Do you ever get the feeling that Tea Party Republicans see the phrase “Ignorance Is Bliss” as a Mission Statement?

3/7/11

I support the separation of Church and Hate!

My son sent me this article and it echoes exactly how I feel about  "Christians" who are not willing to be Christ like!-Mem

Phil Zuckerman Phil Zuckerman
Posted: March 3, 2011 10:06 AM

Why Evangelicals Hate Jesus

This article was co-authored by Dan Cady is an assistant professor of history at California State University, Fresno. He publishes on the history of the American West, music, and religion.

The results from a recent poll published by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (http://www.pewforum.org/Politics-and-Elections/Tea-Party-and-Religion.aspx) reveal what social scientists have known for a long time: White Evangelical Christians are the group least likely to support politicians or policies that reflect the actual teachings of Jesus. It is perhaps one of the strangest, most dumb-founding ironies in contemporary American culture. Evangelical Christians, who most fiercely proclaim to have a personal relationship with Christ, who most confidently declare their belief that the Bible is the inerrant word of God, who go to church on a regular basis, pray daily, listen to Christian music, and place God and His Only Begotten Son at the center of their lives, are simultaneously the very people most likely to reject his teachings and despise his radical message.

Jesus unambiguously preached mercy and forgiveness. These are supposed to be cardinal virtues of the Christian faith. And yet Evangelicals are the most supportive of the death penalty, draconian sentencing, punitive punishment over rehabilitation, and the governmental use of torture. Jesus exhorted humans to be loving, peaceful, and non-violent. And yet Evangelicals are the group of Americans most supportive of easy-access weaponry, little-to-no regulation of handgun and semi-automatic gun ownership, not to mention the violent military invasion of various countries around the world. Jesus was very clear that the pursuit of wealth was inimical to the Kingdom of God, that the rich are to be condemned, and that to be a follower of Him means to give one's money to the poor. And yet Evangelicals are the most supportive of corporate greed and capitalistic excess, and they are the most opposed to institutional help for the nation's poor -- especially poor children. They hate anything that smacks of "socialism," even though that is essentially what their Savior preached. They despise food stamp programs, subsidies for schools, hospitals, job training -- anything that might dare to help out those in need. Even though helping out those in need was exactly what Jesus urged humans to do. In short, Evangelicals are that segment of America which is the most pro-militaristic, pro-gun, and pro-corporate, while simultaneously claiming to be most ardent lovers of the Prince of Peace.

What's the deal?

Before attempting an answer, allow a quick clarification. Evangelicals don't exactly hate Jesus -- as we've provocatively asserted in the title of this piece. They do love him dearly. But not because of what he tried to teach humanity. Rather, Evangelicals love Jesus for what he does for them. Through his magical grace, and by shedding his precious blood, Jesus saves Evangelicals from everlasting torture in hell, and guarantees them a premium, luxury villa in heaven. For this, and this only, they love him. They can't stop thanking him. And yet, as for Jesus himself -- his core values of peace, his core teachings of social justice, his core commandments of goodwill -- most Evangelicals seem to have nothing but disdain.

And this is nothing new. At the end of World War I, the more rabid, and often less educated Evangelicals decried the influence of the Social Gospel amongst liberal churches. According to these self-proclaimed torch-bearers of a religion born in the Middle East, progressive church-goers had been infected by foreign ideas such as German Rationalism, Soviet-style Communism, and, of course, atheistic Darwinism. In the 1950s, the anti-Social Gospel message piggybacked the rhetoric of anti-communism, which slashed and burned its way through the Old South and onward through the Sunbelt, turning liberal churches into vacant lots along the way. It was here that the spirit and the body collided, leaving us with a prototypical Christian nationalist, hell-bent on prosperity. Charity was thus rebranded as collectivism and self-denial gave way to the gospel of accumulation. Church-to-church, sermon-to-sermon, evangelical preachers grew less comfortable with the fish and loaves Jesus who lived on earth, and more committed to the angry Jesus of the future. By the 1990s, this divine Terminator gained "most-favored Jesus status" among America's mega churches; and with that, even the mention of the former "social justice" Messiah drove the socially conscious from their larger, meaner flock.

In addition to such historical developments, there may very well simply be an underlying, all-too-human social-psychological process at root, one that probably plays itself out among all religious individuals: they see in their religion what they want to see, and deny or despise the rest. That is, religion is one big Rorschach test.

People look at the content of their religious tradition -- its teachings, its creeds, its prophet's proclamations -- and they basically pick and choose what suits their own secular outlook. They see in their faith what they want to see as they live their daily lives, and simultaneously ignore the rest. And as is the case for most White Evangelical Christians, what they are ignoring is actually the very heart and soul of Jesus's message -- a message that emphasizes sharing, not greed. Peace-making, not war-mongering. Love, not violence.

Of course, conservative Americans have every right to support corporate greed, militarism, gun possession, and the death penalty, and to oppose welfare, food stamps, health care for those in need, etc. -- it is just strange and contradictory when they claim these positions as somehow "Christian." They aren't.

13 comments:

  1. Another great post Mem!!

    All I can add to this is that as far as I know, there is only one TRUE Christian among the Evangelical. President Jimmy Carter. He walks the walk and talks the talk. As old as he is, instead of retiring, he is still out there trying to promote peace and helping the poor and needy.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Exactly Mary! Jimmy and his wife are "Christ Like". I'm not sure that I have heard others come out against this and Mike Huckabee as a former minister is a "true Christian hypocrite" He is not only a hypocrite but he lies in the name of God and makes money doing it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Obviously written by a man who does not even claim to be a Christian, because he knows very little of what Jesus taught. Jesus never appealed to the Government to feed the poor, he commanded Christians to do it. Jesus commanded his followers to Buy swords that they would be needed. The early church experimented with communism, and God poured out divine judgement on the endeavor.

    ReplyDelete
  4. LS it is obvious that Christ was talking to the Christians and commanded this of them but taking care of the poor, the sick and the widows is NOT a part of the Republicans Parties agenda, nor today's Christians the Democrats and Government have taken it upon themselves to follow the teachings of Christ.

    I would love to know what religion you are because I find that most people from organized religions twist scripture to fit their needs.

    As a spiritual person who does not believe in organized religion but does believe in the man from Nazareth,let me give you a little Bible lesson on the content and meaning of this scripture- "He that Hath No Sword Let Him Sell His Garment and Buy One"

    At the Mount of Olives just before the Roman soldiers came to arrest Christ he had just told Peter that before the cock would crow this day he, Peter, would deny Christ three times, Luke 22:34. After being with Christ all that time the disciples still did not have much spiritual insight because they were yet on the Old Testament side of the cross.

    So a one-time event has been, in many cases, deliberately misconstrued in order that Christians may sub-consciously escape the reality of having to deal with this great spiritual command.

    So lets move on LS! Christ is speaking to his disciples shortly before His arrest and betrayal: Luke 22:35-37

    35 - And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

    36 - Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

    But NOW - meaning now because MORE scripture is being ready to be fulfilled! Okay, so WHY would Christ tell His disciples to buy a sword? He is not talking about the sword of the spirit, he is speaking of a literal sword; a weapon.

    37 - For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, and he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

    Christ was clearly telling His disciples to buy a sword so that this particular scripture would be fulfilled. What scripture was that? (You might want to mark this as a footnote in your Bible in case you need to explain this to your Christian friends) Christ was speaking of Isaiah 53:12 that had to be fulfilled in him at that very time.

    Isaiah 53:12 -Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he (Christ) was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

    Christ was numbered or reckoned with the transgressors - his own disciples! He wasn't only numbered with the transgressors at the cross because of the two thieves on either side of Him ... but these verses in Luke prove that being "numbered with the transgressors" was also speaking of His own disciples. His disciples were still on the Old Testament side of the cross and therefore still believed that they had to literally fight! They clearly did not understand the spiritual concept of turning the other cheek until after the resurrection and the beginning of the "Church Age".

    I have run out of room so I will continue in the next comment-

    ReplyDelete
  5. So Christ tells his disciples that if they don't own a sword, they had better sell their garments and buy one. WHY? Because they were about to be counted as transgressors along with Christ! He then goes on to Gethsemane and is betrayed by Judas. Then one of the disciples, Peter, drew his SWORD and cut off the right ear of a servant of the Jewish High Priest!

    John 18:10 - Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

    John 18:26 - One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?

    This is why Jesus told His disciples to buy a sword - because the cutting off of the right ear had to be fulfilled with Christ being numbered with the transgressors:

    Luke 22:37 - For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12) for the things concerning me have an end.

    On the New Testament side of the Cross we are to "beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks." We are to cease from violence and wars and work in the spiritual harvest fields - plowing, tilling, etc. Christ tells us in John 4:35 to “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”

    Matthew 26:52 - Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

    I know that Corporate Churches will never buy into turning the other cheek, will continue to twist scripture and encourage their members to buy guns, swords, etc. but that IS NOT what Christ commanded and true Christians, those who ARE Christ like know that and live the true teachings of Christ.

    1 Peter 2:21 - For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

    So LS that is why I agree with what Gandi said-
    I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I guess we have more in common than what I thought. I too am against organized religion. They are for the most point, nothing but money machines.

    ReplyDelete
  7. LS people have been fooled into "reacting in the name of God" and organizing in the name of profit. Jesus did not teach us to act against our own self interest and that is what is happening in this Country. He did not teach us to turn a deaf ear towards the needy and those who are living on the streets and yet that is what the churches, the religious right are doing. He did not teach us to take up arms against our brother but to love them through his grace and compassion. I have a real problem with those who profess to be Christians and yet they commit acts of hate and violence in the name of Christ. They use "Christ" to profit, invoke fear (for control) and claim all of this in the name of God. That is not the Christ that I communicate with.

    ReplyDelete
  8. LS it is obvious that Christ was talking to the Christians and commanded this of them but taking care of the poor, the sick and the widows is NOT a part of the Republicans Parties agenda, nor today's Christians the Democrats and Government have taken it upon themselves to follow the teachings of Christ.

    I would love to know what religion you are because I find that most people from organized religions twist scripture to fit their needs.

    As a spiritual person who does not believe in organized religion but does believe in the man from Nazareth,let me give you a little Bible lesson on the content and meaning of this scripture- "He that Hath No Sword Let Him Sell His Garment and Buy One"

    At the Mount of Olives just before the Roman soldiers came to arrest Christ he had just told Peter that before the cock would crow this day he, Peter, would deny Christ three times, Luke 22:34. After being with Christ all that time the disciples still did not have much spiritual insight because they were yet on the Old Testament side of the cross.

    So a one-time event has been, in many cases, deliberately misconstrued in order that Christians may sub-consciously escape the reality of having to deal with this great spiritual command.

    So lets move on LS! Christ is speaking to his disciples shortly before His arrest and betrayal: Luke 22:35-37

    35 - And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

    36 - Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

    But NOW - meaning now because MORE scripture is being ready to be fulfilled! Okay, so WHY would Christ tell His disciples to buy a sword? He is not talking about the sword of the spirit, he is speaking of a literal sword; a weapon.

    37 - For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, and he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

    Christ was clearly telling His disciples to buy a sword so that this particular scripture would be fulfilled. What scripture was that? (You might want to mark this as a footnote in your Bible in case you need to explain this to your Christian friends) Christ was speaking of Isaiah 53:12 that had to be fulfilled in him at that very time.

    Isaiah 53:12 -Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he (Christ) was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

    Christ was numbered or reckoned with the transgressors - his own disciples! He wasn't only numbered with the transgressors at the cross because of the two thieves on either side of Him ... but these verses in Luke prove that being "numbered with the transgressors" was also speaking of His own disciples. His disciples were still on the Old Testament side of the cross and therefore still believed that they had to literally fight! They clearly did not understand the spiritual concept of turning the other cheek until after the resurrection and the beginning of the "Church Age".

    I have run out of room so I will continue in the next comment-

    ReplyDelete
  9. Another great post Mem!!

    All I can add to this is that as far as I know, there is only one TRUE Christian among the Evangelical. President Jimmy Carter. He walks the walk and talks the talk. As old as he is, instead of retiring, he is still out there trying to promote peace and helping the poor and needy.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I guess we have more in common than what I thought. I too am against organized religion. They are for the most point, nothing but money machines.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I guess we have more in common than what I thought. I too am against organized religion. They are for the most point, nothing but money machines.

    ReplyDelete
  12. So Christ tells his disciples that if they don't own a sword, they had better sell their garments and buy one. WHY? Because they were about to be counted as transgressors along with Christ! He then goes on to Gethsemane and is betrayed by Judas. Then one of the disciples, Peter, drew his SWORD and cut off the right ear of a servant of the Jewish High Priest!

    John 18:10 - Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

    John 18:26 - One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?

    This is why Jesus told His disciples to buy a sword - because the cutting off of the right ear had to be fulfilled with Christ being numbered with the transgressors:

    Luke 22:37 - For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12) for the things concerning me have an end.

    On the New Testament side of the Cross we are to "beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks." We are to cease from violence and wars and work in the spiritual harvest fields - plowing, tilling, etc. Christ tells us in John 4:35 to “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”

    Matthew 26:52 - Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

    I know that Corporate Churches will never buy into turning the other cheek, will continue to twist scripture and encourage their members to buy guns, swords, etc. but that IS NOT what Christ commanded and true Christians, those who ARE Christ like know that and live the true teachings of Christ.

    1 Peter 2:21 - For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

    So LS that is why I agree with what Gandi said-
    I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Another great post Mem!!

    All I can add to this is that as far as I know, there is only one TRUE Christian among the Evangelical. President Jimmy Carter. He walks the walk and talks the talk. As old as he is, instead of retiring, he is still out there trying to promote peace and helping the poor and needy.

    ReplyDelete

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