American Imperialism is Idolatry

True change begins when we tear down the idol of empire and embrace Christ’s radical call. Only then can we build a society grounded in the love, justice, and peace of God’s kingdom – one that refuses to bow to the false gods of domination and human authority.

American celebrations such as Thanksgiving, Columbus Day, and other national holidays often paint a heroic tale of discovery, settlement, unity, exploration, and progress. These celebrations mask a darker reality: the brutal history of conquest and imperialism, veiled acts of idolatry – worshipping power and empire – an empire built on exploitation, subjugation, and violence, all too often cloaked in the language of Christianity. To confront this reality is to reject the myths of American exceptionalism and to uncover the tragic consequences of empire that is rooted deeply in greed, domination, and evil.

The Conquest of the Americas: A False Gospel

When European explorers, beginning with Christopher Columbus in 1492, arrived in the Americas, they often claimed they were bringing Christianity to the “New World.” However, while some genuinely saw their mission as spreading the Gospel, their actions largely betrayed the teachings of Christ, who emphasized love, humility, and service. Instead, the explorers’ motives were deeply entangled with the goals of empire – combining the cross with the sword to conquer, enslave, and exploit.

Bartolomé de las Casas, a Spanish friar, documented the horrific atrocities committed against Indigenous populations by his fellow Europeans. His accounts describe the enslavement, torture, and massacre of innocent people – an utter betrayal of the principles of the faith he himself preached. These acts were not isolated incidents but a systemic campaign of violence endorsed by church and state authorities alike, continuing for centuries.

Manifest Destiny and the False Kingdom

In the 17th century, English Puritans arrived on the North Atlantic shores, convinced they were the new “chosen people” tasked with building God’s kingdom on Earth. They invoked biblical imagery – claiming America as their “Promised Land” – to justify their conquest and the expulsion or extermination of the Native peoples they encountered. The Pequot War of 1637, during which hundreds of Indigenous people were massacred at Mystic by colonial forces, was rationalized by leaders like Captain John Mason, who claimed it was the will of God:

We were Entertained with great Triumph and Rejoycing and Praising GOD for his Goodness to us, in succeeding our weak Endeavours, in Crowning us with Success, and restoring of us with so little Loss. Thus was God seen in the Mount, Crushing his proud Enemies and the Enemies of his People: They who were erewhile a TERROR to all that were round about them, who resolved to Destroy all the ENGLISH and to Root their very Name out of this Country, should by such weak Means, even SEVENTY SEVEN (there being no more at the FORT) bring the Mischief they plotted, and the Violence they offered and exercised, upon their own Heads in a Moment ; burning them up in the Fire of his Wrath, and dunging the Ground with their Flesh: It was the LORD’s Doings, and it is marvellous in our Eyes! It is HE that hath made his Work wonderful, and therefore ought to be remembred.

Such theological justifications were not new; however, they directly contradicted the teachings of Christ, who called his followers to love their enemies and reject violence. This vision of America is not the Kingdom of God; it is that of an empire, built on bloodshed and secured by the sword.

A Legacy of Broken Promises

In the centuries following, the expansion of the United States continued under the doctrine of “Manifest Destiny.” This belief claimed that God had ordained the white European settlers to take possession of the continent, regardless of the rights of the Indigenous peoples who had lived there for many hundreds of years. Treaties were signed and broken, lands were seized, and entire communities were destroyed – all in the name of progress and civilization.

Consider, for example, this editorial (in favor of preserving slavery in the US) in 1838: “Away, away with all these cobweb tissues of rights of discovery, exploration, settlement, continuity, etc. To state the truth at once in its neglected simplicity: we are free to say that were the respective cases and arguments of the two parties, as to all these points of history and law, reversed – had England all ours, and we nothing but hers – our claim to Oregon would still be best and strongest. And that claim is by the right of our manifest destiny: to overspread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and federated self-government entrusted to us . . . The God of nature and of nations has marked it for our own; and with His blessing we will firmly maintain the incontestable rights He has given, and fearlessly perform the high duties He has imposed.”

This sentiment extended to relations with native Americans, as well. The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 promised the Lakota people that their sacred Black Hills and other areas would be “set apart for the absolute and undisturbed use and occupation of the Indians herein named.” But when gold was discovered, the U.S. government reneged on its promise, sparking conflict and forcing the Lakota from their lands. This betrayal is just one example among many; the U.S. government signed over 500 treaties with Native American tribes, almost all of which were violated.

The forced removal of Indigenous peoples, such as the Cherokee during the Trail of Tears, exemplifies the systemic nature of this violence. Thousands died on forced marches to lands deemed uninhabitable, all for the sake of expanding an empire disguised as a “Christian nation.” The teachings of Christ, which emphasize love, humility, and solidarity with the oppressed, were nowhere to be found in these actions.

Thanksgiving: The Myth and the Reality

Thanksgiving itself is shrouded in myth. The familiar story of peaceful Pilgrims and generous Native peoples sharing a meal is a sanitized version of history. While there may have been moments of cooperation, they were often followed by betrayal. The Wampanoag people who aided the Pilgrims in the early years were later subjected to displacement, violence, and disease as the English colonies expanded.

The celebration of Thanksgiving is not merely a quaint tradition; it is a whitewashing of history. It hides the reality that the establishment of European settlements led to a systematic campaign of genocide against Native peoples – through warfare, disease, and deliberate destruction of their ways of life. By ignoring this truth, America perpetuates the myth that its origins were peaceful and divinely ordained, rather than the brutal expansion of an empire.

True Christian discipleship does not align with the violent seizure of land or the subjugation of peoples. Jesus proclaimed a kingdom not of this world – a kingdom characterized by love, servanthood, and peace. The so-called “Christian nation” of America, built on the blood of Indigenous peoples and justified with a twisted interpretation of scripture, stands as a stark contrast to this vision.

The Call for Repentance and Restoration

The message is clear: the Kingdom of God cannot be aligned with the empires of this world. It rejects the use of violence, the accumulation of power, and the domination of one group over another. The Gospel calls for repentance, for the laying down of swords, and for solidarity with the oppressed. This requires a reckoning with history – acknowledging the sins of the past and committing to a path of restitution and justice.

The way forward isn’t empire – it’s rejecting the idol of power. Christ’s love shatters false authority, seeks justice, and turns enemies into neighbors. Thanksgiving shouldn’t glorify conquest; it should mourn our past and pledge to build a borderless Kingdom of God where every life matters.

True change begins when we tear down the idol of empire and embrace Christ’s radical call. Only then can we build a society grounded in the love, justice, and peace of God’s kingdom – one that refuses to bow to the false gods of domination and human authority.