‘There Is No Such Thing As Christian Terrorist’— Ex-U.S. Mayor

A former United States mayor, Mike Arnold, has described the concept of a “Christian terrorist” as a theological impossibility, saying anyone who commits acts of terror has automatically disqualified himself from being a Christian.

Arnold, who served as mayor of Blanco City, Texas, and is the founder of Africa Arise International, made the assertion on Friday in a Facebook post responding to a critic who questioned why he never addressed what the person described as “Christian terrorists” operating in southeastern Nigeria, an apparent reference to criminal activities linked to suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

The former mayor dismissed the question as a coordinated attempt to distract from his advocacy on the killing of Christians in northern Nigeria, saying the line of argument was a talking point being circulated among critics.

Responding directly, Arnold argued that a person’s tribal or regional background, or even their self-identification as a Christian, is insufficient to confer the label if their conduct contradicts the teachings of Jesus Christ.

“There is no possible way for there to be a ‘Christian Terrorist,'” he wrote. “Because such acts prove that the perpetrator is NOT a Christian. It is a 180-degree departure from the teachings and example of Jesus.”

Drawing a religious analogy, Arnold argued that the same logic applied across faiths, suggesting that a person whose lifestyle or actions fundamentally violate their religion’s core teachings cannot rightfully claim that identity.

He then made a controversial assertion about jihadist violence, claiming that terrorists who commit atrocities while invoking God are acting in direct alignment with the foundational teachings of Islam, a position firmly rejected by mainstream Islamic scholars and the overwhelming majority of the world’s Muslims.

“One is a bloody reality, the other is an impossible fiction,” he concluded.

It is not the first time Arnold has made headlines over his strong views on Nigeria.

Just last week, he told members of the United States Congress that Nigeria’s breakup is “likely inevitable and just,” and alleged that violence against Christian communities had worsened since the country was redesignated a Country of Particular Concern by the United States government in October 2025.

He has visited Nigeria more than 15 times since 2010 and built schools in internally displaced persons camps across the north.

His claims of genocide against Nigerian Christians have been disputed by the federal government, the Sultan of Sokoto, and several prominent Nigerians including former presidential aide Reno Omokri.