8th place (tie) — 2026 First in the Family essay contest: Yusef Hussein

FFRF awarded Yusef $500.

By Yusef Hussein

For a long time, there has been this idea that being a “real American” also means being Christian, and usually the example has been centered around white Christianity instead of the many different religions and cultures that actually exist across the country.

This is where Christian nationalism becomes dangerous, because it slowly stops being about personal faith or individual belief and instead becomes more focused on political power and deciding who belongs in America and who does not. It says that certain groups deserve a stronger voice or a more important place in society because of their race, religion or background.

Throughout American history, religion has often been used to defend racist ideas, even when people do not openly admit it. One example of this can be seen during segregation, when some churches supported racial separation and acted as if it reflected Christian values instead of prejudice. Even today, political movements and certain public figures often talk about “taking America back,” which sounds harmless on the surface but usually carries a message that blames immigrants, minorities or people with different beliefs for changes happening in the country.

America was founded as a secular democracy where people are supposed to have religious freedom, so when one religion starts becoming closely tied to government and national identity, it creates division and makes many people feel excluded from their own country.

Politics and Christianity seem more connected than ever before, especially when certain presidents or political leaders speak as if Christianity should directly influence laws and government decisions instead of remaining separate from them. Religion can inspire people morally and help guide their personal choices, but there is an important difference between living by your faith and expecting an entire country to follow one religious perspective. Without a separation between church and state, people outside the majority religion can easily start feeling like they are less respected, less accepted or even less American because they do not fit a certain image.

I live in a diverse community at St. Joseph’s University and am grateful to still be able to live together and share the same spaces peacefully. Christian nationalism threatens that idea because it creates an “us versus them” mindset that turns people against one another instead of bringing them together. I have seen this especially online, where immigrants, Muslims, Blacks and nonreligious people are sometimes blamed for ruining the country. Those opinions are hidden behind religious language.

Many Christians truly support equality and compassion, but when religion becomes mixed with nationalism, democracy becomes weaker since equality and freedom can no longer exist fairly.

Yusef, 19, attends Saint Joseph’s University.

“I enjoy spending my free time going on walks and reading books, which help me relax and continue learning new things,” Yusef writes. “I am focused on continuing to work hard in school while building a successful future for myself in a career of pharmacy.”