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Has the right-wing hijacked the Christian religion?
Race, Religion & Politics, Sex & Intimacy / 3:52 PM - Thursday October 01, 2009

Has the right-wing hijacked the Christian religion?

Jesus would be neither a Republican or Democrat (he refused to get sucked into the partisan squabbles of his times), but when some Christians, especially many evangelicals, act like any right-thinking Christian should be on the right, I have to laugh. I think it really hurts the witness of the church, because some progressives think they have to stop fighting for justice in order to be Christian.

Here is a list for you: Martin Luther King, Jr., Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Karl Barth, Dorothy Day, Daniel Berrigan, Cesar Chavez, Dom Helder Camara, Oscar Romero, Pope John XXIII. All of them were progressive, at least in economic matters. Some, like Barth, undoubtedly the greatest Protestant theologian of the 20th century, were even socialists, though not Marxist socialists.

There are 2003 verses in the Bible on the obligation to help the poor. There are about five or six on homosexuality, and several of the ones in the Old testament are mentioned along with prohibitions on eating pork. There are none on abortion or euthansia, not that I think either of these are good things, but where is the sense of proportion? When I listen to the Christian radio station, it is dominated by right-wing preachers who talk about things like cutting the capital gains tax an opposing universal health-care. Where do they get this stuff? Not from the Bible, that's for sure.

How do you explain this?

- Asked by tomtomcat, An Intellectual Guy, Male, 46-55, New York, Teaching

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Your telling me brother. Asa deacon and elder in teh Presbyterian Church it blows my mind that many Republicans claim to be Christian. I mean I am no saint, but if you look at most Chritian values, it falls under the lines of what the Dems do. And when you look at the Republicans, they break one of the major rules of the New Testament...He who is with out sin cast the first stone...The Republicans cast stones while commiting the same sin...LOL

- Response by juandontbeg, A Career Man, Male, 29-35, Charlotte, Self-Employed

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I despise the modern Republican party, but from a strictly political perspective, them claiming God was the best political move in the history of this nation.

Because of that, they have a mindless base that will support ANY policy they come up with...as long as they mention that they pray while they are proposing it. Republican senators don't give a damn about abortion or gay marriage, but they speak vehemently against them to keep the holy rolling sheep in their pockets. Mega churches donate obscene amounts of money to the Republican party, and Republican leaders are friends with the leaders of those churches.

Modern day Christians ignore everything that Jesus taught and instead follow a man made agenda, which is essentially a false idol. And how does God feel about people who worship false idols? That's right...he's going to fuck them up.

Control through religion has been going on since the dawn of civilization. The least intelligent, most easily influenced members of society are always drones to be manipulated by those who are so morally bankrupt that they have no problem with using God as a political tool.

Progressive thinkers have always taught to combine faith with rationality. People that believe in God and yet are still pro-choice and equal rights for homosexuals are the evolutionary superiors in the equation.

The sheep will always resent us because we're capable of having faith AND having compassion for those who are different at the same time. Let them cling to their religion and guns...it's all they have. They have no idea what it means to be happy.

- Response by vabyss, An Intellectual Guy, Male, 29-35, Who Cares?

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You should be here in the bible belt.And listen to the crap comming out of the radio.I am from N J.It;s bad here.

- Response by frenchkiss49, A Thinker, Female, 56-65, Tampa, Who Cares?

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And you're just figuring this out now? OK, enough snark.

There was an interesting book published last year by the Barna Group, where it points out that an overwhelming majority of non-churchgoers aged 16-29 have very negative opinions of Christians. The most common responses were that Christians are hypocritical, judgmental, anti-homosexual and too involved in politics. We're talking 70-90% here.

But on to your question. How to explain it? Simple: indifference. Good Christians, people who want to help others, don't care that their religion is the property of right-wing hatemongers. Religion is about rules, structure and hierarchy, not values or treating people well. The very idea of organized religion is averse to humility and helping others. Think about it: How do you rise to the top of an organization? By playing at politics and seeking power. So those are the ones who set the course.

- Response by lawyerdude, A Career Man, Male, 29-35, Lawyer

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I would argue that Christians have hijacked the Republicans. Both parties are largely comprised of Christians, as the U.S. was while built on the premise of religious freedom, the vast majority of it's inhabitants are of some Christian persuasion. Yet, as a whole, you'll tend to find a more inclusive view out of Democrats. By that I mean, Dems don't necessarily seem to find the need to alienate other Dems who don't hold the exact same viewpoints on their take of religious positions. Religious differences are tolerated more, in my opinion for the common goal of what they feel are the driving forces of their party affiliation.

The somewhat recent evolution of the evangelical movement has become a force that many Republicans find out of necessity to be elected a group to be cowtowed to. Along the lines of lobbyist groups, within the party, in my opinion. It seems as if if your don't hold certain religious views these days your influence, or success within the ideals of the Republican party are limited.

To your point on healthcare, I think about that too. I'm not overly religious, but I do believe that in it's truest sense, being Christian should be about living a "Christ like" life. Having grown up attending Catholic schools and all of the bible study and study of other religions involved in that, I personally can't believe Jesus would be ok with a system that left the most vulnerable of us without quality health care. Or try to shape a society with so little tolerance. Jesus was, from my interpretation of the Bible a tolerant, inclusive and accepting sort. For those reasons alone I find it odd that so many who wrap themselves in the flag of religion would be so insistent in being exclusive in the debate. However, I guess I don't find it surprising as in my experience, many of those who taut their religion so strongly and overtly are some of the least Christ like of us.


- Response by imjoeygirl, A Thinker, Female, 36-45, Columbus, Who Cares?

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i agree. i am a firm christian and do not affiliate with either party because of this. there needs to be a christian party or something. haha. they're conservative in their values, but don't love the poor, dont give of themselves to care for their fellow man. i straddle the fence between both parties, cuz both have elements of christianity in them.

- Response by foonlord, A Creative, Male, 26-28, San Francisco, Internet / New Media

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Many black Christian churches are singing hymns to Saint Obama.

My personal feelings are that churches should all stay out of politics, and vice versa.

- Response by greenwind, An Intellectual Guy, Male, 56-65, Seattle, Construction

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Yes, but the Bible also said that if you don't work, you don't eat. And while it also talks about giving to those that don't have as much, it doesn't say anything about taking from those that do.

There's a big difference between giving to charity freely because you can and want to, and having your money taken away and redistributed. One is charity and an honorable thing, the other is call stealing (Something the bible discusses as well).

- Response by avatar83, An Intellectual Guy, Male, 26-28, Teaching

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they dont get any of it from the Bible they teach the tradition of man and that makes our FATHER'S word void.if they spend more time talking about collecting money,well you can see for ones self where their mind really is.and thats not on teaching the word of GOD.FATHER'S word is to be taught chapter and ver by verse.and another thing if GOD blesses a church they dont have to beg.its all about money,but in MATTHEW 24,MARK 13,LUKE 12,HE told us that there would be alot of false pastors,preachers,pries ts ect saying that HE sent them and HE did not that they are lying.i say look around at the thinghs taken place in this world.

- Response by miss10, A Thinker, Female, 46-55, Home Maker

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