Weekly Roundup: No Catholics at the Pentagon, Trump as Jesus + the Conversion Therapy Court Case

In this week's episode of *Straight White American Jesus*, hosts Brad Onishi and Dan Miller dissect a series of politically charged developments, beginning with Donald Trump's latest self-comparison to Jesus on Good Friday—a move they condemn as blasphemous and emblematic of MAGA Christian nationalism. They critique the Pentagon's exclusion of Catholic services on Good Friday, linking it to Pete Hegseth’s Protestant-only religious agenda and his alignment with theologian Doug Wilson’s anti-Catholic, Christian nationalist vision. The hosts argue this reflects a broader pattern of ideological purity tests, authoritarianism, and the self-defeating nature of Christian nationalism. They then analyze the Supreme Court’s 8-1 ruling in a Colorado conversion therapy case, highlighting the tension between free speech and medical ethics, and express deep concern that the decision could enable harmful practices under the guise of therapist expression. The episode also examines the scandal surrounding Kristi Noem, whose husband’s alleged cross-dressing and participation in fetish forums are weaponized by conservatives, revealing the hypocrisy of MAGA’s moral policing. The hosts frame this as part of a larger sadistic culture that glorifies humiliation and violence while criminalizing gender and sexual nonconformity. Despite the bleak landscape, they find hope in grassroots resistance, such as librarian Luann James’ stand against book banning, and in the Trump administration’s mounting political vulnerabilities.