Christian Identity
30/12/19
Christian Identity is a racist, antisemitic form of Christianity. It originated in the UK with British Israelism and has mythology that can be dated back to at least the 16th Century. However, the ideas were formulated and solidified by John Wilson’s “Our Israelitish Origin” in 1840. This declared the British people as the true inhabitants of the area around Palestine as they are descended from a lost tribe of Israel. Wilson studied Yiddish and looked for any similarities with English to prove his theory. Unlike Christian Identity though, Wilson and other early followers were philo-Semitic (someone with a respect and appreciation for Jewish culture and people).
Followers of Christian Identity today see themselves as the true descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob whilst Israeli Jewish people are the cursed offspring of Cain. They also believe that any non-white people will be enslaved or killed when Jesus returns, believing only white people can be saved. The turn to antisemitism following British Israelism’s move across the Atlantic has become the focal point of the sect. They genuinely seem to believe that Jewish people are descended from Satan himself and that’s why they are antisemitic. Christian Identity has cropped in all the most famous racist institutions of the US such as the Ku Klux Klan. It has also seen a rise in interest as the Alt Right has gain prominence.
Alex Jones is a follower and this explains some of most unhinged rants about demons and Satan. Another influential follower is George Lincoln Rockwell who formed the American Nazi Party in 1960. Randy Weaver, who was part of the Ruby Ridge Siege (see previous fact), was a follower too. The uptick in interest in Christian Identity has been part of the Trump movement in the US, this might explain some of the very antisemitic posts that Trump made shortly prior to his election, most famously the last ad Trump ran during the 2016 campaign that vilified prominent Jewish figures as vested interests and global elites. Playing off the old antisemitic trope of Jews being very rich and also running the world. Some members of the Alt Right use 'globalist' as a euphemism for Jew, in much the same way as antisemites latch on to David Icke’s lizard people.