Thank you for this. I want to share it with every member of my ex-church. I'm struggling to get back to practicing my faith. I know there are many churches who still walk the "Classic Jesus" walk, not the MAGA version. (which defies explanation.) But it's been hard to recover from the fact that most people I have been worshipping with for the past 20+ years voted for Trump. Just wanted to thank you for keeping me sane during this insanity! Yours is a voice everyone should hear!
I feel your pain. My wonderful church that was so inclusive, is no longer. After our woman pastor retired the church took a whole different direction. There are no new people, mostly Republicans and Trumper’s fill the pews and who don’t want to move on, they are doing nothing in Christian outreach. The church was so vibrant when I went to it. I taught Sunday school and did many other duties in the church. I taught the children that God=love and love=God. What a simple concept.
Excellent post! I think this is the reason so many former Christians no longer identify with the Church. The original intent of Jesus has been usurped by greed and lust for power.
Very well said. One of the things I learned in a Comparative Religions class in college (at a Lutheran one, no less), was the universality of that doctrine of care for others. It isn't just a Christian teaching; many other religions teach it also, including even Islam, which I'm sure a lot of Christians don't know about. And just as Islam preaches one thing but has adherents that practice quite the opposite, Christianity does as well. More people have been mistreated and even killed in the name of religion than for almost any other reason. I suspect the founders of our nation tried to set us up as a non-religious entity in hopes they could avoid some of that, hence our First Amendment. It worked pretty darn well for 235 years or so. . . and we need to band together to get it back on track.
A good friend of mine is a devout Muslim. Our families have been close for 30 years, through the ups and downs of life. We have found differences in what we believe, but always end up at love of God and each other. Once she told me she had asked her father if I would be in heaven even though I was not Muslim. She was worried because she loves me. He told her: Yes. Your friend will be in heaven. Now she is very frightened about what is happening to her community. She worries about deportation even though she and her family are citizens. She called me for prayer, which she is getting!! This is what matters. That we love one another.
"By their fruits you shall know them." I concluded many years ago, pre-MAGA, that Evangelical/Right Wing "Christians" are not Christian at all. And sadly, they've continued to prove that over and over, growing ever worse in the current era. Their "fruits" are despicable, as is their devotion to a sick, evil, hate-filled monster. Nothing about right-wing anything is remotely Jesus-like, as John has expressed so well.
Let's just remember these are Christian Nationalists, not the Christians that follow Christ. A different breed that makes the bible into weapons to harm others. And a great post too.
Trump trumps Jesus. Plus he’s alive and they can actually follow him. And he’s the meanest, cruelest leader they can love who lets them be as mean and cruel as they want to be. Because they’re all such VICTIMS!
So true --- somehow the world has simply done them wrong and they want revenge. And the Supreme Victim in Chief gives them the permission to be just as nasty as he is. I guess that makes their loves a lot easier, doesn't it?
Two words in your article stuck out to me. Empathy and abundance. Recently, I’ve started to think there are two types of people in the world, those who possess the characteristic of empathy and those who do not. Period. It’s like being pregnant, either you are or you’re not. It has nothing to do with religion. I believe it is something we are born with. Abundance is a mindset. It is how you see the world. It is either a place of abundance or scarcity. Unfortunately, we are now being ruled by those who have neither.
I've been wondering about this for quite some time - how can these so-called Christians, who make a HUGE production of wearing large golden crosses and laying their hands every so devoutly on their Dear Orange Leader in prayer (for what exactly, I wonder?), actually look at themselves in the mirror at night? I understand that they put on the devout show for the cameras ---- but what happens when they are alone at night .... how do they reconcile the evil and cruelty they espouse with the actual teaching of kindness and - dare I say it - diversity and inclusion?
And then I realized that they do not in fact have any compassion for their fellow man, nor do they have a conscience. They wave the "Christian" banner to make people believe that they are the people chosen by God and to ensure that no one dares to question their hypocrisy. It turns my stomach. But I do believe in "karma", and I firmly believe that we all have to face what we have done and how we have conducted ourselves at some point. Let's just say I wouldn't want to me in their shoes when that day comes.
You have the right message. They are all caught up in a John Wayne christianity: power and status focused not the Christian message at all. Jesus saw people, really saw them, and met them where they were and aided them. These others see stereotypes through the lens of racism, sexism, bigotry etc. In many ways they are nationalists not christians. Saw a video today that showed a woman from West Va who was fired from her job at the treasury. She said well I did not think they were coming after white christian people? Really! It was okay to fire brown and black Christian people? Thank you for seeing all people as the old song goes Jesus loves the little children of the world, red and yellow, black and white (language may not be great but the point is) all children not just white American children!
" First they came for the socialists and I didn't speak out...then they came for the Jews and I didn't speak out...then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me."
I’m Jewish and raised two Jewish sons. Both married wonderful young women who were not Jewish and they’re raising their kids as Jews. Jews who celebrate Christmas and Chanukah and are wonderful kids.
One of my daughters in law’s mother is very active in her church and charities. She collects for the needy, does tutoring of at risk kids, delivers meals, and is a liberal Democrat. Those are just a few of her charitable activities. She is a true Christian in how she lives her life and views society.
I really admire her and try to help out with sponsoring individuals and families at Christmas. She is the epitome of a Christian.
I have a dear friend who is a project manager for a construction business who for the past year or so has been in charge of building a massive church in a nearby community. He recently told me he will be glad when it is completed. He is sick of seeing the pastor coming by every day in a different one of his collection of expensive “collector cars.” My buddy says he would never belong to a church that has a preacher with the philosophy of “Jesus want you to be rich!” I feel the same way. I am not a church goer, but if I were , I would go to “the little brown church in the vale” - not the most magnificent cathedral in seven counties with a parking lot the size of Costco’s.
Thank you for this. I want to share it with every member of my ex-church. I'm struggling to get back to practicing my faith. I know there are many churches who still walk the "Classic Jesus" walk, not the MAGA version. (which defies explanation.) But it's been hard to recover from the fact that most people I have been worshipping with for the past 20+ years voted for Trump. Just wanted to thank you for keeping me sane during this insanity! Yours is a voice everyone should hear!
I feel your pain. My wonderful church that was so inclusive, is no longer. After our woman pastor retired the church took a whole different direction. There are no new people, mostly Republicans and Trumper’s fill the pews and who don’t want to move on, they are doing nothing in Christian outreach. The church was so vibrant when I went to it. I taught Sunday school and did many other duties in the church. I taught the children that God=love and love=God. What a simple concept.
The early Christians called themselves "The Way". Remember the movement WWJD? I often wonder what He would do or say today?
Excellent post! I think this is the reason so many former Christians no longer identify with the Church. The original intent of Jesus has been usurped by greed and lust for power.
They've run a lot of people right out of religious belief.
You are absolutely right!
Very well said. One of the things I learned in a Comparative Religions class in college (at a Lutheran one, no less), was the universality of that doctrine of care for others. It isn't just a Christian teaching; many other religions teach it also, including even Islam, which I'm sure a lot of Christians don't know about. And just as Islam preaches one thing but has adherents that practice quite the opposite, Christianity does as well. More people have been mistreated and even killed in the name of religion than for almost any other reason. I suspect the founders of our nation tried to set us up as a non-religious entity in hopes they could avoid some of that, hence our First Amendment. It worked pretty darn well for 235 years or so. . . and we need to band together to get it back on track.
Watch their actions not words. Sit in church on Sunday, racist, misogynistic, bigots the other 6 days. I call them box checker Christians.
A good friend of mine is a devout Muslim. Our families have been close for 30 years, through the ups and downs of life. We have found differences in what we believe, but always end up at love of God and each other. Once she told me she had asked her father if I would be in heaven even though I was not Muslim. She was worried because she loves me. He told her: Yes. Your friend will be in heaven. Now she is very frightened about what is happening to her community. She worries about deportation even though she and her family are citizens. She called me for prayer, which she is getting!! This is what matters. That we love one another.
I think we should just refer to them as "ians." There is no Christ in their philosophy, so let's leave Him off their designation.
Sometimes I refer to them as christianists.
"By their fruits you shall know them." I concluded many years ago, pre-MAGA, that Evangelical/Right Wing "Christians" are not Christian at all. And sadly, they've continued to prove that over and over, growing ever worse in the current era. Their "fruits" are despicable, as is their devotion to a sick, evil, hate-filled monster. Nothing about right-wing anything is remotely Jesus-like, as John has expressed so well.
Let's just remember these are Christian Nationalists, not the Christians that follow Christ. A different breed that makes the bible into weapons to harm others. And a great post too.
Trump trumps Jesus. Plus he’s alive and they can actually follow him. And he’s the meanest, cruelest leader they can love who lets them be as mean and cruel as they want to be. Because they’re all such VICTIMS!
So true --- somehow the world has simply done them wrong and they want revenge. And the Supreme Victim in Chief gives them the permission to be just as nasty as he is. I guess that makes their loves a lot easier, doesn't it?
You said so eloquently exactly how I am feeling and I thank you so much for that
Two words in your article stuck out to me. Empathy and abundance. Recently, I’ve started to think there are two types of people in the world, those who possess the characteristic of empathy and those who do not. Period. It’s like being pregnant, either you are or you’re not. It has nothing to do with religion. I believe it is something we are born with. Abundance is a mindset. It is how you see the world. It is either a place of abundance or scarcity. Unfortunately, we are now being ruled by those who have neither.
I think empathy is a gene. I think people inherit it or not.
I've been wondering about this for quite some time - how can these so-called Christians, who make a HUGE production of wearing large golden crosses and laying their hands every so devoutly on their Dear Orange Leader in prayer (for what exactly, I wonder?), actually look at themselves in the mirror at night? I understand that they put on the devout show for the cameras ---- but what happens when they are alone at night .... how do they reconcile the evil and cruelty they espouse with the actual teaching of kindness and - dare I say it - diversity and inclusion?
And then I realized that they do not in fact have any compassion for their fellow man, nor do they have a conscience. They wave the "Christian" banner to make people believe that they are the people chosen by God and to ensure that no one dares to question their hypocrisy. It turns my stomach. But I do believe in "karma", and I firmly believe that we all have to face what we have done and how we have conducted ourselves at some point. Let's just say I wouldn't want to me in their shoes when that day comes.
John,
You have the right message. They are all caught up in a John Wayne christianity: power and status focused not the Christian message at all. Jesus saw people, really saw them, and met them where they were and aided them. These others see stereotypes through the lens of racism, sexism, bigotry etc. In many ways they are nationalists not christians. Saw a video today that showed a woman from West Va who was fired from her job at the treasury. She said well I did not think they were coming after white christian people? Really! It was okay to fire brown and black Christian people? Thank you for seeing all people as the old song goes Jesus loves the little children of the world, red and yellow, black and white (language may not be great but the point is) all children not just white American children!
" First they came for the socialists and I didn't speak out...then they came for the Jews and I didn't speak out...then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me."
Oh my gosh how brilliant. I was cheering as I read.
👍
I’m Jewish and raised two Jewish sons. Both married wonderful young women who were not Jewish and they’re raising their kids as Jews. Jews who celebrate Christmas and Chanukah and are wonderful kids.
One of my daughters in law’s mother is very active in her church and charities. She collects for the needy, does tutoring of at risk kids, delivers meals, and is a liberal Democrat. Those are just a few of her charitable activities. She is a true Christian in how she lives her life and views society.
I really admire her and try to help out with sponsoring individuals and families at Christmas. She is the epitome of a Christian.
I have a dear friend who is a project manager for a construction business who for the past year or so has been in charge of building a massive church in a nearby community. He recently told me he will be glad when it is completed. He is sick of seeing the pastor coming by every day in a different one of his collection of expensive “collector cars.” My buddy says he would never belong to a church that has a preacher with the philosophy of “Jesus want you to be rich!” I feel the same way. I am not a church goer, but if I were , I would go to “the little brown church in the vale” - not the most magnificent cathedral in seven counties with a parking lot the size of Costco’s.
I feel exactly the same way!! Great comment.