Christian nationalism is democracy’s greatest threat

by Maxwell Shoustal Opinion Editor

Originally published March 7

The Founding Fathers of the United States knew firsthand the dangers of religious belief dominating governmental doctrine. American colonists fled Europe to escape religious persecution, and religious freedom was enshrined as a constitutionally protected right. Of course, religious minorities, especially Muslims and atheists, have still faced discrimination in the United States. However, the goal of true religious freedom set forth by our founders is certainly worth pursuing, as freedom of thought is an integral principle of a democracy.

An increasingly significant number of Americans today seem to either have forgotten or refuse to accept this fact. According to 2022 data from Pew Research Center, a majority of Americans believe that the founders intended for the United States to be a Christian nation, and perhaps more alarmingly, nearly half believe it should be. Due to its increasing popularity, Christian nationalism currently presents possibly the largest threat to our democracy, and politicians ought to make a stronger effort in rejecting it. Instead, conservative pol-

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