How Evangelicals Became Republicans - my first J.J. McCullough reaction

[@VloggingThroughHistory]

Just a heads up, I will not be engaging in political debates with anyone, so understand up front that while I'll read your comments, I won't be responding to them.

[@CodyChepa88]

You should get a shirt with ohio on it that says take a shot 🤣

[@lolwuttup420]

Chris, what if I try to start a political debate with you about why Michigan is superior to Ohio? Jk! Love your work

[@sclarke6969]

surely that's heretical not political? 😆

[@kieranfrancke790]

thats fine I made comments on the more liberal perspective that's all no need to respond unless you agree with something of course would love to know if you do.

[@michaelaburns734]

I understand that. Just curious of what this topic was all about. So when religion and politics I normally steer away from talking about this with people.

[@BioshockChicken]

Just wanted to say as a liberal and an atheist that I have both respect for you as a person and trust in the honesty of your content. You’ve always been very fair and transparent and it has earned you a significant amount of credibility. Bonus points for keeping the comment section open on what very easily could be a heated area for debate. I was raised evangelical in the Midwest like yourself and agree with all your definitions and interpretations of the Bible and Christianity. Thankyou for being a good representative of religion, most theists are nothing like the crazies on tv.

[@VloggingThroughHistory]

Glad to have you as a part of this community!

[@HaydenManka]

As an atheist ( but partly agnostic) and a liberal, I completely agree!

[@podemosurss8316]

As a classical Marxist and an agnostic, I wholly agree with what you said.

[@noemitellez3098]

@@HaydenManka I third this!

[@beckys2825]

Same

[@lukemontavon89]

Long time watcher, first time commented. Your even-ness, fairness, honesty, forthrightness, and nuance is such a welcome and needed quality in not just the space we are in here, but America today. Bravo, from a very private, United Methodist liberal

[@VloggingThroughHistory]

Glad you took the time to comment Luke!

[@MalikF15]

As someone whose Muslim, i can say that you and this channel are one of my favorites for unbiased commentary(if you do have biases you claim it). So keep the great content coming chis

[@VloggingThroughHistory]

Appreciate that! Glad to have you as a part of this community.

[@MalikF15]

@@VloggingThroughHistory Also as a Canadian I can say that the jokes ring some truth.

[@Aaron-wv5si]

Just wanted to clarify that he is certainly biased. We all are. We are humans, it isn't possible to not have biases. What we can try to be, however, is objective, and this channel is one of the more objective ones out there. That's why I, as someone who disagrees with him on a great many things, still watch.

[@MalikF15]

@@Aaron-wv5si true that i why I have the parenthesis part. But ya objective is much more suited term.

[@haraldisdead]

Mashallah

[@CyberianWinter]

Hey Chris I am an atheist who tends to have more left wing political views, but this video underlines why I have a lot of respect for you despite any disagreements we might have. You take the time and effort to have an even-keeled approach while being open about the fact you are an evangelical christian. I find it very refreshing, and I genuinely thank you for sharing your thoughts with us all, as I've learned a lot thanks to this channel. Best to you and your family.

[@majordisorder73]

+1

[@Nottoday_22pilot]

Before finding about your channel, I was a borderline modern day nazi. I was homophonic, anti-jew, anti-trans and just overall had bad views on people who looked different than me. But through watching your videos and your constant advocacy of putting yourself in others perspective, I’ve come to endorse jews, lgbtq, and trans people. Your channel changed me for the better and I thank you for this.

[@IcyPhilosopher]

Wow, that's a huge transformation. You should be proud of how far you've come. Amazing what learning does for us.

[@Nottoday_22pilot]

@@IcyPhilosopher i hope this change can be replicated in others like it happened to me. Too much hate and bigotry going around and it’s sad.

[@Allaiya.]

Wow, that's awesome. We all should keep this perspective. Think the world would certainly be better for it.

[@PatrickStarfishman]

It take a big man to admit when he is wrong and do something about it. I want you to know that this reflects really well on you and I hope you feel very proud of yourself. You deserve to.

[@honeycomblord9384]

You're on track to get the good ending, my friend. Always nice to hear these sorts of stories.

[@hjs6102]

Hello Chris, I am a German atheist and am politically more on the liberal spectrum with some more right wing than left wing views though. Before I came across your channel, I never thought I would be able to listen to an Evangelical for more than a few minutes. Your historical analyses are always very precise and balanced and almost always meet my opinion. Above all, you are very honest and sympathetic. You admit when you don't know something and don't pretend to be someone you are not. You inform your viewers in advance about your own prejudices or views, so that they know how to evaluate your opinion. But you always emphasize that there are also other opinions and that they also have a right to exist and can be debated. The way you approach things is therefore exactly what we often lack in the political debate. Keep it up. And I would be happy to meet you in person, I would invite you for a beer and I would be proud to call you my friend. Thank you for your work.

[@VloggingThroughHistory]

Would be honored to sit down for a drink with you if we ever get that chance.

[@KyleighBailey-y2j]

As someone who is unsure about religion, leans more towards the left, and doesn’t comment on videos, I wanted to express that I really appreciate your openness to other perspectives and I respect you a lot. The community of mutual respect and understanding that you’ve built on your channel is pretty unique on the internet. I’ve been binging your reaction videos these past few weeks and keep coming back for more. Anyway, keep up the amazing work, I love what you do!

[@Aetherblade-z4o]

Not getting yourself into arguments on this platform is probably for the Best 😅

[@ClocksTheSuperhero]

I also set my account up to allow me to make a comment for, possibly, the first time. I don't wish to engage in arguments. Thank you for sharing your perspective. I admit I held a false opinion of evangelical Christianity until watching this video. I've even caught my hackles raising when you've shared your opinion. I thought I held the belief that the majority of liberals and Republicans agree more often than disagree. But this is the first time I have really felt it. Religion for breakfast is an amazing channel. It really illustrates how wide spread the misconceptions about evangelicalism are if andrew passed them on. Or maybe he's wrong a lot? Oh God...

[@gitzogutz]

I am a former Christian turned atheist, and I sometimes have a lot of anger when it comes to conversations on religion. People like you and conversations like this remind me that religious people are not my enemy. You gave me a lot to think about, and I thank you for it. I wish you and everyone else out there the best.

[@chesterparish3794]

Same

[@levisimpson516]

I've long found it interesting in Atheist circles seeing those who rise up as the most vocal and passionately vocal against religion being those atheists who came from a religious background. I think it makes sense, even in your case when you say you would sometimes have a lot of anger when the topic gets brought up because I have to assume there is this bitterness toward being raised or indoctrinated into such a belief system that you later find to be flawed, faulty, wrong or what ever reason one finds themselves leaving their faith and adopting a more atheistic world view. I myself have always been atheist being brought up in a non religious household that honestly never discussed religion all that much, it simply was not part of my upbringing. So while I have my frustrations with religion, specifically organized religions, I've never found myself as frustratingly angry or inspired to stand up against religion as those who once were and now are not. I also found things like the Clergy Project to be absolutely fascinating; this would be the group that helps former priests and pastors transition when they've found themselves to no longer believe in what they've been preaching. I can only imagine what a difficult, frustrating and straight up gut-wrenchingly difficult situation that must be to find ones self in. I also don't view nor have I ever viewed religious people to be my enemy, and I think that has to do with how I was brought up. Atheist home life but with religious people in my family like my Catholic grandparents who were just wonderful people. I don't think religion or religious people are really the enemy, it's more those who want to take their religious views on life and push to have them become laws of the land, to use their religion to take power over others and force their world view and views on how a human should live life on this planet to fit their own. That's what I take the most offense to and will truly fight against. It would be no different than me trying to push religion out of peoples lives and their homes all together because I don't happen to believe in it, that's just not right on a human level, a freedom level. Cheers to you Justin.

[@SmoovManChild]

@@levisimpson516 I am a Catholic and have been one since birth but I agree with you on your last part about people trying to make religion law whether or not you believe in that religion. I firmly believe that governments and law should stay secular.

[@chopsyoutube]

then you were never truly a Christian.

[@amwoodco3049]

@chops Let's keep the anti-apostacy views out of the comments, please. As stated in the video itself, the comments should be for the historical connection between religion and politics, not your oppinion on someone's personal faith. By the by, I'm a Canadian, left wing supporting, Free Methodist (an evangelical denomination) Christian, so I'm not saying this from a hostile position. If you wish to debate that there are other vids or forums. To the original poster: welcome. Stay awhile and listen.

[@jameswarden2691]

I love the four-minute introduction. Good reminder and call for this to be a community to embrace what makes it special. I also think it's a great example of social emotional learning -- a word that has become a lightning rod but is really nothing more than helping growing students learn how to navigate interpersonal relations. Interacting with people different than us is not always easy -- whether those differences are racial, religious, gender, or, as in this case, political. We all need the occasional reminder to pause to appreciate our fellow humans. Thanks for this!

[@torresmat10]

I love both of your channels and understand that both you and J.J. are mature enough to engage in discourse in an appropriate and constructive manner. I really hope each of your respective communities can do the same.

[@VloggingThroughHistory]

I thought he did a great job covering this topic.

[@jacobmiller2008]

As someone who grew up catholic and left faith into adulthood, becoming fully agnostic, I often look back and see that one thing that drove me away was how totally and completely it was forced upon me by my family and community. With that perspective given, I can without any doubt say that you sir are a boon to each and every community you touch. The ability to approach even a topic that we may be devoutly involved with, in an unbiased way is no meager feat. As a center left agnostic, you have my complete respect and appreciation. I would gladly reach across the aisle any time to hear more of your thoughts and opinions on whatever your future videos may concern.

[@LuxRoyale]

I loved JJs videos, he has a really unique approach to understanding cultures, where they derived from, and how they shape histories, politics, even the day-to-day minutiae of culture.

[@VloggingThroughHistory]

I thought he did a good job covering this topic in a pretty evenhanded way.

[@kieranfrancke790]

@@VloggingThroughHistory he usually does a lot of controversial topics and always seems to be down the middle a lot of the time like a good journalist.

[@jakethesyndicalist132]

@@VloggingThroughHistory I think a lot of that comes from him being canadian and thus look into american politics from the outside

[@MichaelJohnson-vi6eh]

I love JJ and have followed him for years. His career was not really as an educator or a journalist but more a commentator. I find some of his content to be a bit more showmanship and a slightly less academic than I'd like.

[@LuxRoyale]

@@MichaelJohnson-vi6eh Fair enough. He does often work off of assumptions and dot-connecting. But rarely does his line of logic go beyond reasonable assumptions. He explores topics you'll rarely see discussed in a classroom, so I've always viewed him more as an idealogue who reaches for potential answers to complex questions and thus can rarely hand out definitive answers.

[@roberthess3939]

Super job, Chris. Excellent balance and sensitivity towards viewers with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints. This video gives me a lot to think about -- but it also resonates with a lot of what I've seen and experienced. Thanks again, and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

[@justinbrutchen3811]

As an Evangelical turned Catholic, I am proud to see such a great Christian brother doing such great. Happy St. Patrick's day!

[@crusader2112]

Happy St. Paddy’s Day. ☘️

[@crusader2112]

@Richard Vye Explain?

[@lolwuttup420]

@@crusader2112 Paddy is male, Patty is female. So they’re adamant it’s St Paddy’s Day :P

[@Mrpersonultra]

Happy Saint Patrick’s day ☘️

[@crusader2112]

@@lolwuttup420 Sorry about that, thanks,

[@toromaniac2232]

An hour-long VTH reaction to a JJ McCullough video? What a perfect combination! Loved hearing both perspectives on this and hopefully there might be more reactions in the future.

[@Gravelgratious]

Chris the fact that you recognize how politics isn’t the defining factor for an individual is refreshing. We are all United in our love of history.

[@CarlosRodriguez-dh7mm]

VTH, you wouldn't know it based on his even-handed coverage of topics but JJ is actually a secular Canadian conservative moderate (that's probably closer to a true moderate in the American sense). He used to be a political commentator on local news and an opinion writer for The Washington Post. His KZbin is intended to be much more politically neutral, save for a few exceptions on topics that really get him going (like Quebec and French Canada).

[@Justanotherconsumer]

I don’t think it’s physiologically possible for a Canadian to not have strong opinions about Quebec.

[@danielbishop1863]

He's done at least one video about how Canada has embraced leftism as part of their "We're not Americans!" cultural identity.

[@JRazo-fg8lc]

Chris, I’m an evangelical in Texas earning a PhD in leadership studies at a conservative Christian university. I have spent years studying how the history of the Christian evangelicals have impacted the leadership of today and what is required to lead the nation in the future. I’m only 15 minutes in and have enjoyed your opinions as always. Looking forward to the rest and if you’re ever in Dallas, be sure to do a meet up!

[@Justanotherconsumer]

Out of curiosity, do they teach anything on the ethics of using religion to advance political causes? Obviously it happens, obviously people think they’re justified when they do it, etc… just curious what’s been written on the topic that’s presented in an academic setting.

[@Avghistorian77]

Sounds biased. Would be really curious how they describe black and native Americans. Are they called ‘savage’ in that course?

[@crushedscouter9522]

​@@Avghistorian77 you are the kind of liberal that gives liberals a bad name

[@therock8309]

@@Avghistorian77 I studied at a Canadian Bible college - with the history of residential schools, and the church’s connection to it, we actually spent a considerable amount of time learning, reflecting, and practicing reconciliation with the indigenous community around us. There is great work being done to help mend a broken relationship.

[@JRazo-fg8lc]

@@Justanotherconsumer of course! Its difficult to study leadership, especially through a religious lens, and not have this be a recurring consideration. We had a Leadership, Religions, and Politics seminar that was phenomenal. I'm not going to say that there is a definitive work, since there are several contributing works that range in palatability for most people (some of it is a drag), but one that stood out to me was God’s Long Summer. It tells the story of the summer of 1964 in Mississippi during the Civil Rights movement from the lens of five individuals who all believed they were doing God’s work in very contrasting ways. It highlights how religion and God can be used to justify very different things by the person and makes you truly question the motivation of yourself and others who may do the same, while also showing the good that can happen from someone following the vision they think God has for them. The short answer: like everything in leadership, it depends. Hope that helps!

[@dontbethatguy2881]

26:07 Our mutual disgust for Kenneth Copeland I found very amusing 😂 Great video as always 👍

[@JonahNelson7]

The way you bring up your angle is always perfect. You’re staunch about what you think but are so respectful. Great job

[@Catokawaii]

I grew up a quite liberal catholic, and never really knew any evangelicals. The representations I see on TV and other places always made it seem very extreme and very counter to all the values I had. You're channel and your representation of evangelicals here definitely change my perspective on evangelicals even if we no doubt have contrasting beliefs.

[@dennypetrosian8589]

Beautifully done. I learned a lot and I mean a lot on your perspective and the history of it all. Close mindedness is the creator of "enemies" in ones world. The more we avoid in trying to understand our opponents, the more resentment we will build towards them.

[@dannyhernandez1212]

You are always a pleasure to watch. You have your political and religious views, but they never overshadow your love for history. You know that history and the present are both highly complicated and that no one has clean hands. Keep up the great content!!

[@seanentzel9616]

"I believe both parties suck..." Hey good enough for me. Fully agree, you react however you want 😂

[@bryanFRDM]

Chris, I just want to say this is a fascinating video. One thing I particularly enjoy is how you are able to simply have a conversation whether it is about your faith or the history that is happening whether it involves politics or not. As an Evangelical Christian / Conservative myself, I love how you're able to go into the detail that you do. I understand this is a history driven channel however if you ever have the urge or end up making another channel that centers more about religion and the history of it and so forth that would be fantastic! ~ Cheers and have a wonderful weekend!

[@joshuacordero8163]

First thing, I greatly appreciate you reacting to this video, like you I consider myself to be an Evangelical Christian, as well as conservative leaning. I think you were spot on, when you commented on our thinking of being born again not being an emotional feeling, it's much more than that. This was a great reaction, and yes I also hope that when people see your video, and how level headed you approach issues, it will give them a better appreciation of our view as evangelicals and conservatives. Happy Saint Patrick's Day ☘, and God Bless!!!

[@LC-sc3en]

I wish i had met your kind of Evangelical growing up. Until I actually attended a born again event in my town as a kid, I thought the emotional component to being born again was more similar to taking the Presidential Oath of Office but maybe a bit stronger. In my small town Evangelicals were constantly trying to get me to go to re-dedication events so that I could be "truly born again" despite already being a fairly dedicated Christian at the time. The oath and the re-dedication was really important to them. Perhaps the most important practice in their faith. It seemed almost like they didn't consider me a true Christian because I hadn't done it. When they managed to finally get me to go to one ( which was preceded by a really awful fire and brimstone play they didn't warn me about) it ultimately consisted of a very emotionally charged crowd having intense emotional experiences. They were of course, completely opposite to my horror at what I had just watched and the rapturous reaction to it. I ended up taking the oath too out of fear both from the play and from the worry as to the crowd's reaction if I didn't. The oath said nothing about loving your neighbors. None of my Evangelical friends ever explained caring for others to me as an important part of how you truly submit to Christ. Hearing them talk about what it meant before and more after they thought I was one of them, gave me the impression that being reborn was not as described by Chris. It seemed more like surrendering your trust and just having faith that you would be saved was all they got from it. The only behavioral change that they seemed to promote was the evangelizing of others, giving to the church, and staying away from sin. No proactive helping neighbors or anything. It kind of became the hammer that drove the nails of doubt into the coffin of my faith. Despite being a very different denomination to my Presbyterian membership it unsettled me to my core. Year after year, idea after idea, I each down it's road to what the end of each belief would require me to approve of. Loosing your faith is hard. That combined with the other ways the Evangelical individuals I have known have been cruel to people in an attempt to "save their souls" or to ostracize the sinful has unfortunately given me a cautious approach and a unfortunate bias against Evangelical religion. I'm working on it, but the few Evangelicals in my life (not all of whom describe themselves as fundamentalist but I believe actually are) have pulled to an area where they are actively being horrible to me and others for not sharing the same belief and are making it really hard. 😬 It is possible that my town was filled with fundamentalist Evangelicals. But I would seem to me as almost a completely different denomination deserving of a different categorization if it was only the fundamentalist Evangelicals that had that shouting out in ecstasy, falling down relationship with being born again. How do you and your congregations call those types of Evangelicals if this is not your experience? I would love to have a word to distinguish between the two groups. I hope to figure out how I can safely get to know some more Evangelicals of the less... intense sort.

[@spheniscusdemersus]

I’m a Catholic and I’m glad to see the respect you have for political views and religious beliefs! As a Catholic I’d say that god can talk to us but I feel like most Catholics would believe that you have free will and it’s mostly up to you to do certain things or not. Although, I do believe that god 100% has personally influenced me and my actions because I surrendered myself to his teachings. But I’m not sure if he has talked to me. I’m definitely sure he has effected real world things that has happened. Anyways, god bless! And have a great day! Pax Vobiscum!!

[@haraldisdead]

Yea, when I was growing up, the Baptists would attack me for not being into "Jesus" enough, or "the holy spirit" enough, and my catholic brain was like "it's all God though. I pray to God." I never like thought about one particular part of the trinity.

[@spheniscusdemersus]

@@haraldisdead Yeahh 100% true

[@grottyband8052]

Does it help to be in the presence of a priest/father? I’m also a catholic and I feel like the connection is stronger with them

[@spheniscusdemersus]

@@grottyband8052 yes 100% agree

[@haraldisdead]

@@grottyband8052 I never felt that way. Being in the church, yes, but I realized that priests are just regular guys after a few retreats with them.

[@Mikcha212]

One of my favorite things about this community is the fact that we have all come together in the interest of furthering our knowledge of history. For the longest time, I have always said that this community is where I see the best debates on the internet when it comes to different opinions. I have had several discussions with people who have opposed political views from me as a conservative libertarian and I have never been confronted in any other way than peaceful and respectful and open. The debates we have fostered in this community are what allow us to really truly understand each other, and our history. I may not have ever been convinced by anyone to go down the other side of politics but I have had plenty of good conversations with people where we agree to disagree.

[@domain2genus]

Your closing statement, about your choices on what modern politics you react to, was very well put. I have a lot of respect for how you navigate these topics when you choose to.

[@cosmiccrunch1827]

Don't want to get too political, but really enjoyed your take on how the loudest voice in a community does not represent an individual's personal beliefs. We are all indeed complex human beings. Also want to say I love reading through most of these comments, as they are for the most part very respectful despite many different viewpoints. This community is amazing!

[@Justanotherconsumer]

The only exception to consider is when people claim person X is an outlier… then elect them to leadership positions and show blind loyalty. When people show you who they are, believe them.

[@jsandalls2]

Chris, this was your most shocking and impactful video to date. For the first time I can recall since watching your reactions, you didn't open with "welcome back everybody". I am shaken to my very core.

[@Luke-jo4to]

I’ve been a JJ fan for a long time, and I have loved your WW1 battlefield videos. This video is right up my alley.

[@Philrittenhouse]

Love the channel. My son (7) and I enjoy watching history KZbin channels together. Taking particular interest in this video as: 1. I’m an evangelical Christian (pastor actually) 2. I don’t love the term because it’s been hijacked by politics and thus carries a lot of unnecessary baggage, so I’m interested to see how the topic is treated. 3. I’m from NE ohio too so it’s cool to see someone local discussing this. In defining evangelical I prefer the Bebbington Quadrilateral, I think it better captures the heart of the movement. 1.Biblicism 2. Crucicentrism 3. Conversionism 4. Activism. Basically the Bible as the word of God, the death and resurrection of Jesus as central, personal (born again) conversion, and faith that leads to good works in the world.

[@KeganStucki]

Kudos for approaching such a potentially spicy topic with a level of class you are becoming famous for Chris! I'm an atheist and will always push for religious history reactions from you. You have an ability to do it in a way that still allows us to be a community. That's just not an easy thing to accomplish.

[@VloggingThroughHistory]

Glad to have you as a part of our community!

[@KeganStucki]

Also, quite happy that you are not a fan of Ken Copeland. Always caught that same creep vibe.

[@yomama629]

@@KeganStucki not only that but he was caught embezzling millions a few years back and gave to his audience as his justification for flying in a private jet instead of flying commercial the unhinged line "we can't be sitting in a metal tube with a bunch of demons". Despicable human being for sure

[@bruitbane2781]

Happy St. Patrick's Day! As a Catholic, I thoroughly enjoy watching you explore more areas of your faith, and in a way that is genuine and respectful. Brothers through Christ! Regarding prayer and promptings of the Holy Spirit, Catholics very much do believe in this, and I have experienced it myself. I am discerning (prayerfully listening/considering) becoming a Catholic priest, and the process is at it's core a very prayerful experience, albeit with classwork and the like. However, there is a great deal of caution that one must take in prayer. We can be guided by our emotions, and see peaks in enjoyment (ecstasy) as the goal instead of what prayer truly is: communion with God. Whether prayer is dry or fruitful, it should always be sought after. Likewise, we have to discern the spirits acting in prayer. Alongside emotional rollercoasters, we need to ask where certain voices come from. Am I just giving myself permission to do something in prayer? Is it God? Or is it the Evil One, who can take the form of an Angel of God? St. Ignatius of Loyola, Founder of the Jesuits, has a very interesting book called the Discernment of Spirits. If you've read this far in the comments and genuinely want to learn more about Catholic attitudes on prayer, I would recommend it!

[@andrewstafford6454]

Your marriage take is spot on. I really enjoyed this whole reaction. Also started listening to "The old front line" podcast because of you.

[@notsoaveragejoe7275]

Eh, I'm not so sure. You should support gay marriage because gay people exist and deserve rights end of story. It's cool that he supported gay marriage, but it sounds like he only supports it for his views on marriage, not necessarily for his views on gay people (though if he did, he never clarified that). That's where conservatives lose me a bit, because you don't hear republicans ever voice support for the people who are actually affected by issues like gay marriage (that being gay people), only showing support because of a technicality like the one Chris mentioned. It's like saying I support it, but I don't.

[@svenrio8521]

​@notsoaveragejoe7275 But he was talking about back then, of course today it's easy to say that. However, 20 years ago, both parties were anti-gay marriage.

[@nickshaffer9961]

I have to say this video and your reaction to it was so very well done. We all have our differing views and as a former Christian turned Agnostic, this was fantastic to listen to and just to see things so clearly.

[@DemiseTheGod]

I’m glad I started watching your videos again. Brings me joy and relaxation while doing my day to day stuff. Perfect blend of unbiased and informative.

[@ericjrat]

Really well done reaction video! While I find myself personally on the other side of the political and religious/social ideology spectrums, like many others here, I appreciate your calm and thoughtful approach to what could be considered "tough" subjects. You constantly admit your biases and I commend you for that. That's the hardest thing for a lot of people when it comes to how they view the world. A history professor once told me that everyone is biased and the key first step is realizing that & identifying them. Biases aren't inherently good or bad per se but can easily be warped or weaponized. So again, thanks for tackling tough subjects as objectively as you can (and identifying when you can't) and therefore being one of my go-tos when it comes to youtube! Hopefully an east coast/D.C. area fandom meet-up is possible this year!

[@jonathanszeto6666]

I love J.J.'s videos, glad to see you responding to them. Please do more of his videos! Thanks.

[@latexcollar938]

Love JJs content, awesome that you're watching him

[@RKGrizz]

Chris, I highly recommend the KZbin channel Religion for Breakfast that was used around the 10 minute mark of your video. Even though I am not a religious person I have seen most if not all of his videos and they are concise and informative. Edit: Since you asked how Catholics felt about God speaking to you, I grew up Catholic and we were very encouraged to pray to God and seek his guidance. I never understood what people meant when they spoke with God. I don't hear any thoughts other than my own and all prayers go unanswered. So I would say it is a part of the faith but it was never a something I understood and something when talked about I never got a satisfactory answer for my questions.

[@yoyo50515]

As a Sikh Canadian conservative I really appreciate your point of view and your willingness to speak truthfully and honestly about your beliefs

[@a.wenger3964]

Yeah, I think it's his grounding in the historical approach which has really helped Chris to tread the delicate line between conviction and humility. Nothing's black or white, it takes the discerning eye of a historian to seek and understand the various perspectives of grey. It's been great to watch Chris gradually become more open about his own beliefs as his channel grew.

[@yj9032]

Only Indian Sikhs are real Sikhs. You are a phony.

[@dand4139]

Big fan of the channel & an atheist. Incredible video I think you addressed every topic about as concise as one can. I’ve been trying to hear from a Christian perspective more & more as I’ve felt quite scornful towards Christianity for a multitude of reasons yet I’ve come to realize no one’s heart should handle that much hate. Despite my differences morally & politically with many of the Christians I know I’ve found it therapeutic to listen to such a drastically differing view

[@VloggingThroughHistory]

Appreciate you sharing your thoughts. Glad to have you here!

[@Justanotherconsumer]

A whole lot of churches now broadcast their services (and sometimes specifically the sermons) on KZbin. The smaller churches (just look in your area) are often more enlightening than the fancy megachurch ones - much less engineered, get to see the rough edges and the challenges. Also a random shoutout to the Holy Post, especially their French Friday episodes - not really that liberal as liberals go, but definitely not typical of Christian KZbin (though not that unusual as views among private Christians that stay out of the spotlight).

[@kyleevans9259]

As a former conservative Christian (LDS or Mormon) and a now liberal agnostic... I really enjoyed this video and the analysis given by JJ and your comments. This was a very respectful and illuminating video/response that I can really appreciate.

[@mattm7798]

To be clear, most Christian do not count LDS as Christian given they worship a completely different God and Jesus. LDS are definitely overwhelmingly conservative tho.

[@Onlytheclouds]

How do you go from being a conservative to a liberal? Typically you get smarter as you get older no?

[@shapexon3322]

@@Onlytheclouds since Mormonism is a false doctrine and kind of cult like, I can see why it could drive this person away, and make them think all Christianity is like the LDS church. We must be careful to give teach Christianity right so it doesn’t cause people like this person to go astray. But yeah it is odd for someone to get more liberal as they get older, it’s usually quite the opposite

[@treyb1048]

As most would consider me evangelical and a conservative, I am so glad that someone shares both religious and political views with me. Thank you for talking about how the loud don't represent the majority as I am sick and tired of some representing my alliances poorly. So happy you made this video as I now have an understanding of how modern conservative ideology has been formed

[@boxofturtles761]

I’m a transgender bisexual atheist leftist, and we disagree on a lot, but I love your channel. I’m thankful that you’re able to have such a respectful video about such a polarizing issue. We can unite for our love of history, not arbitrary divisions

[@VloggingThroughHistory]

Glad you’re a part of this community!

[@IsaRican810]

Howdy from a pansexual, Ex-vangelical leftie!

[@Rednecknerd_rob9634]

Wait, I must know, @BoxOfTurtles how many turtles can fit in a box? lol. Kidding aside, love your username and welcome.

[@ApolloStarfall]

​@Robertus it's turtles all the way down

[@Rednecknerd_rob9634]

@@ApolloStarfall Whoa.

[@Mr10johnny10]

Chris, keep it up. I grew up surrounded by extremely bigoted, mostly military, extreme right family members. In my mind that is what the right has been most of my life. You have changed that. We may never agree on some policies but that’s ok, I’m glad you’re helping me get rid of the chip on my shoulder. Understanding the history helps me to understand the people around me.

[@MichaelJohnson-vi6eh]

Your face when looking at Kenneth Copeland and Tammy Faye Bakker was Priceless. These hucksters have made reaching out and teaching people about Jesus even more difficult.

[@Bowling_Dude]

as an atheist, I love all your videos that pertain to religion, always great to educate yourself in different faiths because even if you don't believe in them there is always something you can learn and take away from them.

[@michaelrodriguez2784]

Beautifully said

[@wiseone1013]

Excellent channel, a much needed oasis in divided times. It is less important what people believe and more important the quality of their character. Judge a tree by the fruit it bears. How we treat those with opposing views says a lot about who we are. Good job VTH, I respect your style and appreciate the level of insight provided. Cheers from JHB SA.

[@TheJudoJoker]

JJ is great! He's an openly gay conservative, but I've found he always tries to set aside his own bias to analyze things fairly and moderately. He's also made the point that there are a lot more gay conservatives than people realize, but just as you point out, people associate certain groups of people into certain beliefs. As a moderate liberal I've never found his analysis liberal or left wing trends or viewpoints to be unfair. The man does his research. He has plenty of non-current event type videos as well that I believe you would be a fan of. I would definitely be interested in seeing you react to more of his content.

[@TheJudoJoker]

One vid in particular I would be interested in: Reviewing "Unbiased" Children's Books About Edgy People in which he examines some children's books about some notable figures, current and historic, to discuss some of the challenges of balancing objectivity with bias in terms of writing about certain figures, and how it's definitely more nuanced than it would seem on the surface level.

[@kieranfrancke790]

probably one thing to point out is that a Canadian conservative is very different from an American conservative. a conservative democrat is about the same as a Canadian conservative

[@GB-bk1nv]

@@kieranfrancke790 This is true across most of the developed world because of how far to the right the political centre in the US is skewed. Many European conservatives would be considered commie hippies by many in the US right while most US democrat politicians would be consider centre-right/right by European standards. Take Angela Merkel for an example of a European conservative. In some ways she leant to the right of the German conservatives she led (being against gay marriage, for example), but few in the US right would see her as a conservative or even centrist.

[@mobiusflammel9372]

@@GB-bk1nv I really don’t know to what extent the majority of people pay attention to the news and what politicians actually do or what their platforms are. Most of the conversation around left versus right happens around a fairly small handful of issues, and social media isn’t really reflective of the broader country. So it’s hard to get a sense for these things.

[@shapexon3322]

@@GB-bk1nv One might more accurately say because of how far left the rest of the world is skewed. The center in the U.S. isn't honestly very rightwing in my opinion.

[@braydenlack972]

Easily, my favorite video you’ve ever uploaded not for the content you’re reacting to, 15:00 but for the content of your character. Always enjoy your content, keep it up.

[@lath938]

If the US really believed in democracy and wanted people to participate in it, it would: 1) Make election day a federal holiday 2) Have civics be a part of the curriculum from early elementary, and increase in depth as children matriculate through school 3) Limit funding by introducing democracy dollars These are just a few ideas.

[@williamwallaceoftheus8033]

Seems so simple yet for some reason won’t happen

[@CristinaMarshal]

A spot I dearly hope, for sincere; candid; respectful discourse. I respect you for allowing yourself to state your beliefs and allowing others to retain their own, Chris. Nowadays as always, is much respected.

[@luke-kz2mv]

for jj videos to react to id recommend: 'ranking the greatest people in history', two videos of different countries greatest speeches, 'what country has the least bad history' or 'most famous photos chosen by you' or 'ranking the greatest american people in history'

[@joshwallace9208]

I love how you make it clear that you have your own opinions/beliefs, but you also open yourself to others ideas and you respect others. I strongly believe that the world could use more of that at the moment. Keep up the great content man!

[@SpicyPotato8675]

I've followed this channel from early on, and hearing Chris say that both political parties in the US suck; made my day. And I'm a registered Republican lol

[@adude20]

Ditto to everything you said. I'm only registered Republican so I can vote in the primaries and hopefully influence the candidates in the final election, since for now any third parties don't have a chance except in unusual situations

[@CTESPNNetwork]

😂I remembering binge watching this Canadian guy’s channel a while back. Totally forgot about him and would love to see more reactions to his videos‼️

[@Justanotherconsumer]

JJ is prone to just blindly repeating the popular narrative without addressing the known weaknesses in that narrative (e.g. here there’s no discussion about “school choice” and segregationist attitudes, the original rallying cry of the “religious right”) so I wouldn’t look to him for historical nuance, but he’s a good summary of what people tend to believe and being informed even on the standard narrative is often far more informed than most people are. Take it with a grain of salt, but useful for what it is.

[@donnyego]

Hey Chris it’s me again! The liberal atheist from NY chiming in to say I loved the video and I’m a proud VTH fan regardless of our differing politics.

[@Kpmg12]

As an Atheist past my militant anti religious teen years Love this content

[@jpbreeze44]

I didn't even realize this was an hour long lol but surprised to see you react to J.J. He's a former political pundit, on the conservative side and is openly gay. Also probably the only Canadian I've known who unironically says "aboot", which he is possibly putting on but idk 🤷‍♀️ He's also one of the bigger Canadian KZbinrs, somewhat controversial for some of his views, such as about Canada in general, the French language, Quebec, some others I can't recall. I don't agree with some of those views, how he portrays certain things, but I generally think he makes good videos with a lot of variety.

[@ericerwin3039]

I think the biggest problem we have as a species, not just Americans, is we try to simplify everything down to black and white, good and evil, yes and no, us and them. The problem is that not everything in life is so cut and dry, and it's very dangerous to look at everything that way. There's no room for growth if we limit our view so narrowly. Love the channel. Love the reaction.

[@fuferito]

I'm proud to say that I am, both, a fan and an occasional (very modest) supporter of _Religion for Breakfast,_ just as I occasionally support this very channel.

[@tatedavis2016]

The last thing you said before JJ’s video ended just summed up why I enjoy your content so much. Keep up the fantastic work Chris.

[@PakNationalist-xy4inシ]

As a leftest Muslim who is a big fan of yours and JJ, I just watch your videos because like you said, I just like history, and although I disagree with some of your *opinions* I still really enjoy your work.

[@christopherjohn5575]

Dang… I have so much respect for Chris and the way go goes about things from his perspective. Loved this video and the discussion!

[@TheMasonK]

I’m glad you did this video Chris. Though controversial I do believe everyone here is mature enough to behave in a proper manner and not fall into vicious name calling. I think the more we talk about things the better we can work them out.

[@connerryan9151]

@VTH always appreciate you for recognizing personal bias and taking an aversion to modern politics. I may not agree with 100% of your views always, but I always love hearing your input on history. This is one of the very few channels that is truly focused on history and fact, rather than trying to push an agenda. Keep up your content please!

[@Luke-jo4to]

We are one step closer to the VTH + Mr. Beat + JJ super crossover event we’ve all been waiting for.

[@SpencerioQ]

I think around an hour in, where you touched on the concept of stepping back from personal biases to see what makes the most sense for society (personal views of marriage vs. how government now controls it) is perhaps the most important aspect of representation in government, and the lack of that ability is probably one of the main reasons we have so much more polarization today. To represent people, there has to be a balance of party agenda vs “averaging” your constituency, and that just doesn’t happen much today. Great video, long time viewer of both yours and JJ’s channels, and as someone who leans very liberally, it’s nice to have a reasonable, balancing voice that I can trust to be informed

[@alexAplst]

This should be gooood ❤ Great disclaimer, i am an atheist myself, i follow your channel to learn and discuss with a much larger community tópics that i enjoy and this is a Great oportunity thanks Chris 🎉

[@braydenlack972]

Easily, my favorite video you’ve ever uploaded not for the content you’re reacting to, but for the content of your character. Always enjoy your content, keep it up.

[@pixie7349]

I’m glad to here this; as someone who is more of a LGBT progressive woman and grew up in a fundamentalist evangelical church I certainly am worried frequently about how popular that particular wing of the right is. I certainly hope more are like you now.

[@nextchaptermexico3283]

Great topic. I will have to bookmark it for later but the history of the Scopes trail is fascinating.

[@PalmelaHanderson]

I enjoy these perspective analyses. I grew up essentially without religion (my grandfather was an atheist, my grandmother was religious, my parents are religious but my dad forbade my mom from forcing us to go to church when we were kids, so I've only been to church like 3 times in my life). I don't think being religious is bad or wrong or whatever, it's just never been me, and videos like this help me understand people who are in a better light.

[@LC-sc3en]

Ads are all over the place for this video. I've gotten Japanese, Spanish, English, 8 min songs from a Christian band, Manufacturing Equipment, Adobe Acrobat. I love it and am here for it! That said, I really appreciate your reaction and introducing this presenter to me. I can also really agree with your opinion that nothing the government does is inherently sacred and therefore, granting or not granting of any status by it should never be restricted by any specific religion. You are definitely right about the window on gay marriage for politicians shifting extremely quickly. It frustrates me that so many politicians claim that they were always on the popular or right side rather than being able to admit that they were once wrong or changed their minds, or had a personal opinion that was misaligned with the public opinion and voted for what their constituents wanted to the extent that they believe it didn't cause their constituents direct harm. (I do of course argue that the direct harm of not allowing legal familial rights for people forming consensual non traditional families did a lot of harm) But as you said, to mess up is human and the ability to change, improve, or reconcile should be allowed to everyone. There are a lot of similarities in the reactions to sweeping immediately noticeable changes affected by SCOTUS cases. For Brown V Board there was immediate and violent push back. But that transitioned into quiet ways of legal segregation such as white flight, cutting funding for social programs, and criminalization of specific activities that were more likely to be done by specific groups. Which has been rather successful at keeping the population relatively segregated without even requiring the people to want segregation to want to maintain those systems. All for the simple price of catching the least wealthy of their base in the net. But politicians fairly quickly stopped running on segregation as a platform. If it wasn't so infuriatingly immoral, I would praise the ingenuity of the architects. For Roe v Wade you end up with a slow burn response of strategy of running on the issue consistently and electing people to the offices required to change the outcome in the future. For Citizens United you get a lot of protest and vocal push back from the people and also politicians already in power, but not really a whole lot of people specifically running on it. Though that is most likely due to the relationship between massive funding and actually getting elected. The gay marriage response seems more like the response to Brown minus the initial violence in exchange for more direct targeting of the associated groups with new laws and restricting individual activities and certain forms of expression that are deemed morally offensive to their more religious constituents. Roe v Wade reversal has been responded to in a vocal way with some political resistance by various states coming at the issue sideways and liberal politicians running on restoring access by getting enough officials elected. I wonder if the eventual resolutions of these last two decisions will be the same as the ones they rhyme with. I think the abortion will be the same. Gay marriage push back on the other hand is complicated by the fact that more of the people supporting it, including the relatively affluent, will have kids they love caught in the nets currently being cast. So I believe it could potentially fizzle out once the more draconian policies go into effect.

[@sclarke6969]

3:28 Here in Northern Ireland we have transcended this. There is only 1 reason people vote for one of the 2main parties. Because they don't want the OTHER party to get in. Not sure I've met many who genuinely vote for anyone rather than just against.

[@VloggingThroughHistory]

Unfortunately that is a prime motivation for many people who vote here as well.

[@sclarke6969]

@@VloggingThroughHistory I was over around the time of the OBama election and one of the refreshing things we noticed was families and regular people sitting having fairly informed/calm discussions about politics. Just doesn't happen in the UK. Don't talk about money or politics is the rule of thumb.

[@jimdock9]

Massive respect to you Chris, so refreshing to see someone not go on about politics all day love your videos, all the best!

[@corey2232]

Thank you for acknowledging that their are indeed a lot of people that confirm these negative stereotypes about Evangelicals/Christians/Conservatives. I'm a long time conservative myself, but the last 5 years I've found myself further & further separated from the loudest voices in the party. Now it's hard to acknowledge being conservative, or even Christian, without immediately being lumped in as one of the "backwoods hicks." JJ McCullough was one of the first self-identified conservatives I found online who closely resembled myself, and people like you helped confirm to me that there's still a lot of us who can still be kind, thoughtful, empathetic & honest.

[@Justanotherconsumer]

Politics brings out the worst in people. It’s that 90%ish loyalty to Trump that makes me think that while there are exceptions, the stereotype exists for a good reason.

[@bellmike89]

Fantastic video VTH, love when I see you upload a video about subjects I know little about.

[@michaelpawlak4785]

My biggest struggle is when personal religious views are driving political decisions for a whole population. Forcing religious views through politics is a dangerous practice, but I also see the danger in people with purely secular views trying to force religious people to accept ideals that are counter who they are. This is why I think the biggest problem today is political biases and silos that engrain people's opinions and stop people from listening. Congress was supposed to move slowly to allow for debate and discussions to hear other opinions about how to government a complex population. Now, it moves slow for each party to block the other party and only allow things to get done when 1 party has total control

[@burningthroughtheages9954]

Birmingham (Britain) born "Brummie" that's an atheist and your opening speech is bang on, here for the joint love of history, I've loved history since a child but didn't know much about the American civil war until I found your channel, and I'm happy to say your videos have really been brilliant

[@GageEakins]

Regardless of my minor criticisms, I liked your reaction and I also like JJ's videos. I will tell you that he is not on the left. He is a conservative Canadian.

[@garoberts2]

Although we don't share the same views on politics or religion, I have to admit I love your content. I came for the history but stayed for the civility. Subscribed!

[@VloggingThroughHistory]

Glad you're here!

[@jordanhooper1527]

Hey Chris, I'm a liberal non denominational British Christian (brought up in a very free Church of England Church and free Churches). I'd fully agree with what you're saying in regards to point 1. I also think the fact that the rest of the world consider Catholic quite conservative and the US doesn't, speaks to the difference of where the political centre would be measured from. When it comes to abortion (or any personal matters), I think regardless of whether I agree with it or not I don't have the right to impress that opinion onto others which is why I would be liberal. But then that's not left that's just anti authoritarian on the political compass

[@kingMT514]

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@Itsmyface]

I absolutely agree. I wouldn’t personally want to have an abortion with my partner, but don’t want to take that choice away from people who think differently.

[@matejm9806]

As a Catholic I had a pretty liberal faze, but I neve came in terms with abortion. You just can't say "I personaly disagree but you do you" when you believe abortion is a murder. Still abortion is my main problem with how world function and I am sad that conservative became hateful populists without morals that can't stop it.

[@Bonzi_Buddy]

@@matejm9806 You're unhinged. Stop projecting.

[@jeffreyheronemus1917]

The Catholic Church tends to be more liberal in most cases then most non Unitarian or Methodist churches in the US. I would say currently it is more of a swing group, but they have a fairly long history as a church being tied to the more liberal party in the country at a given time in history. Maybe it has to do with the fact that Catholics have always been identified as a minority group in this country and has always had large representation in immigrant population. In the original colonies Maryland was a former Catholic colony setup for that purpose by the crown and was the only one with a substantial Catholic population at that time.

[@CDXXIV216]

Thank you for doing this. I have always been a fan of your channel, but I find this particular video to be exceptionally informative. Your commentary offers a window of understanding and a voice of moderation that is sorely needed in the world today.

[@deadmeat_0152]

The Bible : Proverbs 14:21 "Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor. Evangelicals: "Sorry, best we can do is a $20 Million Dollar Super Bowl Ad"

[@johnf-americanreacts1287]

My friend, I respect you very much. I have been a sub for awhile and we have spoken though comments, but through my prior KZbin profile. You are one of a few KZbinrs that inspired me to start my own channel which has become mostly the study of Canadian history and culture from an American perspective. You are a fellow historian, fan of English football and just all around good and intelligent guy. I was raised Roman Catholic, and I no longer consider myself Christian. I won't get into why, but I am also a New York liberal so in those respects, we should be the kind of people that hate each other if the modern American political divide and partisan media has anything to say about it. But I believe you and I have a lot in common. I believe we are people that respect those that are "others" - good family men. I also respect JJ McCollough, who is a Canadian conservative gay man. If more people were like you and JJ and dare I say me, we'd have a more compromising and peaceful society.

[@hiccuphufflepuff176]

As a Canadian who's been following J.J.'s videos for a while, I'd like to point out two things: 1. He has identified himself as politically conservative, (though not necessarily aligning with the Conservative Party or the majority of conservative voters.) 2. I have lived in this country my whole life and this man is the only actual Canadian I have ever heard pronounce "about" that way. I initially thought it was an inside joke, but it is apparently his real accent. Like the U.S., this is a big country with many regional dialects. Every stereotype is based on something, I suppose, but this is by no means representative of how most of us talk. lol

[@VloggingThroughHistory]

Yeah you can hear the same pronunciation in other “ou” words he speaks.

[@bigcrackrock]

Granted his pronunciation is on the extreme side but I've caught many people red handed for being Canadian just based on their "ou" words, and a few have said they thought they had a more standard pronunciation. Usually there's a hint of a "U" wanting to come out but they don't exist at all in this guys universe.

[@jessewaid8855]

I've watched J.J. for years, loved this! He covers politics, culture and history, primarily related to Canada and the U.S. but also the Anglosphere. Some of his British history and royal customs content might be right up your alley. By the way, my partner and I really felt and appreciated your comments on love and emotion in relationships! Take care.

[@d-SonOfWill]

As someone who’s not only an atheist, but also applies aspects of the liberal philosophy with that of some socialist or social democratic stances, I honestly respect you as a human first and foremost and I agree with alot of your points in this video. I think you always tackle things in an honest, respectful, and constructive way. I appreciate that. With that said, if some use their faith to harm others, that’s where I draw the line. Other than that, I think you should be able to think and worship as you see fit.

[@victoriabaker6943]

You presented yourself & your interpretation of the original presentation. I am a child of the 60’s, much of what drove the SCOTUS decision of Roe was the socioeconomic situation seen. It was also a time of the pink ghetto wanting their chance as individuals. It’s a topic not many want to touch, or it’s the elephant in the room. Like it or not we need to learn to be civil & live by the golden rule at the same time. After that you can walk on water. This presentation was excellent

[@fernsong8558]

26:16 "Kenneth Copeland has always creeped me out." That frame you paused on didn't really do him any favors lol

[@crusader2112]

He looks like Norman Osborne from Sam Raimi’s Spider-man.

[@caseyguccione5978]

Kenneth Copeland doesn’t do himself any favors. Or Christianity for that matter.

[@charliesarver]

Really excited to watch this one. JJs up there with you and Mr. Beat when it it comes to my favorite KZbinrs

[@crashingatom6755]

I like that he just casually claims to have the solution for divorce. 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@andrewwhittaker2908]

I really appreciate your opening monolog. ❤️

[@paulsbunions8441]

I don't know if his content is something you'd be interested in doing reaction videos for, but Ready to Harvest has many videos explaining the historic and current differences between Christian denominations. He's pretty objective and goes into the slow ideological shifts that have happened over time, especially in the US. He's definitely my favorite theology KZbinr. Edit: as a history buff the videos on historic rifts/splits within denominations might be interesting, such as his videos on the formation of the Southern Baptist Convention.

[@Liutgard]

I'm a liberal (in the US, which is to say in the world view, pretty moderate), Democrat, and Episcopalian. But I think I could happily sit down and share a beer with you and even be friends with you. Not because I necessarily agree with you (though I likely do, on many matters), but because we both recognize the edge of where political beliefs end and religious ones begin, and hold to the idea that religious beliefs are not necessarily good governmental policy. Great video, look forward to more!