Exploiting Scripture for Political Power
I haven’t written recently. It’s almost a “what’s-the-use” situation. For everybody. We’re so divided as a nation, as a church, as congregations, as families… If I write anything of substance I’ll piss somebody off—no matter what I write.
We’re so divided
we can’t even watch a Super Bowl together!
We’re to the point
that we’re not divided over issues anymore; we’re just divided. Division isn’t the
condition we’re in. Division is who we have become.
Sincerity and
integrity scarcely matter anymore—unless it agrees with me—unless it conforms to
what I believe—if I even know what I believe. From all appearances, much of our
population doesn’t advance any purpose or cause except to oppose somebody
else’s purpose or cause. And don’t you dare disagree with them! Disagreement is
the unpardonable sin!
Much of our
population apparently can’t function without an enemy—by pointing out somebody
else’s sins they can deflect attention from their own.
And more and
more frequently I find myself sinking to that same level.
It’s not Donald
Trump’s fault. It’s not Joe Biden’s fault. They didn’t cause anything; they’re
just dip sticks that measure the depth of division and hatred that has become
our national and spiritual identity.
And see, here’s
the thing: across the board the proposed solution sounds the same! We need God!
We need Christ! But we can’t even agree who Christ is or what God is like! So we make God in our own
image: usually in the image of white males.
I truly believe in
separation of church and state, but we face a crisis of basic human decency and
morality and safety; a crisis initiated and sustained at the highest levels of
state and supported; indeed promoted, by a troubling number of Christian
groups who, having failed through witness and evangelism to convert the world
to their high-demand version of Christianity; in fact, having run off more
people than they have attracted, are turning to the power of government to
enforce their dogma.
A growing movement
is coopting the Judeo/Christian Scriptures, exploiting them for political
power! They have Gerrymandered the Bible. They have presented the Bible as a
prop, as numerology, as selectively literal, as triumphal, as
pro-American, as warfare, as rewritable…[1] The Bible is twisted to
justify and underwrite the most un-Christlike principles, values, and actions;
indeed, there is an increasing tendency to openly reject the teachings and
ethics of Jesus:
·
In an NPR interview, former Southern Baptist
pastor and denominational leader, Russell Moore spoke of how many pastors are
receiving serious pushback from their congregations when they preach about the
ethics and values of Jesus.
He
shared that one pastor preached Jesus’ admonition to turn the other cheek and
love your enemy, and after the sermon an angry church member raged, “Where did
you get all those liberal talking points?”
Moore
said, “What alarms me is that in most of these stories, the pastor would say,
‘I’m literally quoting Jesus from the Gospels,’ and the response would be,
“Yes, but that doesn’t work anymore. That’s weak.”
Moore
concluded, “When the teachings of Jesus are seen as subversive, we’re in a
crisis.”
·
Then-North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson
declared in a church service, “Some folks need killing.”[2]
·
Former U. S. Congressman from Virginia and later
senior vice president of Liberty University (a Christian university!)
rewrote the Golden Rule: “Trump’s going for reciprocity which is basically the
Golden Rule. Whatever you do to us we’re going to do to you.”[3]
·
Donald Trump Jr. said, “We’ve turned the other
cheek, and I understand sort of the biblical reference, I understand the
mentality, but it’s gotten us nothing. Okay? It’s gotten us nothing while we’ve
ceded ground in every major institution in our country.”[4] [I’m at a loss to know when
and where “they’ve” turned the other cheek.]
·
President Trump, speaking at a Fox News town hall
during the 2020 campaign, said, “When they hit us, we have to hit back. I
wouldn’t be sitting up here if I turned my cheek. You can’t turn your cheek.”[5]
·
Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church
in Dallas, Texas, openly said that on a hypothetical ballot between Jesus and
Trump, he would vote against Jesus.[6]
Obviously, I
disagree with that whole approach. But I’m OK with disagreement if it’s
approached maturely. If disagreeing parties can communicate with respect and
integrity, it’s possible for everyone involved to grow in understanding, even
if agreement is not accomplished.
The problem is,
given what our national and spiritual identity has become, those with whom I
disagree have been unwilling to discuss or make any attempt to explain or
justify their position or understand mine; indeed, they don’t even acknowledge
me! I’m written off as a lost cause because I’ve committed the unpardonable
sin: I’ve disagreed with them.
I’m willing to
discuss any topic with anybody, even if my input is, “I don’t know.” The only
prerequisite is that the conversation must remain respectful and the first goal
must be to reach mutual understanding. Agreement may or may not come—ever; but
at least we will have made an effort to understand each other. Civility demands
no less.
That’s the way it
looks through the Flawed Glass that is my world view.
Together
in the Walk,
Jim
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