Jesus Hijacked
This will not be a religious blog but I need to get this off my chest.
The Hijacking of Jesus: How the Religious Right Distorts Christianity and Promotes Prejudice and Hate
Christianity in America has become nearly synonymous with right-wing fanaticism, conservative politics, and--courtesy of Mel Gibson--a brutally sadistic version of the religious experience. Millions of devout Christians, like Dan Wakefield, are appalled by the religious right's distortion of their faith, which only three decades ago stood for peace equality, healing, and compassion for society's outcasts--the issues that made up the ministry of Jesus.
The Hijacking of Jesus: How the Religious Right Distorts Christianity and Promotes Prejudice and Hate
Christianity in America has become nearly synonymous with right-wing fanaticism, conservative politics, and--courtesy of Mel Gibson--a brutally sadistic version of the religious experience. Millions of devout Christians, like Dan Wakefield, are appalled by the religious right's distortion of their faith, which only three decades ago stood for peace equality, healing, and compassion for society's outcasts--the issues that made up the ministry of Jesus.
This book traces how the Jesus who preached the Sermon on the Mount has in effect been hijacked by right-wingers and the Republican Party. Dan Wakefield travels across America in search of answers, meeting evangelical Christians, visiting the new mega-churches, and finding "a cultish kind of Christianity as dangerous as it is distorted."
The Terrible Beast in the Temple (and Marketplace and Statehouse) Wakefield shows in “The Hijacking of Jesus” how the religious right has appropriated Jesus and American politics. Like Kevin Phillips in “American Theocracy,” Wakefield correctly pinpoints a southern origin in the current epidemic of religious war. The south might have lost the civil war but damn if it’s not winning the great American cultural war.(snip)
Americans feel so very entitled. They are God's chosen people (spoilt brats, really). Others have tried but they all failed God. Americans are different. They are special. God is really on their side and they can do no wrong. That's why they don't need science. They don't even need facts. Forget studying history. Who needs to learn from losers? American are special. It's their destiny which God wants them to manifest. They will rule the world and make it so just and secure that God himself will feel safe again to come down and walk the face of the earth. Armageddon is all that is needed.
Just listen to the President. He's God man. Follow wherever he shall lead thee. Bush is the modern Moses. Wherever Bush goes, everything breaks out into a perpetual wildfire. No matter how large the surplus he was given, Bush burned it up. No matter the almost worldwide support for America following 9/11, Bush burned American allies and bridges until nearly everyone is ready to see America get burned. Behold my Burning Bush.
Analysis-I am disgusted that Republicans pretend to be Christians and at the same time ignore the teachings of Jesus. Jesus would not be in favor of pre-emptive war or capitol punishment. Jesus would not look the other way as billions of dollars are cut from programs that help the poor so the Government can give tax breaks to those who have the most at the expense of those that have the least.
Watch for profiteering pundits, politicians and preachers with predatory personality disorders who manipulate you to get what they want. If you call yourself a conservative because you think your elected leaders are just like us and believe what we believe you have been fooled. Actions speak louder than words. The Republicans talk about being Christian and taking the moral high ground all the while walking the low road. I do not listen to the church leader or other congregant who tells me it is the Republicans who feel as I do. I have eyes and ears and a brain that tells me it is the actions not the words that you should judge.
This does not mean I am supporting Democrats who as a whole are spineless and would be just as corrupt as the Republicans if they had the power themselves. You have to look at each person. Do not be fooled by these so called Christians. Anyone that would use religion as a campaign tool will go to hell.
4 Comments:
Spineless? We're spineless?
OK, check: selling the ports to Dubai, republican idea. Taking money from Abramoff and pretending it's not a big deal: republican idea. Letting George Bush get away with any abuse of power (after impeaching President Clinton): priceless republican idea.
True enough, the Dems could do more standing up. What we certainly are not is doormats of the executive branch - as is the R caucus in the Congress. I mean, today was Bush's first veto - shows you just how accomodating the rubber-stamp R caucus is.
Not all Democrats are spineless as I am sure you have a spine as do many other Dems. My point was as a whole the Republicans are corrupt and the Democrats cannot seem to find a unifying position and are worried about polls.
The Republicans are a little too unified for my taste because they "use" religion to do it.
Note to Dems- stop worrying about what people think and speak the truth from the heart. It's more believable.
I agree with most of what you both said I am a religious fiscal conservative with social liberal tendencies.
Anyway I stand by my original post.
Republicans as a whole =corrupt
Democrats as a whole = spineless
Don't forget that the so called Christian leaders also advocated tortures.
LN-You claim:" The Republicans are a little too unified for my taste because they "use" religion to do it." Ummm, isn't that what a relgion DOES?? Unify?? Or isn't it supposed too? You don't like the unity of the Repub's?? What if it were the Demo's??? Would you like them better??
I do not like ANY political party using religion to gain power. It is disingenuous and degrading to religion. Period.
It is nothing new though politicians have been using religion since the beginning. If you can't see the problem with politicians hijacking Jesus to keep a hold on power then you need to open your eyes a bit and think of the ramifications were we to continue on this path.
I said Dems as a whole not all Dems are spineless. That's the perception as is the corrupt Reps. I am not painting all of them. Maybe my post should have been more comprehensive since you are not the only one that thought I said all.
PB -I will look into Biden, from what I have heard so far he seems like one of the good guys. There are good politicians on both sides. They are the ones that care more about the country and the people they serve than the entity that fills their campaign coffers.
Anonymous- Do you think they sleep with a clear conscious?
WWJD
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