Scrolling through Telegram today I found a link to a video channel, called Mary Walter Radio. I watched it so you do not have to. It was a fascinating episode with conspiracy theories, anti-Islam, and disinformation predominately expressed through coded language. The host Mary Walter is a commentator on Fox News and NewsMax and a very vocal supporter of Donald Trump. In 2024 Media Matters included her comments in a piece about the Great Replacement conspiracy theory being discussed on media. Walter had stated on NewsMax that the Democrats were bringing in people from other countries to rig the census. In 2013, Walter was already beating the drum against “illegal immigration” arguing there was unfairness in the system, and that immigrants do not want to become citizens so they do not have to pay taxes.

Walter’s guest for this episode was “Terrorist Therapist” Carole Lieberman. Liberman has acted as a psychiatric consultant on The Young and the Restless, The Bold and The Beautiful, and Paternity Court. In 2011 she stated on Fox News that there was a correlation between violent video games and sexual assault. When asked for data to back up her assessment, she provided a single study. A study that did not discuss sexual crime and video games. Gamers were not happy with her comments and left a significant number of bad reviews on her books on Amazon. Dr. Douglas Gentile who studies the relationship between violence and media, stated she really had no proof of what she was asserting on Fox News. So we have established that the host is a believer in the Great Replacement conspiracy theory and anti-immigration and the guest seems to be making research up. The good thing is the number of people watching Walter’s show is so small, that perhaps she will not have much direct reach to spread these lies, conspiracies, and hate.

The two begin their discussions that Robert Kennedy, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services stated he was going to make Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) a diagnosable illness. Now, to be honest I cannot find any proof of this, other that Walter stating it on another show, after this interview. So, seem suspicious and maybe a blatant case of disinformation. Now, Mary Walter stated at the very beginning of the episode that she believes “It is absolutely a mental illness.” I am sure we have all heard Trump supporters and the president himself use the term “TDS” but just to be clear this is a term coined by political columnist and commentator Charles Krauthammer who was also a psychiatrist. He defined the term as “general hysteria among liberals, progressives, and Never Trump conservatives” that created “an inability to distinguish between legitimate policy differences and signs of psychic pathology from the president’s behaviour.” It is also used as a derogatory term for anyone who disagrees with Trump’s base or Trump himself.

Lieberman claims she has been working on making TDS a diagnosable illness for over a year and building a proposal to the American Psychiatric Association to have it included in the DSM-5. In her proposal she has developed three classifications of TDS: mild, moderate, and severe, with each level having 8-10 symptoms. Now, for someone who has been working on this proposal for a year, she really can’t clearly describe the symptoms and uses odd examples. For mild cases this would be people who throw shoes at the TV when Trump appears on screen or “have a meltdown when you hear a song associated with Trump like YMCA.” I was unaware there was a spike in TVs being broken by shoe throwing, and honestly I mostly see people on and offline laughing at Trump’s dancing to YMCA but I have found no meltdowns. To describe the moderate level Lieberman simply states “TDS has taken over their lives.” I’m not a psychiatrist, but I feel like you need a little clearer parameter for diagnosis than this. Sever TDS, is according to the Paternity Court consultant are people such as Rosie O’Donnell and Mary Trump, those who have attempted to assassinate Trump, and those who attack Teslas due to Elon Musk’s connection to Trump. Now she admits she is still working on her designations, but uses Jimmy Kimmel as someone she originally placed at the mild level, but now she thinks she needs to move him up in the designations. Again, I am not a psychiatrist but this all seems very not so scientific.

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Walter asks Lieberman if there exists a treatment for TDS and she responds that sufferers need psychotherapy. This therapy would not focus on Trump is a great guy but look at the problems the individual has that make them hate Trump. Here she splits the TDS sufferers into two genders and oddly they sound exactly like far-right assessments of the left and stroke the ego of Trump. According to Lieberman males have TDS because they have low self-esteem and are envious of Trump because he has “all the things an Alpha male should have.” These Alpha male things that Trump has are an Ivy League education, he is successful before and during his presidency, a gorgeous wife, and wonderful family.” Men with low self-esteem that do not have these things, or see no path to getting them, and blame Trump. So, they would be encouraged to go back to school, or whatever they need to do to build their standing in society.

For women, they are simply women who have problems with men. These women interpret Trump as the worst man to be married to because he is an Alpha male. So, the treatment would be getting over their hatred of men. Lieberman uses an odd example when asking these women why they hate Trump, and while the response would be his executive orders, the things he has done, or the political or sociological thing, it’s apparently not about any of that, “it’s their feelings towards him as a man.” If we look into her assessments, basically we are seeing the “manliness” that the far-right is promoting, and the trope that feminists hate men. There is nothing new here, other than Lieberman trying to make scientific denigrating tropes, insults, and promoting “alpha” males.

Here the discussion becomes similar to a manosphere conversation. One of the listeners states that the problem is that society is suffering from a mass psychosis, and some people are so influenced by the media, “and Trump is an extreme Alpha male with no filter.” No I did not miss words in those sentences, this was the actual comment typed in and read by the host. The listener continued, with this bon mot: “too many women think men are their slaves and look down at men knowing the courts and police will protect them.” The host then steps in to claim that 90s television shows denigrated the fathers, but society had pushed men down for a long time “in an attempt to push women up.” So men are victims to women’s equality? This seems like a constructed victimhood. Lieberman states that the feminist movement has became so violent, “they were castrating men” and the “me too movement has alienated men”. In a further pushing of the effeminate beta or omega men on the left the host claims that on the political left women are more masculine than the men.

In a seemingly completely self unaware observation Walter makes an anecdotal observation that her female high school friends who hate Trump are all divorced, and some never got married or are lesbians! Walter states a few times that these “friends” have blocked her because she supports Trump. She believes these TDS women do not like women “who are secure, women who are comfortable with the looks god gave them, women who are comfortable with their marriages.” Not to be judgemental, but her guest has had very obvious plastic surgery on her face, so I wonder if the good Dr. has TDS? The call is coming from inside the house! Lieberman notes that those with TDS have dissatisfaction with their own lives and are projecting it onto Trump.

Walter asks her guest if the hate stems from the Democrat Party and their politicians, then this hate trickles down to the public? Lieberman uses Kamala Harris’ campaign that in her assessment offered no policies and no ideas, just hate of Trump. Lieberman also states that the elections in California are out of control in their fraudulence. She also claims the CA governor’s racism is very bad. Here we are shifting from simply the made up diagnosis of TDS, to supporting conspiracy theories of rigged elections, and odd attacks on Governor Newsom. This accusation of racism stems from Newsom speaking in front of an audience of predominately people of colour, and confessing his dyslexia. Sean Hannity turned this into Newsom insulting the audience’s intellect.

I will admit here the next part of the discussion had me poised in the face palm emoji for quite some time, as I was uttering the word “hypocrisy” over and over again. Lieberman explains that the left are working under the title “Accelerationism.” For her this is evident in that people are getting very angry over minor things to more serious things, and that they just want to tear everything down because they are angry and “they feel entitled.” To be clear she is referring to the political left, not the January 6 insurrectionists, or the attacks on the freedoms and Constitution of America. According to her part of the problem is people are not taking responsibility “there’s no punishment for things.” Anyone else thinking of the pardons Trump has given criminals, or perhaps the Epstein List??? I must add here, that later in the interview Walter states that many people think the events of January 6^th on Capitol Hill were a psysop, and Lieberman tells the audience that she contributed to one of the appeals of someone charged for their actions on that day. Further, Lieberman states that Trump was innocent and did not provoke anyone on January 6^th with his speech. Again, what about people feeling entitled and not taking responsibility, and there being “no punishment for things?”

Lieberman says the accelerationism will get worse, with the growth of AI because people will see images that are fake on social media and that will accelerate the “crazy.” Walter adds says there are “people who just aren’t that bright.” She thinks “Americans are dumber than they ever used to be. Continuing Walter adds that there is a benefit for certain groups, if “Americans are stupid and easily led.” Common sense stupid” Lieberman blames this on the education system not focusing on the three Rs and “proper US history” because they are teaching “about becoming trans and about sex” and socialism/communism “and why we should hate America.” So, this is openly anti-Trans and anti-sex education, but it also is coded for Critical Race Theory being taught in schools. So, two moral panics, causing harm to large swaths of the American public in one sentence. This is no longer about TDS but seems to be spouting conspiracy theories, hate, racism, and transphobia. Now she starts slowing moving into anti-Islam with a comment that students at university campuses that were protesting for Palestine, even though the cops were called there was no consequences.

When speaking about terrorism, Lieberman seems to be covertly just stating there is only Islamic based terrorism. Her “research” into the field of terrorism began with 9/11 and she states that the goal of terrorism for the last 1000 years is “to take over the west.” So very much coded language of the Great Replacement conspiracy theory. According to her immigration to Europe has left the continent “essentially dead.” She states that some countries in Europe are at the tipping point “to really demolish the culture of all these countries not to mention to bleed them dry financially.” According to her during COVID all these terrorists were actively recruiting. She blames, younger people for being angry at their parents, at being locked down, because they are spending their time playing violent video games (so a return to her unverified claims). Almost in a repeat of history Lieberman claims that there are many studies that show that the more hours of violent video games you play the more aggressive you become. She openly admits she has not done any of the studies. She then brings up the controversy about the link to sexual violence and violent video games.

Shifting topics, Lieberman accuses Iran of being difficult to deal with because they are thinking in religious terms. (I guess the Christian nationalism under Trump is not religious terms?). She then states Obama went to school in terrorist countries and learned some of this mentality making Obama “one of the most terrorist friendly presidents” “I mean history books if there are ever history books that tell the truth are going to look back on this and realize we elected a terrorist. Of course, we did it again with Mamdani.” Here she is renewing the conspiracy theory that President Obama is a Muslim, and she is also attacking the Mayor of New York for his faith. She also states that Obama gave BILLIONS of dollars to Iran, because “you can take the person out of the country, but not the country out of the person.” Perhaps she has not read the cease fire agreement negotiated by Trump’s son-in-law and Vice President Vance?

Throughout the interview conspiracy theories new and old were shared. Accusations and tried and true attacks on the left, members of LGBTQ2SA communities, and Muslims were expressed. Why is this important? Well both these individuals are regulars on Fox News and News Max, they have established reputations within the Trump base. Their coded language spreading hate is not well nuanced but it speaks to those who already believe these “truths.” More importantly, RFK has not publicly stated that he is going to have TDS as a diagnosable mental health issue, but from this interview and the corresponding headlines stating that he is, could trigger a movement towards this goal.

Lieberman argues that the American Psychiatric Association has “become incredibly woke” and that there are very few psychiatrists who agree with her on her TDS assessment. But this is not a new movement. In 2019 a McGill University Associate Professor, in Psychiatry wrote about TDS for Psychology Today.

Shared amongst these is a notion that the everyday activities of President Trump trigger some people into distorted opinions, extreme emotions and hysterical behaviors. Well-known writer Bernard Goldberg gives supposed behavioral examples of TDS among Trump’s political opponents, including fainting, vomiting, students retreating to “safe spaces” and others demanding “therapy dogs.” Political commentator Justin Raimondo focuses on opinions, language and cognition, writing in the LA Times that “sufferers speak a distinctive language consisting of hyperbole [leading to] a constant state of hysteria… the afflicted lose touch with reality.”

He calls for more research into TDS and possible mental health issues. Prior to Trump’s inauguration in 2016, people were also making accusations about mental health and TDS, In 2025 Ohio Representative Warren Davidson introduced The Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) Research Act. The bill would direct the National Institutes of Health to study the psychological roots of TDS.

“Trump Derangement Syndrome has become an epidemic on the Left,” said Rep. Moore (R-AL). “Some individuals who suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome have participated in nationwide political and social unrest, even trying to assassinate President Trump twice. Rep. Davidson’s common-sense bill will use already appropriated funds on an NIH study that can make a difference.”

Now as we have witnessed drastic and harmful changes to the healthcare, vaccinations, scientific research in the United States, coupled with loss of rights for many, the possibility of being officially “diagnosed” with TDS could be another reason to attack those who do not agree with Trump and the GOP. This is something that we should pay attention to.

In my classes my students constantly hear my refrain “nothing is insular,” meaning I may be teaching a course on conspiracy theories, politics, gender, the environment, or a religious studies course, all of these disparate topics are interlinked. Religious beliefs, prejudice or fear of other religions, and religious worldviews impact how individuals vote, participate in culture wars, moral panics, and are mobilized by populist leaders. Religious leaders and the faithful can be incredibly vocal in their political beliefs, prejudices, and extremism. Often these voices are so loud they can appear to represent the religion as a whole, even though there are endless perspectives in any group or community. Religious language can be used as a motivator for mobilization. The language of religion is adaptable and can be interpreted regardless of dogma or denomination.

For the last few days on social media Canadian Bill C-9 is the main topic of conversation in Christian circles. C-9: An Act to amend the Criminal Code (hate propaganda, hate crime and access to religious or cultural place) has passed and is awaiting Royal Assent. Christians are accusing the act of attacking the Bible and the religion itself, and are fighting for “Biblical freedom in Canada.” Many online are stating that the bill criminalizes quoting parts of the Bible. Alex Jones has referred to the Bill as “Bible Banning.”

A Senator from Ottawa, Denise Batters, posted on X that “Huge numbers of Canadians” were contacting Senators trying to stop the Bill and that there were 200,000 postcards to their Senators held in a warehouse. She demanded that the Senate needed to know Canadians’ views before voting. In her speech in Senate she said there were 143,000 postcards. Conservative Party MP Andrew Lawton posted a video of the postcards, claiming there were over 240,000 of them that the “senate refused” to deliver. You may recall Lawton plays a role in Jamil Javini’s Trumpian form of politics in Canada. Prior to Lawton’s video, two Conservative MPs went to the warehouse where these postcards were being held, to “look at them.” They note they made a 45 minute drive, by cab (I wonder if we paid for that cab?), to the warehouse because of traffic, they spoke to security to try and get in, all to no avail. This is not the Canadian equivalent of American elected officials going to detention centres, this is literally two people standing in the sunshine in front of glass doors to “rescue” postcards. According to MP Tamara Jansen, one of the rescuers, the non-delivery of these postcards is “stepping all over democracy.” They also announce they “are on the hunt” for these postcards.

Now I will be honest, I had not heard about this postcard debacle until I started writing this. Perhaps I am not the audience, someone addicted to the news and politics, but the Christians who these Conservative MP are fighting for, absolutely are. The postcards were eventually moved to a boardroom in Parliament where Senators could access them. So, I guess in the end they were rescued.

These postcards were initiated by 4MyCanada, a group founded by Faytene Grassechi. She is a former Progressive Conservative nominee for a riding in New Brunswick and a conservative Christian online broadcaster. 4MyCanada was initially created in 2005 to provide young Canadians the opportunity to meet with federal politicians. In the two decades since it was founded the organization, according to their website, they have led 17 delegations to Parliament and had 1500 face to face meeting with Members of Parliament and Senators. The organization also provides training and resources for people to engage in elections and campaigns. Her online “broadcast” Faytene TV, provides commentary on issues from a “faith perspective.” Her episodes look at Alberta separation through a biblical perspective, anti-abortion, anti-MAID, Prayer Breakfast movements in Canada, and global Christian persecution.

On the 4MyCanada website it is claimed that 202,271 phone calls, 262,527 pieces of mail were sent, and 1098 Organization signed a declaration to stop Bill C-9. There are almost 41.5 million people in Canada. These numbers represent less than 1% of the population. Active petitions include “Don’t Reward Hamas,” “Stop Anti-Christian Harrassment” and “Don’t Delete Parents.” This last petition is stop SOGI and transgender rights in schools. Using her website and her viewers’ mailing list, she encouraged her followers to join the Conservative Party to nominate candidates who represented families, parental rights, and the faith community.

In response to the religious freedom accusations the government of Canada has included information countering the disinformation.

“The Act does not criminalize religious teaching, sermons, scripture, peaceful assembly, political advocacy, opinions, disagreement, or criticism. The offences are targeting intentional intimidation and obstruction, hate-motivated crime, and the wilful promotion of hatred under high legal thresholds.”

“The law repeals the former good faith religious opinion defence that applied to certain hate propaganda offences, which was enacted before the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The repeal does not criminalize religious teaching, nor does it restrict the ability to preach, read scripture or practice religion in good faith. Freedom of expression and freedom of religion remain protected under Charter. Hate propaganda offences continue to require a high legal threshold, including proof that a person acted wilfully to promote hatred against an identifiable group.”

The negative response to Bill C-9 is primarily from some Christians, and those who seem to be activated by Christian organizations such as 4MyCanada. Although the bill is being linked to larger conspiracy theories, like this one posted by so-called Freedom Convoy Leader James Bauder, who incidentally is in America, without a visa, hiding from prosecution for his actions:

Conspiracy theories are not constrained by logic, when a sense of persecution and prosecution fuel a sense of perpetual disaster. As these conspiracy theories and notions of Christian persecution circulate online, Conservative Party members are acting as the heroes of the Christian Battle. MP’s from the party have been posting “postcards” online that show that they did not vote for C-9, nor did party leader Pierre Poilievre, but this Liberal in your province/riding did. The bill does not attack religious freedoms, the Bible is not banned, but the continuous reinforcement of this idea from religious groups, conspiracy influencers, and politicians, is critical when those who believe it to be true, step into the polling booth.

This overlapping belief system in conspiracy theories and religion impacting the political system is not a new concept. Look to the United States of America, where Christianity and conspiracy theories have merged into one with the Trump Administration. DOD Secretary Pete Hegseth has been the subject of numerous headlines with his religious proclamations about the military, the war in Iran, and events at the Pentagon. Donald Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission has also come under scrutiny for some of their actions. We absolutely cannot forget the AI images posted by Trump and the White House accounts positioning the battle against evil and the Deep State.

When conservative religious movements impact politics, be it about a moral panic, voting statistics, or culture war issues, the media turn to religious studies scholars to understand what is happening. When Christian nationalism becomes the focus of the headline, or when movements online like Tradwives, or remigration leap from social media, to real world protests or violence, religious studies scholars are called. Yet, in North America religious studies departments have closed at the University of Calgary (now part of Philosophy), Virginia Tech, University of Oregon, and Laurentian University. Other universities have merged the departments into much larger departments.

Religious studies is much more than survey courses about various religions, we study what is happening in the world. Working closely with other departments we can provide insight into the “unprecedented” political world we live in. Conspiracy theories, social movements, populism, extremist/far-right movements, depend on religion to mobilize. This moment in time, is not a moment when religious scholars should be functioning in precarious employment, their work contingent on the possibility of a sessional course. The research that religious scholars do is important to the political and societal analysis and understandings of our nations. Some of the hate, bias, and extremism marginalized communities face, the removal of their human rights, are predominately instigated by religious worldviews, and the hate and political policies are “validated” by religious beliefs. The religious nationalism and populism too is often balanced on faith, or those religious leaders who interpret faith without inclusivity, humanity, and decency. Yet, religious scholars and departments are disappearing.

Often on social media when I see a religious studies scholar type long threads explaining what or why something just happened, I usually repost it with a “Buy your local religion scholar a drink.” The world they research is not disappearing, in fact it is becoming louder and louder, but they are disappearing into the shadows. When you next read an article that quotes a religion scholar, especially those whose title is “independent researcher” and you develop a better understanding of what is happening, buy them a drink.

Front and centre in the video sits a baseball cap with a “Restore the North” logo. Very similar to the video postings of the Trump administration, with their MAGA baseball caps. One would think that a more fashionable option would be available. I also wonder if Jivani’s merch is made in China as is Trump’s baseball caps? For those who are not familiar with Jivani’s Restore the North campaign, it is basically a movement to rile up young men in Canada who feel they are oppressed and victimized by feminism, LGBTQ2SA, and immigration in Canada. Is this sounding a little familiar? Jivani has also copied Turning Point USA’s (TPUSA) campus tours, an admission he has made himself. The campus tour is an opportunity for young men to express their grievances and know that an elected official cares. So much so, in fact, he wrote a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney on behalf of young men who are in crisis in Canada. Just this month he wrote a letter to Canada’s Minister of Health, with some demands for young men:

The wording “traditional masculinity” leaves me wondering how that is defined. What are these traditional masculine roles exactly? I am betting traditional Christian gender roles and toxic masculinity. Are these traditional men the only individuals who suffer from drug addiction? Note the anti-DEI language and the same dependency on this notion of “meritocracy” that elevates white men, and dismisses racism and discrimination. His demand for funding for male only spaces ignores the many male only shelters and males with children shelters in Canada that already exist. It also emphasizes “faith based” recovery centres that reflects a conservative belief that government should not be providing a social safety net, but instead the responsibility should be placed upon churches and religious organizations. Jivani, much like the Trump political campaign is choosing to focus on the grievances of young men, the voting bloc that elected Trump. Similarily, Jivani is also deeply focused on a perceived injustice to young white men, stopping DEI, and immigration to the Canada. Does this sound familiar? It’s the same concepts, but with very Canadian terminology.

He seemed to be very focused yesterday on what he understands Canadians to be, as later in the afternoon yesterday he also posted that he had sponsored a new petition in the House of Commons. The Petition is requesting that the government “end the tokenism practice of recognizing a day or month in commemoration of any ethnic or heritage group and celebrate Canadians for the sake of being Canadian not based on ethnicity or ancestry.” Instead, and somewhat hypocritically, Jivani states that national commemorations should be rooted in Canadian history “based on the legacy of Canada’s English and French founding nations.” So, based on ethnicity and heritage of white settlers. This should be very appealing to the Dominion Society of Canada, and the Red Ensign supporters, who dismiss the Indigenous peoples of Canada’s history, and define Canadian as those who are of English, Scottish, Irish, and French ancestry. This is a nod to those on the far-right in Canada who are demanding remigration policies similar to that under the Trump administrations, and the mass deportations and forced detainment regardless of citizenship. So far the petition has 250 signatures, 137 of which are from Ontario residents. Under the Trump administration’s anti-DEI executive order eleven commemorations or observances have been cancelled within the government. These include Black History Month, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, National American Indian Heritage Month, LGBTQ Pride Month, Women’s History Month, Juneteenth, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Holocaust Remembrance Day.

On June 12th Jivani made a claim on X that a new Parliamentary Task Force had been created with a “goal of ending discriminatory policies that lead to Canadians being hired or fired due to skin colour and ancestry.” The Parliamentary Task Force to End Liberal Racism will conduct its first study on September 22.” The 22nd is the day that Parliament resumes after summer recess, so I guess Jivani is letting us all know what to expect in the fall. Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has not weighed in on this task force that has only been announced on Jivani’s social media accounts. Poilievre’s silence is important. He has not publicly supported this “Liberal racism” task force nor has he denounced it.

This “task force” is part of Jivani’s mission to end “Liberal Racism” or in more Trumpian language to end DEI programs. Jivani first announced his movement to end Liberal Racism in November 2025, and created a website that basically is a mailing list generator. Rachel Gilmore did a piece on his initial announcement that delves into what EDI in Canada is, and what it isn’t (spoiler alert, it’s not Jivani’s definition). In a video he posted Jivani defines Liberal racism as hardcore liberals acting as white saviours, being entitled and condescending to those who think differently than they do. In essence, he is calling Liberals racist, and that they create DEI programs simply to promote the inferiority of others. He argues that they express that without Liberal help those in minority communities cannot succeed. His exact definition of Liberal Racism is “the idea that they [liberals] get to put you down, they get to demean you, they get to tell you that you’re less than them, but then also tell you that they are your saviour, that liberal DEI policies are going to be what gets you ahead in life.” In his video, Jivani uses a personal anecdote about his interactions with liberals, and the emotions he has felt. There are no statistics of the impact of DEI practices and policies in Canada, no social media posts or hot mic moments where Liberal Party officials have stated these beliefs to be true, just simply Jivani’s retelling of his feelings.

To garner support for the end of this specific form of racism, he also organized a forum to be held in Ottawa. This event became a tool of conspiracy for Jivani. He posted on X that his forum would have to be reschedule from the 17th of November 2025, to the 18th, because the Liberal Party had scheduled their budget vote on the 17th, out of fear of the impact of his forum. This is text book use of creating disinformation to place blame on the liberals as a scare tactic. The fact is, Jivani booked his forum on the date of the budget vote. In September when the federal government announced they would be release its budget on November 4th, the wheels of parliamentary procedure went into motion. Once a budget is tabled, there must be four days of debate, followed by a vote. In this case the debates were held November 5, 6, and 7, with the fourth day of debate on the 17th. The lapse between the third and fourth debate was due to the House closing for the week of November 10th for Remembrance Day. Jivani would have known all of this as a sitting member of Parliament. His forum dates were announced in early November, and he would have known the debate dates, as well as the scheduled closing for Remembrance Day. The Liberal Party was neither scared of his protest or attacking it under some great conspiracy, they just know how to read a calendar. Using distrust and demonizing the other side of the political spectrum is a popular tool among far-right populist governments. This made up “attack” on his movement, is probably why many are not believing his accusations about the immorality of the federal government’s hiring practices, without the letter being posted.

Now with this “task force” Jivani is bringing together Conservative Party elected officials to investigate his made up term. Oddly, some of the very same representatives who are speakers on his campus tours. The first member is MP Dr. Matt Strauss, a former professor at Queen’s University, who during the pandemic argued there were minimal health risks and questioned the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines. After he wrote an article for the MacDonald Laurier Institute where he called for the end of vaccine mandates, he resigned from the University and sued them for defamation. This case was funded by Elon Musk. Andrew Lawton, another task force member, was a former Rebel Media contributor. His run for the Conservative Party caused controversy due to his posts from the past that were homophobic and racist. In his defense he said that had suffered mental health issues between 2005 and 2013, but that does not explain why in 2016 on his show for Rebel Media he stated that businesses should be allowed to discriminate based on gender and race. He has also stated that Canada’s National Day of Remembrance and Action Against Women, for the 14 women who were murdered in 1989 at the Polytechnique Montreal Massacre, as a fake and promoted by “Feminazis.” A third task force member, MP Arnold Viersen, was linked to inviting the conspiracy group “Save the Children Convoy” into the House of Commons. He also asked a female NDP MP, if she had considered sex work, during a debate at the House of Commons.

Seems that Jivani has gathered quite the team for the purpose of “ending discriminatory policies that lead to Canadians being hired or fired due to skin colour and ancestry” but at the heart of this movement is harm to women, people of colour, LGBTQ2SA communities, and human rights in Canada. The people who he has chosen for this task force, seem to be linked to influential individuals in the Trump administration (Musk), and express some of the same hate speech and conspiracy theories. Another important connection here, is the one between Jivani and Vice President JD Vance, who Jivani considers a close friend.

Jivani has claimed that in his conversations with these young men, that they are “dehumanized” for being conservative. This, he argues, is because “most of the institutions they interact with — when they go to public school, when they go to college or university, when they go to the workplace.” Jivani’s methods and actions seem to be appealing to the same far-right groups and young males who were the catalyst to Trump’s election. He has admitted that young men are the “secret weapon” for Conservative Party electoral success, and young Canadian men are leaning more right-wing. As Jivani, continues to stoke the fires of the far-right, Canadians must ask if we want a government mimicking the Trump administration? We might also ask, given the continually dropping popularity rating of Trump with American voters, and the destruction of the credibility of America globally, does the CPC really want to plagiarize their strategy?

A friend and colleague sent me a promo piece for an upcoming muscular Christianity event being held in Tennessee. Sadly, there is no online option for attendance, so I had to do the next best thing, dig around in the rabbit hole that is this event.

I am currently working on three separate research pieces that are based in muscular Christianity, mobilizing young men, and populism, so this conference is something I am interested in. I began looking into the speakers’ social media presence and their organizations, and I found exactly what I expected. There are consistent tropes within the writings/posts of these many white, Christian men, including love of Trump, hate of feminists, LGBTQ2SA, Islam, and immigrants. I also found an old faithful “news” outlet of right-wing conspiracists since the 1940s, Human Events. Let’s dig into who is setting the tone of muscularity within Christianity, a new form of the movement, that has little to do with sports, images of a muscular Jesus, and more so to do with extremism, hate, Christian nationalism, and the Second Amendment. Why do I want to write Yee Haw here?

David Harris is the Executive Director of Truthscript, which was founded in 2023 to provide Christians an outlet not “compromised by neo-liberalism.” Another speaker in the event, Josh Abbotoy is also on the board of this organization. Harris is outspoken about his support of mass deportations under Trump and admonishes Christian leaders who are anti-ICE. Harris even positions those who are anti-vaxxers and election/abortion protestors as being persecuted while “open border advocates and illegal immigrants” are not. He uses Romans 13, as validation for the mass deportations with the “federal government is performing the most rudimentary, base-level responsibility” in light of the passage. His examples of the harm caused by immigrants, include the education system. He demands the end of sanctuary schools, because “public education should be open only to citizens and those who are here legally.” He claims as a former ESL instructor that he can “say without hesitation that not one of the migrant students I’ve had in class over the past ten years has thought of themselves as an American.” He maybe should have learned about broad blanket statements not supported by evidence, and purely anecdotal. Here we are seeing a sense of constructed victimhood, of those who believe as he does and justifying the harm to those they consider the oppressors. Those on the left, even religious leaders, cannot “occupy the moral high ground,” that it seems, is the sacred space of the Christian right. The right are the only ones who can understand concepts of national sovereignty and legitimate compassion. How much compassion you ask? Well Harris describes his politics as Charlie Kirk being on the political left of him!

Sean David is the CEO and Co-Founder of The Federalist. His X feed is primarily retweets of such emissaries as Christopher Rufo, End Wokeness, Russ Vought (Heritage Foundation), and Matt Walsh. Writing on X "“You’re either with MAGA and Russ Vought, or you’re with the left-wing bureaucrats who hate this country and want to destroy it.” His name maybe recognizable because he presented in front of the Senate Commerce Committee’s hearing on former President Biden’s supposed censorship of conservatives. The opening lines of his remarks were “it begins with censorship. It moves to the destruction of statues and monuments. And it ends with the murder of people.” In his speech he claims that censorship “advances toward the violent elimination of speakers,” due to the totalitarian and authoritarian impulses to take control including “the murder of one’s political opponents.” This was in reference to the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The hypocrisy is almost palatable. He claims he and his media outlet, The Federalist, were censored for having opinions different than liberals. The material under which these claims are made were articles about the conspiracy theory of the rigged election in 2020. Deep critical news from The Federalist includes rating the ring girls’ outfits from the Trump birthday spectacle on a “scale of sexy to Martha Washington to 10,” celebrating the removal of funding for the homeless, and claims that the New York Time’s piece on the anti-immigration attacks in Ireland were misguided by focusing on the anti-immigration sentiments spearheading the violence. Instead the focus should have been on the open border policies of the nation. The New York Times piece also was far too interested in the concerns of immigrants who were living in fear, and not those who were the bystanders of the violent act that instigated the riots!

Jesse Hughes also posts in support of the anti-immigration rioters in Ireland. Comments on his social media also reflect his own feelings about immigration to America, calling for an end to “mass migration from the Third World.” Another anti-immigration speaker at the event is Kenny Cody. Cody was endorsed by Trump for the Tennessee State House. He was the chairman of the Cocke Country Republican Party from 2019 until 2026, and is the Opinion Editor for Human Events. Much like the other event speakers Cody is vocal in his anti-immigration beliefs, writing that “halting migration is the new American civil right.” He argues that despite Trump’s mass deportations, the “greater threat” is legal migration. Oddly he only wants that moratorium on “third world countries” because “open borders and multiculturalism have destroyed any nation they have touched.” I guess white South Africans and Europeans are ok? The vocal Christian, points out that “genuine compassion is reserved for our nation’s people.”

He has also written for Newsmax, and the Daily Wire. Cody, also seems to represent the “manliness” concepts of this event. He has written “It is a great time to be an American. While ICE is arresting and deporting migrants, the Trump Administration is dominating on every front.” Let’s look at his “reporting” on women, such as his article warning men to avoid “cuffing season” that is the epitome of I guess Christian maleness? Cuffing season is when women who were “focusing on themselves: suddenly start hunting for a temporary winter boo like they’re assembling a survival kit.” This apparently is something that is “overwhelming the young men in our nation in the worst possible way.” In what is not overtly spoken, is this seems to be very opportunistic for women, as it begins right after Thanksgiving and ends shortly after Valentine’s day. According to Cody women do this without the intention of marriage, and to “placate social media followers.” The harm these women are doing to men includes hurting their confidence, it can potentially lead the men to seek false companionship, and “succumb to the pressure society puts on them.” During cuffing season women “poach young men for social media clout.” I wonder if that would work to get more subscribers to my Substack?

Another familiar name maybe Josh Abbotoy, who was recently interviewed by Politico about the Christian charter community he is developing in Appalachia. His proposed town, Brewington Farms, would be one of four planned communities. The community will have what he describes as “a distinctively Christian cultural ethos” and while open to anyone, he envisions a community of right-leaning Christians. He claims the community is part of the Right’s aim to attack progressivism, globalism, and secular liberalism. The strategy behind this, is “to remake the country by seizing (and, when necessary, abolishing) the primary institutions of political and cultural power.” These communities are the bottom up, grassroots version of this strategy. In essence, he is part of the creation of a parallel Christian nation within America. Separation is not his only goal though. He also started the American Reformer with Nate Fisher in 2021. (Hughes is also involved.) It is a not for profit organization, that believes that Protestant leadership is missing in the “highest places of power and culturally significant institutions” and wants to change this by elevating a new generation of Protestant leadership. In essence is it Dominionism or the Seven Mountain Mandate, metapolitical movements that want to infiltrate the institutions of society (media, government, the arts, academia etc) to change the ideology of society. He also claims that Protestant Christians, on the right, are “the demographic foundation that really is keeping America relatively sane.” He also thinks that Catholics are holding too many power positions, and do not have “the stark elite versus grassroots divide that we see amongst Protestants.” Given the spectacle for Trump’s birthday, I am wondering if the Protestants have lost the ability to keep America sane.

Conspiracy theories are also at the heart of some of the scheduled speakers, especially with David Schrock. Schrock is the editor in chief of Christ Over All. His X feed is filled with how to minister to Muslims, critical analysis of Islam and anti-Sharia laws in America, anti-vaccine posts, concerns that the church is too effeminate, and celebrations of the Southern Baptist Convention further restrictions on women in pastoral roles.

Christ Over All includes and podcast and sales of merchandise. The podcast theme for this month is “unmasking Islam.” Past themes have included “Christ over all the Isms” which include globalism, feminism, environmentalism, and totalitarianism, which are all “part of a world system designed to enslave God’s people” He uses coded language of conspiracy theories blaming the WEF and Klaus Schwab of trying to “reimagine what the world would look like.” This is the Great Reset, so much so he promotes books about the conspiracy theory in his articles, as well as 15-minute cities, and Project 2030.

The closest to the original muscular Christianity would be J. Chase Davis. Davis is the author of Offensive Christianity Restoring the Strength of Men in a Feminized Age that attempts to rectify the weak version of Christianity offered to men today. The book argues that churches have “absorbed feminist assumptions.” What he calls for in response is a new birth of manliness within an offensive Christianity that is “unworried about offending the world’s dark powers and a Christianity that conquers territory in a dark world.” You can also find his promotion of Christian nationalism and specific brand of manliness here on Substack. Jared Moore’s substack and social media seems to be fixated on combating lust, and same sex attraction. His works are titled “33 days to Freedom from Lust,” The Lust of the Flesh” and “Same-sex Attraction and the Temptation of Christ.” He has written a piece titled “Is God Anti-Gay?” I think we all know his answer. Yes, according to Moore, God is indeed anti-Gay. Moore writes there are three truths we need to know about homosexuality, the first being “You are not Gay,” second God Forbids Homosexuality, and finally, homosexuality is overcome by Jesus. Apparently if you have to turn to Christ, and repent, et voila you can have a heterosexual marriage and have love!

So much compassion and manliness! But the manliest of all the speakers in my sarcastic opinion is Scott Parkinson, the founder of Dangerous but Good a Christian apparel and gear provider for “those who aim to lead lives of strength and virtue.” Most of the clothing is branded with images about owning guns, the second amendment, and being armed. They also sell “Man Candles” where “every flame reflects freedom and faith.” Anyone else suddenly thinking of Goop and candles? Just me? The blog contains posts on faith, freedom, and family, with almost every single image for each post involving a gun. The answer for Parkinson to all that ails America is “the righteous must rise and WE HAVE to in order to take our country back!” “They” are the “socialist progressives removing God from the public space.”

What we find in the speakers under the misleading title of muscular Christianity, is instead a MAGA Christian nationalism, whose men are the victims of progress, feminism, LGBTQ2SA, and democrats. The speakers are a convergence of conspiracy, racism, hate, extremism, and anti-LGBTQ2SA, hoping to mobilize Christian men to support their metapolitical movement. In the past when we have dismissed these movements it has been to the detriment of society, as distasteful as these groups are, they are having an impact. We may make fun of them, we may meme their posts, but we have to be aware and respond to them.

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As a regular Bluesky poster, and let’s be honest social media addict, I have been considering writing a blog for quite some time. My social media posts tend to become threads, as I analyze or add additional information to media pieces, current events, and evidence of extremism.

My area of research is in the darkest areas of political humanity, meaning conspiracy theories, Christian nationalism, populism, extremism, and hate. The convergence of these topics is evident in the world we live in today. Far-right militia movements, moral panics, attacks on human rights seem to be flourishing globally, yet many writing on these topic are reactionary. The analysis is of the moment, making it appear as though this “just happened.” The truth is many of these current events, movements, and violent mobilizations are the result of a steady buildup of propaganda, fearmongering, and a hierarchical nesting of conspiracy theories, religion, the occult, and a sense of constructed victimhood.

I decided to start this Substack for a few reasons. The first being that as an academic I find it incredibly frustrating that research that can help people understand what is happening now and why, takes months to appear in academic journals. When they do appear the moment has moved on, and a new crisis has arisen. I chose my academic route because I wanted to help in someway, to inform, and perhaps even make a change. The limitations of academic publishing does not allow this to happen with the long process of review and the fact many academic journals are behind the academic walls of accessibility, limiting readership. This Substack I hope will enable me to have conversations with people interested in conspiracy theories, politics, Christian nationalism, and extremism/hate.

Religious Studies departments are being removed from university programs, and this is the moment we need them most. Nothing happens in isolation. Beliefs, personal values, and morals are not removed from people’s political choices. As Jeffrey Stout argued, the separation of church and state is not a wall in the heart of the believer. Religious beliefs can validate hate, worldviews, and ideologies, providing the group or the individual a sense they are on the side of the eternal. Fears, conspiracies, and populism can provide an understanding of the world, that promotes harms to others. While universities are closing religious studies programs, I hope to create here a community that has an open dialogue sharing insights, expertise, and most importantly a place to learn together.

My plan is to write as events happen, or as media pieces are published, to allow us all to expand on the amazing journalism that is happening, in spite of the monopolization of legacy media. I will also write an overview of events or right-wing/extremist groups available each Monday. Understanding these movements from a transnational perspective is essential, yet often Canadian stories are not included. We are not immune to the hate, extremism, Christian nationalism, and conspiratorial beliefs that we often regulate to Americans. These are not movements bounded by national borders.

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