"In addition to such historical developments, there may very well simply be an underlying, all-too-human social-psychological process at root, one that probably plays itself out among all religious individuals: they see in their religion what they want to see, and deny or despise the rest. That is, religion is one big Rorschach test. People look at the content of their religious tradition -- its teachings, its creeds, its prophet's proclamations -- and they basically pick and choose what suits their own secular outlook. They see in their faith what they want to see as they live their daily lives, and simultaneously ignore the rest. And as is the case for most White Evangelical Christians, what they are ignoring is actually the very heart and soul of Jesus's message -- a message that emphasizes sharing, not greed. Peace-making, not war-mongering. Love, not violence.
Of course, conservative Americans have every right to support corporate greed, militarism, gun possession, and the death penalty, and to oppose welfare, food stamps, health care for those in need, etc. -- it is just strange and contradictory when they claim these positions as somehow "Christian." They aren't."
Update - This group not alone? See comments:
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"Go nowhere among the non-Israelites (=Gentiles), and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Matt 10:5
ReplyDeleteThis from the fellow who loved "everyone"? Sounds very ethnocentric to me.
"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone." If that fails, get two or three witnesses. If that fails, call the community together. "If he refused to listen even to the community, let him be to you as a Gentile (=non-Israelite) and a tax collector." Matt 18: 15-17.
"Gentile" -- that's the biggest insult Jesus has for fellow Israelites who don't quite see it his way.
So who's selecting what they want to believe about Jesus? Seems like the Evangelicals aren't the only ones.
Anonymous.