certified rat bastard

it/its, adult

simple things please simple minds

1/3rd of Americans are Evangelical, and Evangelical Protestantism is a cult. We just don’t think of it as one because it’s so normalized. However, it follows the B.I.T.E. model of cult dynamics.

Evangelism teaches its followers to always maintain states of bliss and ecstasy for Jesus. What this does is condition the brain to always operate out of less-evolved parts; areas that are responsible for more primal emotions like euphoria, anger, and fear. Because of how we’ve evolved to survive, the brain will actually shut down our higher functioning—including critical thinking skills—in favor of these primal emotions, when they’re active.

Always feeling bliss = never questioning or feeling doubt. Evangelicals may actually fear the thoughts that do originate from their higher brain-parts because they think it’s the devil tempting them away from their religion. They’ll engage in self-indoctrination techniques to make this stop.

This creates a cognitive dissonance so great that many Americans have no separation between how they feel and what they believe. This is really bad because their minds have literally no defense against undue influence. They’ll vote for the dude who hyped them up enough. They’ll buy into the conspiracy theory that excites them the most. They’ll side with whatever gets the best reaction out of them, and getting a rise out of people is super easy to do.

Cult conditioning has nothing to do with how smart or dumb people are. You can condition literally any brain with the right time and environment.

The best and most immediate answer I could come up with, and the one I've stuck to, is telling people that America is a country defined by being a haven for cults and religious extremists since its inception. And people are always like "god that makes so much sense."

Example: All schools elementary to High school are required to do the pledge of allegiance and stand for the flag.

This is why they'll write paragraphs upon paragraphs of why they're victims, but not a single word is spoken on how to improve things. They want to abdicate the responsibility to utilize that privilege in favor of assuring others that they are helpless.

White queer people experience targeted oppression such as homophobia or transphobia but have systemic privilege in a society built upon white supremacy.

In any given room, ask “Whose voice is being treated as an authority, and whose is being treated as a disruption?” If you are being heard, use that time to name the dynamic, not to speak over others.

Your marginalization as a queer person gives you empathy, but your whiteness means you lack lived expertise on anti-Blackness or colonialism.

If you have disposable income, donate to BIPOC-led queer orgs (e.g., trans women of color funds) and do not demand recognition for it.

Attend protests led by BIPOC organizers but stand in the back holding space, holding signs, and acting as a buffer between police and frontline BIPOC marchers.

White gay bars, queer meetups, and pride committees often replicate white supremacy through dress codes, cover charges, or location choices. Use your institutional memory and social capital to push for free admission for BIPOC youth.

If you have any influence at a venue, insist on hiring BIPOC DJs, speakers, and security.

Publicly call out racism within your white queer social circles, even when it costs you friendships.

Your marginalization does not give you a free pass to speak on race. When a BIPOC person shares an experience, your job is not to say, “As a queer person, I understand oppression.” Your job is to say, “That sounds exhausting. What do you need from allies in this moment?” Then do exactly that without adding your own story.

The hard truth to sit with is that your whiteness will always protect you in ways your queerness cannot undo. A white queer person can be fired for being queer, but they can still rent an apartment, get a loan, or call the police without fear of being killed.

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