“How is this Even Happening?” — MRFF’s Senior Research Director Reacts to Sunday’s Rededicate America to Jesus Extravaganza on the National Mall
GW-cherry-tree
“Watching Sunday’s dystopian Christian nationalist Rededicate America to Jesus extravaganza on the National Mall, there were many thoughts going through my head, the first of which was ‘how the f— is this even happening?’
“This month marks nineteen years that I’ve been working as the research director for MRFF, and during this time – up until this present administration – we were regularly stopping military band participation in so-called “patriotic” events put on by churches – events that didn’t hold a Christian-nationalist candle the show put on by our current hyper-Christianized government.
“Watching the numerous U.S. military bands and ensembles perform at this history-twisting, constitution-be-damned display of Christian nationalist domination at the highest levels of our government, I wondered how many of those military musicians were there under duress, wanting no part of dedicating the country they swore an oath to defend to the MAGA Jesus.”
— MRFF Senior Research Director Chris Rodda
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- June 9, 2026 | 2 comments
As always the MRFF has to be disrespectful showing Washington in a cartoon. Chris Rodda mentioned that Washington chopping down the cherry tree and praying at Valley Forge were myths. HOWEVER, she conveniently “forgot” to point out some other things and she needs to get her facts straight. The Father of our Country WAS a Godly man and here is the proof.
1. He Constantly Credited “Providence”
Washington frequently talked and wrote about God. He usually preferred the 18th-century term “Providence,” which meant God’s helpful and guiding hand on Earth.
The Revolution: He truly believed America won the Revolutionary War because of divine help.
Famous Quote: In 1778, he wrote that anyone who could not see the hand of Providence in the war must be “worse than an infidel” and lacking in gratitude.
2. He Ordered His Army to Worship
As the commander of the army, Washington believed that soldiers needed good morals to win blessings from God. [1]
Church Attendance: He ordered all of his officers and soldiers to attend church services regularly.
Banning Bad Habits: He strictly banned swearing, gambling, and drinking among his troops. He said it made no sense to insult God with bad behavior while asking for His help in battle.
3. He Shared the Victory with God
Whenever the American army won a major battle, Washington did not take all the credit. [1]
Yorktown: After the final big victory at the Battle of Yorktown, he ordered a special church service. He told his troops to attend with a “gratitude of heart” for God’s amazing help.
4. He Created the First National Day of Thanksgiving
As the first president, Washington wanted the entire nation to thank God for its new freedom and the U.S. Constitution.
The Proclamation: In 1789, he declared a national day of prayer and thanksgiving. He asked Americans to acknowledge “the many signal favors of Almighty God.”
5. He Served in His Local Church
Washington did not just go to church on Sundays; he actively helped manage it.
Church Leader: For over 15 years, he served as a vestryman and churchwarden for his local Anglican church in Virginia. This meant he helped run the church buildings and took care of the local poor.
Washington even had a beautiful prayer printed in a booklet after he left the Continental Army. ” I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have you, and the State over which you preside, in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all, to do Justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the Characteristicks of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation. “
Washington was a Diest not a Christian fanatic, if you don’t know the difference you are a sad and poor patriot. You free to worship what you want, where you want and when you want, but not on the government time
George Washington is best described as a Christian with strong Enlightenment-era Deistic views. While he was a lifelong, practicing Anglican (Episcopalian) who served as a church vestryman, he was famously private about his personal faith and frequently used philosophical terminology for God.
His Christianity
Church Affiliation: He was baptized in the Church of England as an infant and attended Anglican churches throughout his life.
Leadership Roles: For over 15 years, Washington served as an elected vestryman and churchwarden for Truro Parish in Virginia, helping manage church affairs and caring for the poor.
Private Practice: He regularly prayed, owned multiple Bibles, and family members attested to his orthodox
His Deistic Tendencies
Language: In his official writings and speeches, he almost never used the name “Jesus Christ” or “Christianity.” Instead, he preferred Enlightenment terms like “Providence,” the “Grand Architect,” or the “Divine Author”.
Communion Habits: Washington frequently did not take communion. During church services, he would often leave the sanctuary before the communion portion of the service began.
The Verdict
Historians debate whether his outward participation in church was born of deep theological conviction or a sense of civic duty and social conformity. Regardless, his worldview synthesized the two—he maintained a firm belief in a personal, intervening God while adhering to the moral frameworks and practices of 18th-century Christianity.
You can read more about his religious practices and his views on religious tolerance at Mount Vernon’s Religion and Religious Freedom Guide.
Well done old soldier. By focusing on your outrage about what is and is not a myth about George Washington you entirely missed the point of the post aka Nat-C’s holding a taxpayer funded gala event on the National Mall for the purpose of promoting their concept of Christianity.
You are totally you, aren’t you?
They’re not just “promoting their concept of Christianity.” they’re promoting the idea that being a good American requires being a fundamentalist bible-thumper. Old Soldier obviously believes that, but won’t explicitly say it, so instead he attacks MRFF for other trivial reasons.
Tom O, well, yeah, their concept of Christianity includes the requirement that you be A. a citizen born here in the the USA and B. an evangelical/fundamentalist/IFB bible-thumping Christian.
The two parts are rarely seen separately anymore, not since MAGA took over the Southern Baptists anyway. I will be more concise as I thought your definition was implied in my comment.
And along with the writings of the founders themselves, give Nature’s God – Matthew Stewart a look.
Ethan Allen, Franklin, Jefferson, John Adams were not theists.
There were also such founders as Jonas Phillips and Haym Solomon… by no means Christian…
Hey Gray One Talks Sass I will NEVER support this group of cowards glorified schoolyard bullies who just care about money and publicity.
old soldier who lies all the time to hide their own failings claims the MRFF is a bully.
OK – I’ll play. In what fashion is the MRFF a bully old soldier? I’m looking for specific examples just as they publish specific examples of how Nat-C’s like yourself habitually ignore the rules of both the Constitution and the UCMJ.
Since you are here every week you must have some examples to share so have at it old soldier.
(insert Jeopardy waiting song here)
Times up. Huh, you don’t have anything except excess bile and a severe case of the jealousy’s for both an organization and their leader who is clearly better than you at just about everything including handling the glare of the spotlight.
Narrators voice: I’d give the old soldier more time to respond but based on comment history they’ve got nothing which is why I often call them old soldier who yells at clouds.
There is a reason envy is one of the seven deadly sins in the old soldier’s holy book. Too bad they’ve yet to get to that part.
The United States was founded on slavery. Period. But, it was a Christian form of slavery. Owning people in accordance with the tenants of the Bible. You know, you can beat a slave as long as he doesn’t die within a day or two. Good Christian values still in effect today, witness, by proxy, American hegemony around the world and the Christian realtor God giving other people’s land away to colonial settlers, apartheid be damned. Kind of like in America, the indigenous populous wiped out, relocated, interred, subjugated, exploited.
All the more intense from a thrashing but dying empire, Trump having created another reality TV show, a comedy on the world stage, the whole world laughing at the “Imperial Navy” that can’t seem to open a 21km strait.
Trumptie hauled off to Walter Reed to have his funny bone checked, a cognitive exam looking for recognizable discernment between a giraffe and a buffoon. I think it goes, “Man, Woman, TV, Putin, Pussy.”
Yea Donnie. You almost passed!
OK. Shall we bow our heads and pray that Cuba doesn’t strike Miami when Trump invades once he gets this little excursion in the Middle East taken care of?
I hear Russia is front loading Cuba with drones and ballistics ahead of a new rodeo.
Do they have air raid sirens in Little Marco’s old stomping grounds?
C’mon Donnie. You can’t subjugate Iran without troops on the ground! Stop fucking around and get them troops in there!
Fucking SNL skit watching Donnie sleep during cabinet meetings. Like watching cabinet members talking to a door knob!
I see where Chris Rodda didn’t reply when I sent her that information on Washington that he WAS a Godly man. She didn’t have the decency to admit how wrong she was.
John the Baptist and Adam Roes answered you.
AND, we’re still waiting for any specific examples of MRFF’s allegedly cowardly or bullying actions.
How about when they destroyed that Boy Scout cemetery project?
If you’re referring to Monument Colorado in 2021, MRFF objected to placing symbols of a specific religion on the same monument with trademarked symbols of the US military in a government-owned cemetery. more detail at
https://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/2021/03/eagle-scout-shaming/
and
https://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/2021/02/flawed-eagle-scout-project/
Wow Tom O! The old soldier who yells at clouds answered you. And politely as well.
Of course their example was intended to cause a kerfluffle. Good think you have the receipts. LOL
I remember that conversation. Our opponents at the time also had issues with following not only the Constitution but the military codes too.
My dad was an Eagle Scout and he’d would have never made such a blunder but then again, he understood the rules and he had good mentors. That poor kid. Everything his mentors taught him was a lie. Not an easy lesson to traverse, especially as a kid.
OK, distraction: for those keeping score at home that’s one strike for the old soldier who whines a lot. They put out a lot of bluster but failed to get on base against the MRFF and their crack team of enthusiast commentators.
Better luck next time old soldier who doesn’t support the MRFF.