The Christian Right is Wrong

As a former Republican, fundamentalist, born-again evangelical Christian, I feel compelled to inform my readership as to why, in this environment, voting religion as opposed to politics is wrong. The failing comes from the view of the Christian right that anything contrary to their personal interpretation of the Bible (itself a very disputable document) is bad for the country and against God’s will, as well as the intention of the framers of the Constitution. This view, widely believed, is based upon falsehood, bad teaching, and outright deception in the presentation of scripture, history, and American origins. The purpose of the exposition of these false viewpoints is obviously to advance the lately conceived agenda of a hidden power structure that seeks to retain, consolidate, and expand itself.

In many ways, the American Christian Right is philosophically similar to the radical fundamentalist Islamic jihadists. Both groups contend that any perspective different from their own is anathema in the eyes of God. Both groups seek to overthrow established governments and principles to be replaced by theocracy wherein the guiding work for all law is to be found in religious texts. Both groups believe that their way leads to salvation and only their people are true followers, and only their people are entitled to rule. Both are avid subscribers to the uninformed anachronistic thinking behind the philosophies of divine right and manifest destiny.

The Christian Right attempts to make the false claim that the United States is a Christian country. While that may be true demographically, it is not true legally. In all of the federal documents encompassing the broad body of law that provided the framework for the creation of this union, God is barely mentioned, a Christian god not at all, and the establishment of such a Christian nation is specifically prohibited. The Declaration of Independence refers to “their Creator” and “Nature’s God”; neither term can be, even out of context, rationally thought to intend the god of the Christians. The other documents, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, make no reference to a God of any description. In fact, the First Amendment specifically prohibits exactly what the Christian Right is attempting to accomplish. That there should be no establishment of religion by government infers also the inverse proposition that there should be no establishment of government by religion. Yet, that is specifically what the Christian Right is attempting to do. In attempting to legislate morality to a particular religious standard, the Christian Right is establishing a state religion.

The Christian Right evinces a desire to impose, in a most un-American fashion, its minority views (while most of America shares theological ground, as Christians, with the CR, only about 10-15% agree politically) upon the majority of Americans, without regard to culture or theology. This may be due to the fact that the Christian Right is intellectually little more than an evolution of the same mindset that saw slavery, native dislocation and extermination as positives. All of these were, in their time, viewed as justified actions by people who were bringing the “Word” to America and its peoples. To the Christian Right, the 19th Century idea that the law should only favor the Christian believer (the new “chosen people”) and allow non-believers and non-Christians to be treated as infidels and apostates is an appropriate philosophy of governance.

The Christian Right sees America as a geo-theo-political entity devoid of any ideal other than the advancement of Christianity and democracy. However, their democratic ideals are tainted; they espouse ideas of freedom and liberty while seeking imposition and intolerance. They seek to impose a monolithic morality conceived upon a particular, and very flawed, interpretation of religious text. They seek to do this as a minority actor on the American political stage and have no problem with breaking the commandment against false witness to see their ends met. Jesus taught a personal salvation and grace, he taught that his followers should be charitable to others, especially one another, but never did the Master instruct, nor is it anywhere present in scripture that it was a Christian duty to enforce their beliefs or moral standards upon others. The calling to Christ’s service is a personal event, and the relationship a personal one. Christ said to render unto Caesar what is his, but the Christian right seeks to force others to render unto God what is Caesar’s; the attempt to do so by the Christian Right is heresy.

It should be fairly obvious to anyone who pays attention to the news, or the evangelical broadcasts, many of which are sponsored by the Christian Right, that there is much money to be made in Christian evangelism. The message of salvation sells very well. As too does the condemnation of those who, by choice, acculturation, or biology, are different. The Christian Right is one of the largest among many others that seek to have their interests advanced through political manipulation, I mean contribution.

The Christian Right does not actually show any real concern for the issues facing voters in elections. While they may show strength in being tough on crime and standing for a “united” America, who doesn’t make those claims? The Christian Right does not show genuine concern for the economy or the environment, and seems to be quite pleased with the current criminal U.S. presidential administration. This makes one wonder how much they have profited off the fear- and war-mongering. Many of the Christian Right’s leaders are heavily invested in defense and oil, and not simply because they are profitable ventures.

Voting on religion is voting against freedom, it is voting against progress, it is voting for a monolithic, monotheistic, homogenized, military-industrial imperialist nation, wherein civil rights are ignored, and Jesus takes a backseat to greed.