In The Atlantic, Stephanie McCrummen writes of the New Apostolic Reformation, an extremist charismatic Christian (say they) movement intent upon tearing down the secular state and replacing it with a system where Christianity (their version) reigns supreme. It demands a total abortion ban, an end to gay marriage. It seeks to dominate all aspects of family, religion, education, media, arts and entertainment, business, and government with its Seven Mountain Mandate. Its symbol is a white flag with a green pine tree emblazoned with the words “Appeal to Heaven.” That flag hangs outside Speaker Mike Johnson’s office (the legislative branch) and at the vacation home of Justice Samuel Alito (the judicial branch). Trump, ever the opportunist, tapped into this extremist political movement loosely draped in religious clothing, and its believers were integral in returning him to the White House (the executive branch). Trump’s incoming administration is riddled with proponents of this radical theocracy, ready to implement it from day one. McCrummen further notes that far-right conspiracy theorist Jack Prosobiec, in a book endorsed by Vice President JD Vance, argues that political opponents of NAR are “unhuman” and they (we) must be “crushed.” Violence is justified against us, whom they consider to be the forces of darkness. This is why we must not be silent. This is why now is not the time to go dark on social media. This movement is a growing threat to those of us who cherish a secular democracy, one that guarantees equal rights for all. These extremist adherents, blinded by their zeal, emboldened by a sense of power, are deaf to any differing perspectives or opinions, galvanized in their belief that Trump’s victory is one that “God alone” orchestrated, absolving them from honoring petty inconvenient rights or laws the Constitution may guarantee to all of us. During the election campaign, Democrats did not read the room, did not see or take seriously this insidious movement that seeks to take our country backward, to replace our secular democracy with their new extremist “Christ”ian order, one that deems others as “inhuman” and justifies violence; that we be “crushed.” Trump is already backpedaling on his promise to bring down the cost of groceries, and backing off across- the-board tariffs on all imports, but the extremist New Apostolic Reformation is the horse he rode in on, and it is not going away. Going dark in protest of Meta et al (one of the seven mountains) may make some of us feel good, but it misses the bigger picture, the greater peril. We must not go dark. We must shine the light, hard and bright, on this threat to America as we know it.