Left-wing media tends to portray the so-called “Christfluencers” – Christian influencers who share their faith on social media – in a rather peculiar manner. These individuals are depicted as radical and dangerous, while no such warnings are issued about genuinely radical Islamist influencers. Christian influencers are deemed extreme; those promoting Islam are accepted.

Many Christian influencers are labelled radical for the simple reason that they express their faith online. Most “Christian influencers” hold conservative views – and, as a result, regularly face hateful comments and insults. In a left-leaning society, such positions are quickly branded as problematic or even extremist, because they do not align with the dominant worldview.

Double Standards Towards Religious Influencers

Moreover, these individuals are criticised for living according to biblical values, even though many overlook the fact that most Christians live peacefully and that the Bible calls for humility, peace and love towards one’s fellow human beings.

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It is striking that Islamist influencers barely trouble Austrian public opinion. Virtually no negative coverage appears about them – even when certain figures openly call for radicalisation, the Exxpress news portal points out.

One example is the “Muslim Interaktiv” account, which spreads radical messages through highly influential TikTok videos. The spokesperson of the association behind the account has even declared: “The future belongs to Islam! And the future belongs to the Quran!”

Christians Are Dangerous, Islamists Are Not?

While Christian influencers simply share their Christian way of life publicly, numerous Islamist influencers indirectly encourage radicalisation.

Christians, on the other hand, merely follow a biblical commandment: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

In doing so, they are simply keeping pace with the times: what once took place in churches and congregations now also happens on social media, the article notes.

This one-sided portrayal leads to dangerous double moral standards: the ORF places harmless “Christian influencers” and radical Islamist influencers on the same level – even though the differences could hardly be clearer.

The Christian Influencer as the New “Visibility” of Religion

Vatican News once stated that Pope Francis himself was “the most powerful religious influencer on social media.” Since around 2019, religious influencers have sparked considerable debate in the media.

The phenomenon includes a wide range of terms: religious influencers, God influencers, Christian influencers, Islamist influencers and even influencer-preachers.

Religious influencers are those who use digital media and various media channels to speak about faith, religion, the Church and everyday life. They publish images, videos and reflections on Instagram, YouTube and similar platforms. The Christfluencer, as a social figure, represents a personal bridge linking religion with the demands of the modern age.