PUEBLO, Colo. – Forging Pueblo is a conservative Christian group founded in the summer of 2018 to “impact Pueblo with a biblical worldview.” Its mission is to create a community where faith and family thrive. Faith presumably refers to Christianity. The website for Forging Pueblo is no longer active and one registered name is parked; however, the organization’s activity shows no sign of abating via their “Forging the Future” the political branch of Forging Pueblo.
In a video presentation posted on social media from 2019 describing the objectives of Forging Pueblo, Quin Friberg, a pastor, author, and teacher at Family Worship Center in Pueblo, CO, says in a video posted to social media that the idea behind Forging Pueblo is “to connect churches to network and work with churches in order to impact our community here in Pueblo in a significant way.” Friberg describes himself as a Christian apologist.
Friberg writes in his personal blog the following year that “Most Christians have spent the majority of their Christian life, if not all of it, silent on the spiritual battle taking place in our world,” a statement that distorts the reality of the last millennium in the Western world. The image he presents with his family is not unlike the representation of Tradwives TWH discussed earlier this year.
Barb Musso says “ Our goal is to influence all areas of culture. Government, education. Religion. Arts, Media and the family.” She later adds that there are “thousands of men and women in our community that want truth taught our schools.” They want truth taught in our schools about origins, morality, and sexuality.
Jay Michael-Baker notes in the video that the secular world has been influencing culture, society and government but that it is time for a “Christian worldview to take a step-up.”
“Christians need to step up and become involved in an organized fashion in all spheres of our culture, including government we read in scripture how God used mighty men and women in this capacity,” adds Mark Aliff, now a city council candidate in 2023.
![Flag of Pueblo, Colorado [public domain]](https://wildhunt.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Flag_of_Pueblo_Colorado.gif)
Flag of Pueblo, Colorado [public domain]
The video notes that the secular efforts have been systematic and Forging Pueblo plans to use a network of organizations to engage in a “systematic, organized and intentional” process to change the culture and realize a Christian identity within the community that re-arranges society away from secular approaches to Biblical precepts.
Over the past three years, Forging Pueblo has been involved in a variety of activities in Pueblo, including mobilizing churchgoers to ask the city council to ban abortion services, supporting conservative candidates in local elections, starting a Christian school, Veritas Academy, and organizing events to promote Christian values.
In 2022, Forging Pueblo organized a rally in support of a proposed ordinance to ban abortion in Pueblo. The ordinance was ultimately not passed by the city council, but it brought attention to Forging Pueblo’s influence.
In 2023, Forging Pueblo endorsed several conservative candidates in the Pueblo mayoral election. The candidates endorsed by Forging Pueblo were all defeated, but the endorsement process highlighted Forging Pueblo’s role in local politics.
Forging Pueblo is also involved in education. In 2023, Forging Pueblo launched Veritas Academy, a Christian school in Pueblo West. Veritas Academy is based on a biblical worldview and offers a variety of courses on Christian doctrine and values.
One commentator on Facebook, Z. Anubis Wolff, wrote “Absolutely 100% religious fascists. It flat out says on their page “separation of church and state is a lie to keep you from voting based on your Christian faith.” They have already taken away a woman’s right to abortion, they are working on taking away the rights of queer people and those of other faiths, and when they are done, they WILL come for your rights. We already beat their cousins in Germany in the early 40’s, time to fight against the new Nat-C’s.”
Another commentator wrote “This hate group intends to support school board candidates in the Pueblo community who will engage in a massive witch hunt targeting LGBTQ+ students. Eventually, they will target teachers as well and attempt to oust them for who they are in their private lives. They are the farthest thing from godly. The organization clearly takes no issue with Lauren Boebert, who has spoken at their events, publicly fondling someone at a play in Denver. They don’t object to lewd behavior, or grooming behavior, so long as it is heterosexual grooming. Their founder, Quin Friberg, behaves like someone who clearly has a deeply disturbing relationship with his own member. These people need therapy, not political authority.”
The Pagan and polytheist community has begun to organize.
Rev. Laurel Holmstrom-Keyes, a Pagan Community Minister in Pueblo, Colorado has been working on efforts to expose Forging Pueblo and organize the Pagan community. Holmes forwarded a community statement.
In Pueblo Colorado, the Pagan community wrote this statement against a Christian Nationalist organization: Statement from the Pagan community of Pueblo
We speak against Forging Pueblo and their efforts to impose their worldview on everyone in this community. The last time we looked, the First Amendment of the United States Constitution requires separation between Church and State.
As spiritual people, we value the religion and spirituality of individuals and communities of faith. We do not value proselytizing nor imposing beliefs on others. As Pagans, we remind you that our Western Civilization, writ large, derives many of its institutions and philosophy from ancient Greek and Roman societies – Pagan societies. However, modern Pagans have no interest in forcing our beliefs on others. We would much rather have people find our traditions on their own.
Forging Pueblo would have us all conform to their limited Evangelical Christian beliefs. This is not only un-American, but extremely distasteful to Paganism, and likely Judaism and Islam as well as other non-Abrahamic traditions. Their tactics are likely illegal.
The truth of human cultures is that they are diverse, just as nature is diverse. No one can tell another what to believe or how they should think based on those beliefs. It is up to each of us to find our path, our people and our spiritual sustenance.
People running for office should discuss their policy positions and how they would approach issues in the city of Pueblo, not use their faith to organize candidates to run for office, period. Imagine the outcry if Jewish people did this or Muslims did this or Pagans did this, and rightly so. Someone’s faith does not tell us anything about their leadership abilities, if they understand economics, or if they do research for policy decisions.
In conclusion, we urge all Puebloans who care about the separation of church and state to carefully review candidates and not vote for any supported by Forging Pueblo.
There are elections in Colorado today. Statewide, there are ballot initiatives but there are local elections. Forging Pueblo has been clear in its efforts to “elect experienced leaders who will prioritize public safety and bring common-sense solutions to homelessness. Vote for leaders who stand for the pledge, value life, and hold to the founding principles of our nation in the Home of Heroes” and “Academics over harmful ideologies infiltrating our school system.”
Pagans will be voicing their concerns to the city council next week on November 13, 2023.
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