Mirrors of Conviction: Khomeinism, Christian Nationalism, and the Global Export of Extremism

Cassandra Williamson

21 July 2025

Hardy, KY 41531

admin@cassandra-llc.com

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At first glance, the Islamic Republic of Iran, born from the revolutionary ideology of Ayatollah Khomeini, and the rising tide of Christian nationalism in the United States seem worlds apart. One is a Shia theocracy rooted in anti-imperialist sentiment; the other is a movement within a Western democracy. However, a closer examination reveals unsettling parallels in their structure, worldview, and the way they galvanize followers against a perceived enemy.

By exploring these commonalities, and by tracing the global export of American fundamentalism, we can gain a clearer understanding of how fervent religious ideologies shape political identity and how the projection of power—even with benevolent intentions—can sow the seeds of backlash and extremism.

Key Parallels in Ideology

1. The Fusion of Divine Mandate and National Identity:

Both Khomeinism and Christian nationalism are predicated on the belief that the nation's identity is inseparable from a specific religious truth.

• Khomeinism established the principle of Velāyat-e Faqīh (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist), arguing that the government itself must be subservient to and administered by Islamic law and its clerical interpreters. To be a true Iranian patriot in this framework is to be loyal to the Islamic Revolution and its religious mission.

• Christian Nationalism in America asserts that the United States was founded as a Christian nation and that its laws and identity should be explicitly aligned with Christian values. This worldview posits that true patriotism is interwoven with adherence to a particular vision of Christianity, framing the nation as a vehicle for divine will.

In both cases, national identity is sacralized. Political disagreements are elevated to spiritual warfare, and the nation-state becomes the primary arena for a cosmic struggle between good and evil.

2. Defining the "Self" by a Powerful "Other":

A core feature of both ideologies is their self-definition in opposition to a corrupting, external force.

• For Khomeinism, the primary antagonist was the United States, famously dubbed the "Great Satan." This was not merely a political critique but a spiritual one. The West, led by America, was seen as a source of moral decay, secularism, and imperial exploitation that threatened to destroy Islamic society. The revolution was a necessary purification.

• For American Christian Nationalism, the "other" is often a constellation of perceived threats: secularism, globalism, progressive social movements, and "liberal elites." These forces are portrayed as an internal and external enemy working to undermine America's Christian foundations and moral fabric.

This stark dichotomy simplifies the world into a struggle of the righteous against the wicked, creating a powerful sense of purpose and solidarity among believers.

The Global Export of American Fundamentalism

The "fervent evangelism" of American political and cultural ideals is not a passive process; it is an active, well-funded, and organized export of a specific brand of religious fundamentalism. As American evangelicals have perceived a loss of cultural dominance at home, they have increasingly directed their resources and rhetoric abroad, building alliances with political movements that mirror their own worldview. This has had profound and often destabilizing consequences.

• Uganda and across Africa: American evangelical groups have spent tens of millions of dollars across Africa, promoting a conservative agenda that has had its most visible impact in Uganda. Activists like Scott Lively directly influenced the creation of Uganda's infamous "Anti-Homosexuality Act," which originally included the death penalty. By framing LGBTQ+ rights as a form of Western colonial corruption, American evangelists successfully exported the U.S. "culture war," equipping local politicians with a powerful wedge issue that has led to violence, persecution, and the passage of some of the harshest anti-gay laws in the world.

• Brazil: The rise of far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro is inextricably linked to the explosion of evangelicalism in Brazil, a trend heavily influenced by American models. For decades, American missionaries helped cultivate a brand of Pentecostalism that merged the "prosperity gospel" with a fierce anti-communist stance. This laid the groundwork for a powerful voting bloc that saw Bolsonaro as a divinely appointed savior. The political parallels culminated in a January 8, 2023, attack on government buildings in Brasília by Bolsonaro's supporters, eerily mirroring the events of January 6th in Washington D.C.

• Hungary: Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has become a hero to the American right by positioning himself as a defender of a "Christian Europe." He has actively courted U.S. conservatives and evangelicals, adopting their rhetoric against immigration, "gender ideology," and globalism. In turn, prominent American right-wing figures have traveled to Budapest, celebrating Orbán's "illiberal democracy" as a model for how to use state power to enforce Christian nationalist values.

• South Korea: American missionaries were instrumental in the dramatic growth of Protestant Christianity in Korea, associating their faith with education, modernization, and the nationalist struggle against Japanese occupation. While the initial influence was largely positive, it has evolved into a hyper-competitive environment of mega-churches. Today, South Korea is the world's second-largest sender of Christian missionaries, effectively re-exporting the American-style evangelical fervor it once imported.

• Russia: In the vacuum left by the collapse of the Soviet Union, American evangelicals saw a vast mission field. While Russia possesses its own deep history of Orthodox nationalism, there has been significant cross-pollination. Figures in Vladimir Putin's circle have been inspired by the tactics of the American religious right, and prominent U.S. evangelicals like Franklin Graham have praised Putin for his embrace of "traditional Christian values" and his stance against LGBTQ+ rights, providing him valuable international cover.

Conclusion: The Path Forward

The Iranian Revolution did not occur in a vacuum. It was a violent religious and political reaction to decades of American interference and a forced, rapid Westernization perceived as an assault on Iran's identity. Today, however, we see that the West is not just a passive source of cultural influence; it is an active exporter of its own brand of religious fundamentalism, providing the script and funding for authoritarian movements abroad.

Recognizing these dangerous parallels is the first step. Navigating this period in our nation's and the world's history requires deliberate, principled action. Here are several strategies for a better path forward:

• Champion Principled Pluralism and Secular Governance: The surest defense against theocracy is to strengthen the institutional and cultural separation of religion and state. This means advocating for policies that treat all citizens as equals regardless of faith and rejecting any effort to grant legal or political preference to a single religion. True religious freedom protects the rights of all, not the dominance of one.

• Promote Critical Media Literacy: Religious nationalism thrives on misinformation, conspiracy theories, and emotionally charged rhetoric. We must actively cultivate our ability—and teach others—to critically evaluate sources, identify propaganda, and resist the allure of simplistic "us vs. them" narratives. Supporting independent, fact-based journalism is essential to this effort.

• Advocate for a Foreign Policy of Humility: The backlash that fueled Khomeinism teaches a vital lesson. A foreign policy based on military intervention, cultural imposition, or political domination is unsustainable and breeds resentment. A more stable path lies in diplomacy, mutual respect, and international cooperation, recognizing that other nations and cultures must determine their own futures without coercive interference.

• Reclaim Faith from Political Co-option: For people of faith, this moment calls for courage. It requires speaking out from within one's own tradition against the hijacking of sacred texts and values for partisan ends. It means amplifying the voices that champion compassion, justice, and humility over power, exclusion, and grievance.

• Build Broad Coalitions Around Common Goals: Culture wars are designed to divide. The most effective way to counter them is to build alliances across cultural and religious lines based on shared interests—such as economic stability, quality education, a healthy environment, and safe communities. When people work together on tangible problems, the power of divisive ideologies diminishes.

These steps are not easy, but they are essential. The struggle against religious extremism, both at home and abroad, is a defining challenge of our time. Meeting it successfully is fundamental to the resilience of democracy and the pursuit of a more just and peaceful world.