Jesusing: The True Virtue Signaling
Christianity is a self-absorbed, selfish religion that fuses with every aspect of a person’s life. The effect of this philosophic disease manifests in a constant state of Jesusing (talk that represents Christians) that underpins all conversations, thoughts, politics, behaviors, and communications, always with a hidden agenda of evangelizing but more so as a means of showing solidarity.
Jesusing is Virtue Signaling
Jesusing presents clearly from the born-again waving his bible or Christian screaming at a Trump rally. Even on social media, Christians display little crucifixes on their profiles or proudly describe themselves as “Christian,” but most Jesusing takes the form of virtue signaling: an idea Christian conservatives conveniently and inevitably coopted as an insidious act of the liberal, Marxist, nonbelievers, and atheists. Virtue signaling is a form of subtext that lets other Christians know each other and herds them with purpose.
They couch their value statements in daily conversations to spread “the word” but more so to rally each other in opposition to whatever bothers them or what they deem unchristian. You’ve seen this many times, especially in social media comments embedded with Christian values,
“Cursing is bad.” Meaning bad non-Christians curse.
“I hate selfish people.” Meaning bad non-Christians are selfish.
“Being a victim is a choice.” Meaning bad non-Christians blame others for their problems, even if they were raped.
“He’s a good family man.” Meaning he is an upstanding father because he is Christian and you are not a good family man if you’re not a Christian.
Virtue signaling mires in subjective ambiguity, making strong the desire to write it off as nonsense until seen in action. So subjective is the virtue signaling’s accusation almost anyone can declare someone’s moral stance as a form of virtue signaling. For this reason, virtue-signaling should never focus on general normative statements or behaviors. A white person who takes advantage of privilege while screaming Black Lives Matter on social media may be virtue signaling but more likely is just a hypocrite. The more formative identification of virtue signaling investigates the appeal of such a person’s statement concerning a group. For instance, Donald Trump presents himself as a populist, a man of the people, meaning all people, yet consistently opposed gay rights, denied racial equality, and sided with Christian nationalists. When Kyle Rittenhouse received exoneration, Trump’s declaration, “A nice young man,” meant “he’s a good Christian” or “non-Christian, democrats, and antiracists are the bad people.”
Seen through this lens, most virtue-signaling accusations are meaningless since they are too prone to interpretation. Any Christian could immediately claim this article forms a virtue-signaling of antichristian values or specifically, “Vince makes himself the good guy by criticizing Christians.”
These Christians are wrong.
Virtue signaling is a deceptive tactic because it disguises an attack as a virtue. I am not being deceptive; I am openly criticizing Christians for using virtue signaling as a means of rallying and spreading their nonsense.
I am not signaling; I am arguing a point.
Christians instead use virtue signaling like a secret handshake to point out enemies and learn who is Christian and who is not. The practice is deceptive because they appear to make innocuous value statements (Jesusing) when building solidarity and closing ranks.
Conservative media outlets prove virtue signaling is Jesusing. In 2015, The Spectator, a conservative magazine, published the article “Easy Virtue,” which appears to be a discussion concerning virtue signaling but is instead a propaganda piece intended to rally conservatives, and by default Christians, against specific liberal ideas. Author James Bartholomew writes,
Mishal Husain [British news anchor for BBC Television] was particularly aggressive to Nigel Farage [Leader of the Brexit Party from 2019 to 2021]…interrupting him mid-sentence, insinuating that he is racist or that, even if he isn’t, his membership is. She would doubtless like to believe that she was being tough but fair. But another force within her was stronger. Mishal was ‘virtue signalling’ indirectly — indicating that she has the right, approved, liberal media-elite opinions, one of which is despising Ukip and thus, most importantly, advertising that she is not racist.
Reading the transcript of the interview shows Husain asking tough questions and perhaps being harsh but still valid, wanting Farage to confirm and deny racist elements concerning his constituency:
What appears as a typical heated political debate Bartholomew declares virtue signaling for the reason,
When she [Husain] later goes to a dinner party attended by other members of the media elite, she will be welcomed and approved for having displayed the approved, virtuous views.
Yes, that is why the reporter asks a potential candidate hard questions concerning racist ties; to signal her fake virtue to gain approval from the media elite.
Bartholomew engages in the very act of virtue signaling he accuses Husain. How do we know Bartholomew is virtue signaling because his entire article focuses on examples of left-leaning people virtue signaling. His deceptiveness appears to the Christian or conservative to show the real villains. We know he is doing this because he presents no example of any right-leaning person signaling. Clearly biased, Bartholomew gives a ridiculous reason for Husain’s signaling to reinforce the Christian, conservative belief that the media is a left-controlled, unreliable news system. He is Jesusing, plainly seen in the fact that he adds a moral component to his discussion of signaling exemplified in his example of comedians signaling to win audiences,
Comedians make use of virtue signaling of the vituperative kind. With the right audience they can get laughs scorning the usual suspects: Ukip, the Daily Mail, Eton, bankers and the rest. The audience enjoys the caricaturing of all of these, sneering at them and, in the process, joining together as a congregation of the righteously contemptuous. What a delight to display your virtue, feel confirmed in your views, enjoy a sense of community, let off some anger and have a laugh all at the same time! It is so easy, too!
The comedians couldn’t possibly be making fun of conservatives because they see them as malevolent, irrational people. No, the comedians distort these upstanding people and organizations because they’re bad — unchristian. Don’t believe me? Follow Batholomew’s digital trail from the Spectator to the Museum of Communist Terror. How unsurprising a destination, considering communists are the great enemy of the Christian.
Wherever you see conservatives accusing or discussing virtue signaling, you can rest assured they are Jesusing, thereby committing the sin to which they point the finger.
Original Photo Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
Originally Posted December 24, 2021 on Christian Pollution Exclusive
