Study Exposes How Neo-Nazis and Extremists Twist Sacred Christian Phrase Online
A coalition of online extremists, including Neo-Nazis and Holocaust deniers, has co-opted the iconic Christian phrase “Christ is King” to promote hate and antisemitism, according to a groundbreaking report released yesterday by the Congress of Christian Leaders (CCL), the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) at Rutgers University, and renowned psychologist Dr. Jordan B. Peterson.
Titled “Thy Name in Vain: How Online Extremists Hijacked ‘Christ is King’,” the study reveals how a declaration of faith, cherished by Christians for centuries, has been twisted into a weapon of division in digital spaces. Using advanced AI-driven analysis and social media tracking, researchers found a staggering fivefold increase in the phrase’s use on X between 2021 and 2024. By 2024, nearly half of these mentions were linked to hateful narratives, with a significant spike around Easter last year.
“Extremists hijack ‘Christ is King’ to create perceptions of social legitimacy for their agendas,” said Lee Jussim, Chair of Psychology at Rutgers University and principal investigator for the report. He compared the tactic to “moral policing” by the political left, suggesting that some on the right are now “weaponizing faith” to enforce their own conformity.
Surge in Antisemitic Rhetoric
The report pinpoints a surge in engagement during Easter 2024, when 17% of all “Christ is King” mentions on X were tied to antisemitic rhetoric—far outpacing other religious discourse online. Researchers say the phrase has been adopted by groups seeking to revive conspiracy theories and exclusionary ideologies, often targeting Jewish communities.
Rev. Johnnie Moore, President of the CCL and co-author of the report alongside Dr. Peterson, called the trend a “profane” attack on Christian values. “As a religious Christian, I can think of almost nothing more profane than stealing from us a phrase like ‘Christ is King,’ which embodies the Easter message of the love of Jesus for the entire world,” Moore told reporters. He urged Christians globally to reclaim the phrase this Easter, rejecting its misuse by those peddling hate.
Deep Ties Between Christianity & Judaism
Moore emphasized the deep ties between Christianity and Judaism, noting, “Jesus was a Jew. The Bible was written mainly by Jews. Christian values came from Jewish values. A believing Christian cannot be an antisemite—they cannot exist together.” He framed the report as a call to action during a time of “historic friendship” between the two faiths, vowing, “Not on our watch.”
The NCRI, a leader in tracking cyber-social threats, partnered with CCL to produce the study, leveraging machine learning and network analysis to expose how extremist actors manipulate online spaces. The CCL, representing over 700 million evangelical Christians worldwide, hopes the findings will spark a broader movement to protect sacred language from being distorted.
As Easter 2025 approaches, the report’s authors are sounding the alarm: faith should unite, not divide. “I hope millions of Christians around the world will take the phrase back,” Moore said, “and stop those who seek to use our faith to advance their hate.”
‼️I need to warn you about something! The term CHRIST IS KING has been a declaration of shared Christian values for generations, but shocking research by @ncri_io at @RutgersU compiled in a report I co-authored with Dr. @jordanbpeterson demonstrates that this iconic phrase is… pic.twitter.com/crYbYwT0BA
— Rev. Johnnie Moore ن (@JohnnieM) March 13, 2025
