Chrissy Stroop

@thebugbeardispatch.bsky.social

54290 Followers 1749 Following

Cofounder of The Flytrap @theflytrapmedia.bsky.social Senior correspondent for Religion Dispatches Former weekly columnist for openDemocracy Ball State (BA) and Stanford (PhD) alum Pacific Northwest via a long, weird, winding road

A closeup of a store-bought Mardi Gras King Cake in a box with a Fleur-de-Lis and purple and yellow swirls. The visible portion of the cake has yellow sugar on it, and a purple plastic baby is sticking out with its hand up like “heeeelp meeee”
A screenshot of a Google search of “National Review Kristi Noem” on my phone, showing as a result the NR headline “Fire Kristi Noem into the Sun”
A picture of a white wall (featuring a thermostat on the right) with two Flytrap Media posters on it (art by Rommy Torrico). One says “Virginity is Fake” and features a design reminiscent of the movie American Pie. The second features two women facing away from the viewer, one with light brown skin and another with stakes skin, in tank tops, parties, and thigh-high socks. On the woman on the left’s butt cheek is printed “Stop violence”. On the other woman’s butt cheek is printed “against women”. The posters are in black frames.
A screenshot from the Christianity Today website with a picture of white supremacist Nick Fuentes speaking into a microphone and emphatically gesturing with his right hand on a yellowish tan background. Below that are the words: "The Theology Project" followed by the headline "The Church Better Start Taking Nazification Seriously." The byline is Russell Moore, who is listed as columnist here but has far more roles than that at CT Magazine. The DEK reads "Tucker Carlson hosted neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes on his podcast. The stakes are high for American Christians."
A screenshot of an email from academia.edu proclaiming “Our AI turned your research into an easy to understand analogy.” The research in question is an old conference paper, “Father Sergii’s Apocalypse.” The fine print says if I don’t want them to use AI on my uploaded work I have to opt out.
A picture of a black Pomeranian dog in a teal harness with a devil-may-care look on her face, stubbornly lounging when she’s supposed to be walking home
Chrissy Stroop’s anti-proselytizing principles infographic. Subhead: Prophylactic protection against evangelical aggression. Point one (illustrated with an icon of a church congregation): I am not your mission field. Point two (illustrated with an icon of talking heads on TV): I don’t owe you a debate. Point three (illustrated with an icon of a human head with a question mark inside the brain area): There are no shortcuts to being a good person, least of all “right belief.” Point four (illustrated by an icon of a person waking): Leavers are not a “crisis in the church.” Treat us as humans with moral autonomy. Point five (illustrated with an icon of a man with arms outstretched as if proclaiming something to a crowd): Proselytizing is always objectification. Let people follow their own consciences. Point six (illustrated by an icon of a person from the waist up holding an open book): Our stories are ours. Leavers are not believers’ object lessons.
Chrissy Stroop’s anti-proselytizing principles infographic. Subhead: Prophylactic protection against evangelical aggression. Point one (illustrated with an icon of a church congregation): I am not your mission field. Point two (illustrated with an icon of talking heads on TV): I don’t owe you a debate. Point three (illustrated with an icon of a human head with a question mark inside the brain area): There are no shortcuts to being a good person, least of all “right belief.” Point four (illustrated by an icon of a person waking): Leavers are not a “crisis in the church.” Treat us as humans with moral autonomy. Point five (illustrated with an icon of a man with arms outstretched as if proclaiming something to a crowd): Proselytizing is always objectification. Let people follow their own consciences. Point six (illustrated by an icon of a person from the waist up holding an open book): Our stories are ours. Leavers are not believers’ object lessons.
Chrissy Stroop’s anti-proselytizing principles infographic. Subhead: Prophylactic protection against evangelical aggression. Point one (illustrated with an icon of a church congregation): I am not your mission field. Point two (illustrated with an icon of talking heads on TV): I don’t owe you a debate. Point three (illustrated with an icon of a human head with a question mark inside the brain area): There are no shortcuts to being a good person, least of all “right belief.” Point four (illustrated by an icon of a person waking): Leavers are not a “crisis in the church.” Treat us as humans with moral autonomy. Point five (illustrated with an icon of a man with arms outstretched as if proclaiming something to a crowd): Proselytizing is always objectification. Let people follow their own consciences. Point six (illustrated by an icon of a person from the waist up holding an open book): Our stories are ours. Leavers are not believers’ object lessons.
Chrissy Stroop’s anti-proselytizing principles infographic. Subhead: Prophylactic protection against evangelical aggression. Point one (illustrated with an icon of a church congregation): I am not your mission field. Point two (illustrated with an icon of talking heads on TV): I don’t owe you a debate. Point three (illustrated with an icon of a human head with a question mark inside the brain area): There are no shortcuts to being a good person, least of all “right belief.” Point four (illustrated by an icon of a person waking): Leavers are not a “crisis in the church.” Treat us as humans with moral autonomy. Point five (illustrated with an icon of a man with arms outstretched as if proclaiming something to a crowd): Proselytizing is always objectification. Let people follow their own consciences. Point six (illustrated by an icon of a person from the waist up holding an open book): Our stories are ours. Leavers are not believers’ object lessons.
Chrissy Stroop’s anti-proselytizing principles infographic. Subhead: Prophylactic protection against evangelical aggression. Point one (illustrated with an icon of a church congregation): I am not your mission field. Point two (illustrated with an icon of talking heads on TV): I don’t owe you a debate. Point three (illustrated with an icon of a human head with a question mark inside the brain area): There are no shortcuts to being a good person, least of all “right belief.” Point four (illustrated by an icon of a person waking): Leavers are not a “crisis in the church.” Treat us as humans with moral autonomy. Point five (illustrated with an icon of a man with arms outstretched as if proclaiming something to a crowd): Proselytizing is always objectification. Let people follow their own consciences. Point six (illustrated by an icon of a person from the waist up holding an open book): Our stories are ours. Leavers are not believers’ object lessons.
Chrissy Stroop’s anti-proselytizing principles infographic. Subhead: Prophylactic protection against evangelical aggression. Point one (illustrated with an icon of a church congregation): I am not your mission field. Point two (illustrated with an icon of talking heads on TV): I don’t owe you a debate. Point three (illustrated with an icon of a human head with a question mark inside the brain area): There are no shortcuts to being a good person, least of all “right belief.” Point four (illustrated by an icon of a person waking): Leavers are not a “crisis in the church.” Treat us as humans with moral autonomy. Point five (illustrated with an icon of a man with arms outstretched as if proclaiming something to a crowd): Proselytizing is always objectification. Let people follow their own consciences. Point six (illustrated by an icon of a person from the waist up holding an open book): Our stories are ours. Leavers are not believers’ object lessons.
A cropped screenshot of my iPhone’s home screen with a NY Times news alert: “The tremendous cost of the Trump revolution’s experiment in recklessness are beginning to reveal themselves.”
A closeup of part of a salmon-colored fitted sheet showing a white tag that reads, in black block letters, “TOP OR BOTTOM”
A screenshot of a skeet that reads “Probably a good article but paywalled so I’ll never know.” The hm, side-eye, and eye roll emojis have been used to block out the Bluesky user’s handle and avatar.
A pie labeled “Who fans are rooting for in the Super Bowl.” Two tiny slivers in red and green, respectively, are labeled “Chiefs” and “Eagles.” The rest of the pie, in light gray, is labeled DOGE commercials,” and in the lower right corner of the image “GO ELON!” is printed. The background is white and the text is in black.
Chrissy Stroop’s anti-proselytizing principles infographic. Subhead: Prophylactic protection against evangelical aggression. Point one (illustrated with an icon of a church congregation): I am not your mission field. Point two (illustrated with an icon of talking heads on TV): I don’t owe you a debate. Point three (illustrated with an icon of a human head with a question mark inside the brain area): There are no shortcuts to being a good person, least of all “right belief.” Point four (illustrated by an icon of a person waking): Leavers are not a “crisis in the church.” Treat us as humans with moral autonomy. Point five (illustrated with an icon of a man with arms outstretched as if proclaiming something to a crowd): Proselytizing is always objectification. Let people follow their own consciences. Point six (illustrated by an icon of a person from the waist up holding an open book): Our stories are ours. Leavers are not believers’ object lessons.
Chrissy Stroop’s anti-proselytizing principles infographic. Subhead: Prophylactic protection against evangelical aggression. Point one (illustrated with an icon of a church congregation): I am not your mission field. Point two (illustrated with an icon of talking heads on TV): I don’t owe you a debate. Point three (illustrated with an icon of a human head with a question mark inside the brain area): There are no shortcuts to being a good person, least of all “right belief.” Point four (illustrated by an icon of a person waking): Leavers are not a “crisis in the church.” Treat us as humans with moral autonomy. Point five (illustrated with an icon of a man with arms outstretched as if proclaiming something to a crowd): Proselytizing is always objectification. Let people follow their own consciences. Point six (illustrated by an icon of a person from the waist up holding an open book): Our stories are ours. Leavers are not believers’ object lessons.
A very large stainless steel skillet pictured from above and full of fried rice with chicken, pineapple, cashews, shredded carrots, peas, egg, and green onions
Screenshot of this account replying to me saying “You ARE a dude. You cannot change your gender. No matter how hard you try. DNA won’t let you. Hormone therapy is a lie to your very core.
A screenshot of a skeet of mine with a reply from some rando, Jeremy Bulloch. My skeet reads, “I don’t know if there are any [nonviolent routes to an equitable America], which should come through pretty clearly if you read my essay. But a more violent future is going to be a lot of chaos and ugliness that harms us all, not some immediately successful “glorious revolution” that establishes equity just like that. The tankie rando’s reply reads: “Sorry dude, all the workers have to lose is their chains. The entire system you represent has gotta go. Your essay is frankly shamefully wrong headed (sic.) trash, and you should be ashamed if you actually believe this drek (sic.). Do better or STOP. #EatTheRich
A black Pomeranian leaving over a pillow covered with a blue blanket that’s on top of a beige couch. Only her face and front paws are fully visible, her jaw rests on the pillow, and her eyes are huge and full of concern and annoyance
Chrissy Stroop’s anti-proselytizing principles infographic. Subhead: Prophylactic protection against evangelical aggression. Point one (illustrated with an icon of a church congregation): I am not your mission field. Point two (illustrated with an icon of talking heads on TV): I don’t owe you a debate. Point three (illustrated with an icon of a human head with a question mark inside the brain area): There are no shortcuts to being a good person, least of all “right belief.” Point four (illustrated by an icon of a person waking): Leavers are not a “crisis in the church.” Treat us as humans with moral autonomy. Point five (illustrated with an icon of a man with arms outstretched as if proclaiming something to a crowd): Proselytizing is always objectification. Let people follow their own consciences. Point six (illustrated by an icon of a person from the waist up holding an open book): Our stories are ours. Leavers are not believers’ object lessons.
Chrissy Stroop’s anti-proselytizing principles infographic. Subhead: Prophylactic protection against evangelical aggression. Point one (illustrated with an icon of a church congregation): I am not your mission field. Point two (illustrated with an icon of talking heads on TV): I don’t owe you a debate. Point three (illustrated with an icon of a human head with a question mark inside the brain area): There are no shortcuts to being a good person, least of all “right belief.” Point four (illustrated by an icon of a person waking): Leavers are not a “crisis in the church.” Treat us as humans with moral autonomy. Point five (illustrated with an icon of a man with arms outstretched as if proclaiming something to a crowd): Proselytizing is always objectification. Let people follow their own consciences. Point six (illustrated by an icon of a person from the waist up holding an open book): Our stories are ours. Leavers are not believers’ object lessons.
Chrissy Stroop’s anti-proselytizing principles infographic. Subhead: Prophylactic protection against evangelical aggression. Point one (illustrated with an icon of a church congregation): I am not your mission field. Point two (illustrated with an icon of talking heads on TV): I don’t owe you a debate. Point three (illustrated with an icon of a human head with a question mark inside the brain area): There are no shortcuts to being a good person, least of all “right belief.” Point four (illustrated by an icon of a person waking): Leavers are not a “crisis in the church.” Treat us as humans with moral autonomy. Point five (illustrated with an icon of a man with arms outstretched as if proclaiming something to a crowd): Proselytizing is always objectification. Let people follow their own consciences. Point six (illustrated by an icon of a person from the waist up holding an open book): Our stories are ours. Leavers are not believers’ object lessons.
Chrissy Stroop’s anti-proselytizing principles infographic. Subhead: Prophylactic protection against evangelical aggression. Point one (illustrated with an icon of a church congregation): I am not your mission field. Point two (illustrated with an icon of talking heads on TV): I don’t owe you a debate. Point three (illustrated with an icon of a human head with a question mark inside the brain area): There are no shortcuts to being a good person, least of all “right belief.” Point four (illustrated by an icon of a person waking): Leavers are not a “crisis in the church.” Treat us as humans with moral autonomy. Point five (illustrated with an icon of a man with arms outstretched as if proclaiming something to a crowd): Proselytizing is always objectification. Let people follow their own consciences. Point six (illustrated by an icon of a person from the waist up holding an open book): Our stories are ours. Leavers are not believers’ object lessons.
A screenshot of profile including banner picture, avatar, and top skeet of the Bluesky user @theologyapologetic.bsky.social who has one follower. Banner is coniferous forest with mountains and water, apparently sunset--maybe in the PNW or Sierra Nevadas. Bio reads "B.A. Christian Studies: Biblical Literature & Interpretation, Ambrose University. Certificate in Christian Apologetics, Biola University. Avatar is a brown, leather bound Bible with "Holy Bible" in gold lettering. Pinned post reads "I'm a Theologian + Apologist by trade. On the Theological side, I specialize in Biblical, Historical + Systematic Theology as well as Hermeneutics. On the Apologetic side, I specialize in Theology Proper, Bibliology + Christology/Soteriology."
A picture of Darcy, a large black Pomeranian, sitting in a field of dirt and grass, smiling, and wearing a bow with peanut butter and jelly designs
A screenshot of a NY Times editorial by Kathleen Kingsbury, the I opinion editor, with the headline (not pictured) “Opinion Today: America moves into uncharted waters.” The portion shown reads: “America has spoken. Donald Trump will return to the White House. Times Opinion, and especially our editorial board, has repeatedly raised the alarm about how unfit a leader Trump has shown himself to be. Enough voters obviously, ultimately disagreed.”
Rando Threads user itsnancyann replies to my post on Kamala Harris leaving trans rights out of her speech with “Full stop this is not helping. She recognized all Americans from all walks of life. She didn’t specifically mention Italian-Americans either.”
Chrissy Stroop’s anti-proselytizing principles infographic. Subhead: Prophylactic protection against evangelical aggression. Point one (illustrated with an icon of a church congregation): I am not your mission field. Point two (illustrated with an icon of talking heads on TV): I don’t owe you a debate. Point three (illustrated with an icon of a human head with a question mark inside the brain area): There are no shortcuts to being a good person, least of all “right belief.” Point four (illustrated by an icon of a person waking): Leavers are not a “crisis in the church.” Treat us as humans with moral autonomy. Point five (illustrated with an icon of a man with arms outstretched as if proclaiming something to a crowd): Proselytizing is always objectification. Let people follow their own consciences. Point six (illustrated by an icon of a person from the waist up holding an open book): Our stories are ours. Leavers are not believers’ object lessons.
Chrissy Stroop’s anti-proselytizing principles infographic. Subhead: Prophylactic protection against evangelical aggression. Point one (illustrated with an icon of a church congregation): I am not your mission field. Point two (illustrated with an icon of talking heads on TV): I don’t owe you a debate. Point three (illustrated with an icon of a human head with a question mark inside the brain area): There are no shortcuts to being a good person, least of all “right belief.” Point four (illustrated by an icon of a person waking): Leavers are not a “crisis in the church.” Treat us as humans with moral autonomy. Point five (illustrated with an icon of a man with arms outstretched as if proclaiming something to a crowd): Proselytizing is always objectification. Let people follow their own consciences. Point six (illustrated by an icon of a person from the waist up holding an open book): Our stories are ours. Leavers are not believers’ object lessons.
A shot of the external restroom door and a bit of the wall next to it. Note that there is a “family/unisex” label but also a sign on the door that says “This restroom is only for people needing accessible accommodation or for adults with children.” Which makes me think maybe it’s not for trans/nonbinary people? Uncomfortable
A closeup selfie of me in a green t-shirt and black cat-eye glasses with some light pink eye shadow and medium length eyelash extensions. My hair is (dyed) a copper color, it has loose curls and is shoulder. The picture cuts off the top of my head lol. On my face is a slight, closed-lip smile
A picture of an egg dyed in the colors of the Transgender Pride flag, pink, white (undyed in the middle), and light blue, held between my thumb and forefinger on a dark brown faux wood grain background.
A picture from the “I Think You Should Leave” hot dog guy sketch featuring a white guy in a hot dog suit with his right arm partially extended, feigning confusion.
A version of the daily struggle/two buttons meme with a sweating, nervous white man in a red shirt and white gloves agonizing over which button to press. The buttons read “Cherry-pick bad data including retracted studies” and “Quote tiny minority of disgruntled critics” and the meme is captioned “When you objectivity so hard you short circuit your objectivity meter”
Screenshot of the Atlantic’s website, March 2024 issue. Under the rubric of “ideas” the headline for an article by David Frum reads: “Uncancel Woodrow Wilson.” Beneath that it says “Despised as a racist by today’s left and a tyrant by today’s right, the 28th president championed a set of values that our politics sorely lack.”
Picture of the man in a hotdog suit from the sketch that launched the “We’re all trying to find the guy who did this” meme.
A screenshot of my phone’s Notification Center showing a New York Times app notification reading “Inside an Anti-DEI Crusade. Thousands of emails reveal the playbook- and grievances - behind one strand of the campaign at public universities.”
Screenshot of a post from Christianity Today's official Twitter account linking to an article called "A (deconstructed) home for the holidays." The description reads "Faith is dividing families. What does lament look like in our relationships to God and our loved ones? From @sometimesalight." The illustration is a fragmented picture of the outline of a house with what appears to be a family having a holiday meal inside superimposed on it--the family members now divided into different fragments of the broken house.
A screenshot of a headline from my email this morning. Beneath the header “The Morning Dispatch” the headline reads “GOP Debate IV: Endgame.”
Deseret news headline of "Why fewer marriages, lower levels of faith are related" juxtaposed hilariously with an ad for "Burlesque Show Portland" featuring a picture of a portrayal of Jaba the Hut with a chained up Princess Leia in what is clearly a Star Wars inspired scene.
A picture of Portland International Airport’s odd green carpet with yellow, blue, and red streaks in a whimsical 1990s-esque pattern. At the bottom of the picture you can see my blue jean clad legs from the calves down and my light blue New Balance sneakers
A screenshot of a phone notification with that weekly report on my screen time dated yesterday, 9:17 AM and reading “You averaged 29 minutes of screen time per day last week.”
A screenshot from an email advertisement with the subject line “Here’s my pitch” from The Dispatch’s Kevin D. Williamson asking me to become a paid subscriber. The visible text reads”Dear Dispatch readers: Please do join The Dispatch! And if you really like what we are doing here, consider giving a Dispatch gift subscription to a friend, sharing Dispatch content with potential subscribers, and helping our community grow. There are obvious benefits to being a paid member. We have members-only newsletters, where much of our best content can be found. If you want to comment on a story, you have to be a member. We have weekly Dispatch Live shows and both online and in-person events that are only for members. If you happen to need some customer support, members get priority service from a real person. That’s the company-line pitch. Here’s my pitch.”
Picture of a black Pomeranian in a purple harness sitting in lush green grass with a paved path behind her
A graphic consisting of an orange checkmark inside an orange octagon on a white background with a light orange swirl flowing through it from the upper left to lower right corner. In the top right corner it says "Sept 2023." Beneath the checkmark (which is in the upper left corner) it says. "Substack Bestseller. The Bugbear Dispatch by Chrissy Stroop is a Substack Bestseller with hundreds of paid subscribers." At the bottom is a tiny version of my author picture labeled "Chrissy Stroop."
Screenshot of verified X user Dr. Simon Goddek posting my openDemocracy column “How Elon Musk is Using X to Fuel Right-Wing Hate in the US” along with images of my author profile picture and bio with the lady about me being transgender highlighted under the tweet “And this is all you need to know about the author @C_Stroop).
A poster announcing the event that features headshots of Chrissy Stroop and Sarah Stankorb on a bright pink background. Under Chrissy's, on the left, is a picture of Sarah's book cover. On the right, under Sarah's, there's text that reads: Virtual Book Talk. Join us for a discussion about Disobedient Women with author Sarah Stankorb, hosted by exvangelical writer Chrissy Stroop on Virtual Coffeehouse Discord, Tuesday, September 19th, 8:30 PM ET (5:30 PM PT).
Picture of a sculpture of a gigantic anthropomorphic moose in white shorts with red flowers on them lounging on a gigantic chair on top of a float marked with the Alaska Airlines logo. This was Alaska Air’s float for the 2023 Portland, Oregon Rose Parade.
Chrissy Stroop’s anti-proselytizing principles infographic. Subhead: Prophylactic protection against evangelical aggression. Point one (illustrated with an icon of a church congregation): I am not your mission field. Point two (illustrated with an icon of talking heads on TV): I don’t owe you a debate. Point three (illustrated with an icon of a human head with a question mark inside the brain area): There are no shortcuts to being a good person, least of all “right belief.” Point four (illustrated by an icon of a person waking): Leavers are not a “crisis in the church.” Treat us as humans with moral autonomy. Point five (illustrated with an icon of a man with arms outstretched as if proclaiming something to a crowd): Proselytizing is always objectification. Let people follow their own consciences. Point six (illustrated by an icon of a person from the waist up holding an open book): Our stories are ours. Leavers are not believers’ object lessons.
A picture of my legs from the thigh down to the feet and toes, my right leg crossed over my left. My legs are on top of a reddish purple fitted sheet and you can see my gray dresser with black metal drawer handles and some shoes on top of the shoe rack in the background
A picture of a black Pomeranian sitting on some brown grass and leaves with half-closed eyes. Her light purple leash has little anthropomorphic sushi rolls on it
Screenshot of a portion of a Substack post that reads as follows: Further Thoughts As I finish this piece up, tropical storm Idalia is on a trajectory toward the northern half of Florida’s Gulf Coast, where it is set to make landfall as a massively destructive Category 3 or 4 hurricane. Florida and climate change is a whole other can of worms, but if you’d like to dig into the topic it’s something I’ve written about before. Still, I think it’s worth noting in passing that as home insurers began pulling out of Florida earlier this year—on the basis of the same capitalist logic that DeSantis theoretically supports—the Florida governor thought fit to blithely make a statement to the effect of “they’ll be back,” after which he “joked,” “So knock on wood we won’t have a big storm this summer.” There is much to be said about the connections between authoritarian attitudes, indifference to human life, anti-intellectualism and science denial, and the unleashing of violent non-state actors..
A screenshot of a New York Times headline that reads “Uncharted Waters. America is Using Up its Groundwater Like There’s No Tomorrow. Overuse is draining and damaging aquifers nationwide, a New York Times data investigation revealed.”