I've never understood the ability of the Christian right to turn Christians into victims, despite their overwhelming majority in the nation and in running its powerful institutions. Maybe it's because the other choice -- realizing their role as both powerful and sometimes oppressive -- would put them on the wrong side of a biblical tale.
And that is my take too. Christians in this country dominate much. Not all, for sure, but they are certainly well represented. One can't get elected to national office before assuring America that you are a dedicated Christian. Christian conservatives are well represented in the national media, and over-represented (IMO) in national politics, yet they play the victim card with ease. Perhaps, as this blogger notes, their power has put them in the situation where they have supported and encouraged the absolute worst and unChristian acts imaginable. They have cheered crusade-like war, have abetted and defended torture (that still stuns me beyond belief) and now are cheering and mocking those who want to extend healthcare to the uninsured.
6 comments:
I'm not surprised anymore by all the goofy stuff Christian groups do in politics. But what continues to exasperate me is how many Christians who aren't like this and don't believe (or vote) this way, yet still think "unifying" "the Church" is the highest priority they can have, and pass up collaboration with non-Christians who are already sold on feeding the hungry and clothing the naked in favor of building one-sided bridges with people they have nothing in common with beyond using similar words to describe their Sunday morning activities. The evangelical culture of political naivety is hurting us all.
I think it depends on where you live. If you are a hardcore, Bible-thumping, evangelical, you won't make it in my state. There are some regions where you may get elected, but I doubt you will see many major office holders in the Midwest that are very conservatively Christian. For the most part, the most likely office holder is some kind of generic Protestant or is Catholic-lite.
I would never say that Christians are oppressed in any way in this country, but I do think that they are losing some of their power. After reading that article, I wondered if that case was decided correctly. Unfortunately, there wasn't much information on the specifics.
Most of the CO Republican state house and senate members are closer to James Dobson than Jim Wallis. Then again, we are home to Colorado Springs, the Vatican of the Religious Right. It's probably different in most states. I know it's definitely not that way in CA and OR; you have to be a more "mainstream" Christian there to have nontrivial election hopes.
I would never say that Christians are oppressed in any way in this country, but I do think that they are losing some of their power.
Amen! May it ever be so! Constantinian Christianity is not very much like what I see in the Gospels, and I am of the mind we would be better followers of Jesus if we did not wield power as the world does.
I don't have a problem with it, either. I don't think morality should have the force of law, no matter the source. I also think that Churches have better things to do with their money and time than supporting specific political candidates.
Monk, interesting point. SOF just remarked this morning that she thought that many of the churches around here were more Republican than Christian. That seems to be the rub.
And as I said in the post, seeing Christians first cheer torture and now cheer the end of healthcare reform--well, it is just very hard to see Christ anywhere close to either of those points.
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