readers.
Thoughts? Questions? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.
These stories are so profoundly sad 😢
When I read David French's essay, none of it surprised me. As an outsider to these fundamentalist churches and to Christianity in general, I've seen this for decades. People in these churches are friendly and welcoming as long as you conform. As soon as you stray even slightly from their rigid ideas of how people should live their lives, the ugly side comes out. Of course, this only applies to regular people. Leaders are exempt from the rules, so their embrace of Trump doesn't surprise me in the least. As long as he bullies those who do not conform, he can do whatever he wants. I suppose that, when you are embedded within an organization like this and strongly attached to it, it can be hard to see its defects. I'm glad David French finally recognized the reality of the situation, and it is unfortunate that there aren't more like him. Churches like this are rotten to the core, and they have been this way for decades or longer. I strongly doubt that they can be reformed. This sickness has done great damage to Christianity. In my view, these toxic churches have poisoned the reputation of Christianity as a whole, as they are the loudest and most visible representatives of the faith. It feels like the non-toxic side of Christianity is feeble these days, and its voice has been completely drowned out. I know there exist churches that don't discard the best of the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, but I often have to actively remind myself that this is the case.
Yes that is true. The reason the fundamental churches are so toxic is because they believe the purpose of the Church is to hide from the world and wait for Jesus to come back. Thus they have created their own conservative, rural safe spaces which they feel are being threatened and they have turned to Donald Trump to protect these safe spaces. Jesus, however, never taught His Church to hide from the world as His main message is the Kingdom of God, which involves us getting involved in the world and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 4:18)
If you are interested in a church that actually does follow Jesus, I would suggest the Mennonite Brethren Church. We have been very focused on doing kingdom-based ministry like caring for orphans and widows in Ukraine and Gaza.
If there are no Mennonite Brethren Churches near you, I might suggest the Anglican Church of North America, or the Episcopal Church USA, two churches that are very rooted in historical Christianity
That last bit: “There’s just no way my community will embrace this guy. And then it was my community that put that guy in the Oval Office.”
Man, if that doesn’t hit the mark.
I don’t understand why Evangelicals cannot understand the hate that surrounds them. Before you judge me, I grew up as a Southern Baptist, have many Evangelical friends and family, and lived amongst them for the formative part of my life. I was repelled by their behavior (what you SAY is not who you are - what you DO is who you are). I came to understand that as a general group they do NOT practice what the preach. So I am now 69 and still shake my head at the hypocrisy of this movement. Evangelism has been by hijacked by right wing radicals who are interested in political power. They do not adhere to the Christian philosophy anymore than an atheist. They use it as a mouthpiece of control.
Thank you speaking about fundamentalists as opposed to evangelicals. Fundamentalists are very judgemental of those who do not conform with their theological beliefs. There are many progressive Christians, even some evangelical Christians who do not support Trump. And to think that Jesus was willing to eat with the outcasts. I don't go to any church now. I don't like the exclusivist, intolerant attitudes. I wish someone would talk about how progressive Christians are less judgemental and more inclusive. It seems we almost always get the ugly stories about churches.
There's no hate like Christian love
With blessings like these, who needs curses
So much for Christ's Love
Church must be beyond politics, and reflect unconstitutional Love of God. For politics’s sake to cast out anybody is ungodly.
Tell everybody why you’re partnering with the Rockefeller foundation on After Party, Mr. French?
How sad. 😢
I think this is the problem I have with David French, like many American conservatives, his ideology presumes that Christianity is a "minority" religion under assault. This is more a reflection of his American brand of conservatism that always seeks to see itself, not as an institution but as an insurgency. That's why he couldn't see it. It's hard to see inconsistencies, contradictions and corruption when you always consider that you're in warfare, whether it's political or spiritual.
Like French, I grew up in a church, an African/International Church in the United States. Like many people who grow up in Churches we have very similar ideas/beliefs that French has, but unlike "American Conservatives" and I emphasize the word "American" and to be even more specific "White America" we don't believe out interpretation of the Bible should dictate constitutional interpretation or culture. Before going to this church, I used to go to a "White Evangelical" Church in Massachusetts, and it was very much a place that their interpretation of the bible promoted that Christianity should dictate American culture.
Trump's really the first president to offer these sets of Christians the ability to run the country, based on their values, and more importantly their interpretations of the Bible. This is why French's belief that "pointing out contradictions" is a far more persuasive issue. But how do you persuade people that they shouldn't seek out power or make America more Christian, with the Bible?
The fact is Christianity is the most practiced Religion in the world. The vast majority of nations involved in WW1 and WW2 were Christian. Colonization and Global Slavery was most widespread and internationalized by Christians. There's nothing within Christianity that dictates that the words in the Bible will prevent people from doing evil, and White Evangelicals in America are no exception. There's nothing wrong with believing in Christianity, as a personal relationship between God and yourself, but if you think it can solve the problems of evil and the corruption of power, you have to be willingly blind.
Hey, I want a book to come out of this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've been out of the US since 92, moving to Japan. Of course I vote, and visit periodically somewhat. But I suppose I have not been able to wrap my head around the depth of this cultural divide. I know its trhere, I read ablout it all the time, but that is not the same as being there and facing the climate and breathing the atmosphere. However isnt it remarkable how our capacity to adapt will do so with enough encouragememnt?.