I wrote something on facebook today in one of the groups:
I have come to the conclusion that the greatest problem for humanity is his innate tribalism. In the end it may well spell our ultimate downfall as a species. Nationalism. We have gone through periods of acute nationalism in the last two hundred years - in the period leading up to WW1, then again after the crash of 1929 leading up to WW2, and now again in the 2010's - interestingly following the crash of 2009. Nationalism always grows as a result of economic hardship and the instinctive search for scapegoats: other people; other nationalities - which, in today's extremely diverse populations becomes such an acute problem. Brexit and MAGA are recent manifestations but there are so many more - and especially relevant today is Zionism which is having such a devastating effect - not just in Israel - but in polarising attitudes across the globe.
It is relevant here because the Old Testament has within it extremely nationalistic sections of text and Zionists are even using these to justify violence in Israel today. Some of the psalms which we read every day, for example, can be read from a nationalistic perspective. The pat Christian response would be that this is a misinterpretation of the meaning of the text but it is easy to take this for granted and forget that THE most fundamental message of the New Testament is an utter repudiation of any connection between God and Nationhood. It is in fact one reason why Jesus was killed. Those who wanted him to be the nationalist leader against the Romans betrayed him because he repudiated that very role. God may be the God of Israel but He is of course the God of All Peoples Everywhere also! So anyone who calls himself a Christian Nationalist has misunderstood the most basic premise of the gospel. I am not suggesting that we cannot be proud of the places in which we live but to even suggest that our nation - wherever we are - deserves more than your nation; or that our people deserve more of God's freely given creation than your people are betraying the gospel every single day. This is the essential Christian message but it is not just a nice friendly creed it is also the ONLY way for humanity to avoid destroying itself entirely.