Our Christians have it wrong

Is it an odd sentiment, thinking that American Christians have their politics wrong, but it is one I’ve held for a very long time. American’s Christian hypocrisy, published in Salon by David Sirota, makes the point much better than I could.

Here in the United States, those who self-identify as religious tend to be exactly the opposite of their British counterparts when it comes to politics. As the Pew Research Center recently discovered, “Most people who agree with the religious right also support the Tea Party” and its ultra-conservative economic agenda. Summing up the situation, scholar Gregory Paul wrote in the Washington Post that many religious Christians in America simply ignore the Word and “proudly proclaim that the creator of the universe favors free wheeling, deregulated union busting, minimal taxes, especially for wealthy investors, and plutocrat-boosting capitalism as the ideal earthly scheme for his human creations.”

The key phrase from the article, “…religion has become more of a superficial brand…” sums up my feelings. What I see in the conservative moment, in the evangelical right wing of Republican party, and in the Tea Party, is superficiality. They wrap themselves in the cloak of a religion, without understanding is actual message. It’s like a disease.

I have a Christian friend who is spending his Sunday teaching the poor how to navigate the various governmental, religious, and secular institutions that provide health services so that they can stay well enough to work and provide for their families. I think he’s on the right track.

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