[GUEST POST] 'Trad-Caths' and the Alt-Right

Does the terminally online anti-modernity crew have a dark side?

When I first noticed that a growing number of my Protestant male peers were converting to Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, I thought little of it. For some, I even applauded noticing at least an apparent increase in personal holiness. Somewhat naively, I had assumed we’d disagree on a few theological issues, but overall continue to share standard Christian convictions. Little did I realize that beneath these religious conversions was an ongoing political radicalization with deep ties to the alt-right. 

For those gloriously uninformed about tradcaths and orthobros, I’m attaching a stereotypical tradcath meme that demonstrates the glamorization of medieval life along with the low view of the possibilities for masculine fulfillment in contemporary society. 

As this meme demonstrates, tradcaths blame the modern world for their personal miseries. Some want a glorious revolution and the return of the political and spiritual supremacy of the Catholic Church to solve their problems, not to make incremental changes to their own lives and communities. I fail to see why the items listed (except working only four hours a day) are impossible to achieve, because contrary to the assertions of this meme, you can still eat salmon and vegetables, live in a forest, exercise, and marry a virgin (notice the objectification of sexually innocent women). Alternatively, you can marry a virgin (or not) in the city, eat Cheetos sometimes, and visit the gym too.

The tradcath romanticization of the Middle Ages is laughable – failing to represent the brutal realities of peasant life at the time. Their characterization of modern life does not account for the personal freedoms which would permit them to achieve many of the ideals laid out in the peasant column above. Mostly, these memes demonstrate the dissatisfaction of the maker with their own lives.

Despite the tradcaths’ insistence on objectifying young virgins (unfortunately common in religious communities) and romanticizing the past, I would not find them worth writing about if it were not for their broader connection to the horrific political ideas spouted by the alt-right.

Tradcaths and the alt-right share a common enemy, woke progressivism. As demonstrated by the meme above, they blame contemporary society for their lack of fulfillment, particularly sexually (in case, the references to virgins and “incel” involuntary celibacy didn’t tip you off). They coexist on platforms like Reddit, Telegram, and 4Chan– sites that have long housed alt-right online activity. Some tradcaths use terms like “red pill,” “based,” and “boogaloo” which, for those like myself who were unfamiliar, are hallmark terms of alt-right and white supremacist communities. 

So how much do trad caths and orthobros embrace the alt-right? It’s hard to know, but I’ve seen heavy cross-pollination between the rhetoric and concerns of the two groups in person and online. At this point, I’ve probably done enough research to end up on some kind of watch list.

From members of the tradcath and orthobro communities, I’ve personally heard Confederate lost cause narratives espoused, extreme hostility toward gay people, conspiracy theories about the influence of Jewish people in politics, and affirmations of the goodness of racial segregation. 

These abhorrent ideas contradict directly one of the core teachings of Christianity: that every person (all tribes, creeds, and colors included) is made in the image of God. And violates the second most important law in all of Scripture, to love your neighbor as yourself. Though immoral political ideals masquerading under the guise of Christian faith is nothing new, it’s still of the utmost concern that contradictory ideologies are infiltrating the church.

In my experience with tradcaths and orthobros, it can be hard to discover what’s actually going on beneath the surface. Their stated reasons for conversion are probably theological, related to the true church, apostolic succession, or the Eucharist. But an untold and perhaps unconscious motivation tends to be the ongoing radicalization they’re experiencing online through chat rooms, videos, and even memes.

Unfortunately, the same young men who are exploited by these processes are usually lonely, dissatisfied with life, or even struggling with mental health challenges that make them easier prey for these extreme ideologies. It seems the more we address the issues young men are experiencing, the more resilient they will be in the face of manipulation and destructive ideas. So how can we uncouple the alt-right and traditional Christianity? I’m not sure, but as a start, we should show up for those vulnerable in all kinds of ways and demonstrate that the love of Christ knows no boundaries. 

Jessica Wills is an orthodox Christian and heterodox feminist poet and essayist originally from the Pacific Northwest. Her poetry has been featured in Ekstasis Magazine and Free the Verse Magazine (forthcoming). Follow her writing @stressicawills on Twitter and Substack.

This is a guest post. As such, the views expressed above are not necessarily those of the editor/author of The Unafraid. Let the reader understand—if you’re on the alt-right and triggered by this, don’t come whining to me. -IAW