How to Overcome Fear: Be A Truthteller

THERE IS NO QUICK, EASY FIX
While everyone occasionally experiences fear and anxiety, Christian Nationalists live with these feelings constantly to one degree or another. Because fear and anxiety are normal in the Christian Nationalist culture, they have no awareness of the damage these feelings have on their mental health, their physical bodies, their relationships, thinking and behaviors. They live in a world full of lies and conspiracy theories designed to create fear of others. Fear is in the air they breathe. Therefore, they are not likely to seek out or welcome help for dealing with fear and anxiety. This is the environment in which truthtellers must do their work.

These facts very much complicate the desire/need for truthtellers to convince Christian Nationalists that they need help overcoming fear and anxiety. It is like wanting to help someone leave cults which always have charismatic leaders to which they are emotionally tied. The challenge can also be compared to convincing people to change religions or political affiliations. Committed believers of any religion and adherents to any political party will resent any presumption that their beliefs are not perfectly reasonable. Christian Nationalists are especially resistant to change because they also believe that their beliefs and political leaders are endorsed by God. Therefore, contrary expressions of belief told by truthtellers — no matter how sincere or logical they might be — would be considered blasphemy and worthy of resistance — even violent resistance in some cultures.

Truthtellers who desire to change the hearts and minds of Christian Nationalists, therefore, would do well to admit that reason, logic and sincere, gentle persuasion are not reliable tools for helping Christian Nationalists overcome fear and anxiety. The only Antidote for Lies is Truth. Only truth has the power to correct lies and conspiracy theories that cause Christian Nationalists to be fearful and anxious. God’s word is the only truth that has the potential to break through hard hearts and closed minds that believe lies. God’s word brings peace to hearts and minds while lies bring fear, anxiety and chaos.

See these links for guidance on how to be a successful truthteller:

RESOURCES FOR TRUTHTELLERS
It is very easy to become discouraged and depressed about the influences Christian Nationalists have on America. For review, many of those negative influences are discussed in Fake Patriots Cause Distrust, Division and Social Problems. 

These influences are so far-reaching and deeply embedded in American culture that it is very hard to imagine what any individual can do to overcome them. While it is not comforting to think in these terms, it is instructive to recognize that perhaps one-half of Americans suffer from the kind of mental illness that infects people who are caught in the wrong thinking associated with cults.

For more guidance on how to help Christian Nationalists overcome fear and anxiety, see resources below:

Discovering New Options: Self-Help Cognitive Behavioral Therapy — National Alliance on Mental Health

See Why Anxiety Disrupts Your Logical Thinking Ability (And What You Can Do About It). Blog post by Soo.

Why You Aren’t Thinking Clearly: The Brain Science of Fear in Uncertain Times — Hildy Gottlieb

Why You Aren’t Thinking Clearly:

The Brain Science of Fear in Uncertain Times.  

Excerpt from LinkedIn blog post by Hildy Gottlieb:

Why You Aren’t Thinking Clearly:

The Brain Science of Fear in Uncertain Times.  

Excerpt from LinkedIn blog post by Hildy Gottlieb: