Christian culture of contempt

  

I had a rare phone conversation with my best friend, Steven,  who lives in Kentucky. I was pretty upset about something, so he texted some and suggested we chat on the phone later, so we did. 

 He, like me, is conservative politically, and also like me, is anti-Trump. (He remarked once that good thing we agree on DT or our friendship might not survive.)

 Steven's favorite, or close to favorite, author is Dallas Willard. I don't think I have ever read anything by him, but Steven has quoted him a lot over the years. Steven related something Willard talked about on a recent podcast. I looked it up and was going to listen, but it was over an hour long...an hour and 20 minutes, in fact. I barely manage to listen to my pastor's 30-35 minute sermons, so that wasn't happening. 😀

 Anyway, I'll relate what Willard said and go from there. He feels - and I agree - that there is this huge culture of contempt within the church/among Christians. And he stated where he believes it started, or had a big part of the start: Rush Limbaugh (and likely other "conservative" talk show hosts).

 Think about it, especially if you ever listened to Rush, Sean Hannity, or others. Rush Limbaugh (and others) made a career out of contempt for Democrats and anyone who disagreed with him. He and others constantly go after Democrats, hating on them - having total contempt for them - making money out of total contempt and pushing contempt for the other party and anyone else they disagree with. He and others have delighted in putting people in their place and making a fool of people who call in to disagree. 

 And evangelical Christians in the Republican Party have loved it and thrived on it, and it has soaked into us so we easily are guilty of the same thing: total contempt for Democrats and anyone who doesn't fit into our box: illegal immigrants, gay people, people with tattoos, anyone who disagrees with or criticizes Donald Trump, etc. 

It is so ingrained in us that it comes naturally, and we don't even see it or care to see it. 

How and why did Donald Trump get elected by the religious right?
Serial adulterer who bragged about it
Bragged about sexually assaulting women
Vulgar
Draft dodger
Long time supporter of Democrats, even helped fight the Tea Party
Made supportive statements about Planned baby murder (Planned "Parenthood")
Bully
And his current wife even did lesbian porn....can you imagine if that was Biden or Obama's wife?

  And yet he beat out the conservatives and Christians for the GOP nomination. Why?
Because suddenly after years of he and his family being in bed with and supporting the Democrats and his policies, he developed contempt for Democrats. And Christians loved it. The more he put down the Democrats, the more contempt and hateful rhetoric he pushed, the more the religious right loved him and ignored all the reasons he should never have got  their vote. 

But Mark, you have contempt for Donald Trump! Yeah, I do. I don't think there is anyone I dislike more.  It is amazing to me that for years I went along with it all. Hate, contempt, mockery, etc of Democrats, and no one had a problem with it. As long as you hate and have contempt for the same people as the evangelical Christians in  the Republican party, all is well. I said some pretty harsh things about Obama, and no one ever blinked. But even those closest to me don't believe in my freedom of speech to criticize Donald Trump. Suddenly it is "judge not!" "Instead of criticizing him, try praying for him." And more. Suddenly I am the target of contempt and a source of embarrassment because I dare oppose and speak up against the political savior of the Republican Party. A man just as hateful and divisive as Obama. 

Every conservative and Christian in the Republican Party should try opposing the guy everyone else loves once in a lifetime. It has not been easy, but it has been eye opening. It is amazing the double standard Christians even in my own church demand with Trump. It is ok to hate and have contempt for Democrats, illegal immigrants, conservatives who dare oppose their guy, etc....but not OK to criticize their guy and his words and actions. 

Biden was a horrible president. Though not the worst. That "honor" belongs to Obama. But after so many months of it, I became appalled at a couple of things:

#1. It was obvious that Biden has had dementia, Alzheimer's, or something like that for a long time. Yet Christians mocked him for it, made fun of him, joked about it, etc. Yes, he should have stepped aside, and his wife should be flogged publicly for letting him stay in office. But should Christians have acted that way? If someone was making fun of a loved one, or even a neighbor or fellow church member like that, they'd be horrified and angry. But since it was a Democrat, it was OK. 

#2. There has been no evidence or proof that Biden was a pedophile. Yet Christians and conservatives shared picture after picture of Biden with kids and declaring him a pedophile. (While overlooking Trump's bragging about sexual assault and the pictures of Trump with kids).
Accusing someone of pedophilia is a huge thing. It should not be done lightly. Trump supporters are all up in arms at any suggestion Trump could be on the Epstein list - and that IS a possibility given his connections with Epstein - but come on.... there is no evidence of Biden being a pedophile, but since he is a Democrat, the MAGA party didn't need proof. They just accused. 

I have stated before that my faith has been about destroyed. The way Christians are about Trump, how they act when defending him, things said to me....good grief, the statement that "True Christians will vote for Trump" made by a guy going to my church at that time - and by others - went unchallenged, yet it is such a huge lie. But not one Trump supporter in my church called him out. My church is ultra conservative, and I'll never get why so many love a man like Trump. He is the total opposite of Jesus. 

Jesus was not political, yet so many Christians are way too political. Should we not vote? Yes, we should vote our conscience, even if that means voting third party. Should we not address what politicians are doing wrong? Yes, we should....but we should be careful how we do it.

God is love. He IS love. He doesn't just love as a verb, but He IS love. And in 1 John 4:8, He says this:  "Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." (ESV)
Do we Evangelical Christians love Nancy Pelosi? The illegal immigrant? Joe Biden? The tattooed guy? Donald Trump? 

I am not going to un-Christianize anyone. God knows my Christianity and conservatism has been questioned and knocked because I don't support the most liberal candidate to ever run for, much less win, the GOP nomination. But how much contempt and hate can we have for anyone - even Democrat politicians - even Donald Trump - and truly know God? God loves everyone, even those we have contempt and hate for, and He is saying we must love them also or we don't know Him. 

It isn't popular to question the status quo. We have so Americanized, Republicanized, and yes....Trumpized Christianity, that to dare question how illegal immigration is being handled, to dare suggest we have compassion and love for them is met with accusations of being liberal, and other lovely statements. 

"Russell Moore told NPR that evangelical pastors he works with are facing pushback when preaching the words and ethics of Jesus. He said, “Multiple pastors tell me, essentially, the same story about quoting Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount [and] to have someone come up after to say, ‘Where did you get those liberal talking points?’ … What was alarming to me is that in most of these scenarios, when the pastor would say, I’m literally quoting Jesus Christ, the response would be, ‘Yes, but that doesn’t work anymore. That’s weak.’” Zach Lambert

Steven - the aforementioned best friend - and I were talking about the story of the Good Samaritan. He questioned what would happen if it was an illegal immigrant lying there by the side of the road, beaten up and robbed. I fear way too many Christians would pass to the other side. Some might check his status and help if he was legal. I fear some might finish him off if they had a gun. 

"Imagine cheering at the idea of human beings being eaten by alligators and somehow still expecting us to believe you are “pro life,” let alone a follower of Jesus." Rev Benjamin Cremer

I could be wrong - I am occasionally 😁  - but I wonder if one reason we aren't seeing revival is because of this culture of contempt that is so prevalent among Christians. If we are having so much contempt and hate for Democrats, illegal immigrants, people who oppose our favorite political, etc, God cannot be happy, and why would He send revival? Could that be one reason our country is so wicked and there is so much corruption because Christians are too political to love, to spread the Gospel, to be salt and light. To be peace makers, to have and exhibit the fruits of the spirit.

Jesus called his followers to "love your neighbor as yourself."

Not control your neighbor.

Not mock your neighbor.

Not shame your neighbor.

Not dehumanize your neighbor.

Not demonize your neighbor.

Not defeat your neighbor.

Jesus said, “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Rev Benjamin Cremer)

I'm barely holding on, to be honest. My faith has been shattered. My heart has been hurt. I have been bitter and angry. I need a version of Christianity that is not political. One that is Biblical, and does not insist I have to vote for and support whoever wins the GOP nomination. I need a version of Christianity that spreads love, not contempt and division and that does not put you down for voting your conscience. A version of Christianity that doesn't just believe in the freedom of speech for some, but for all. A version of Christianity that holds the Bible before the Constitution and the Republican platform. A version  of Christianity that is Biblical and loves. 

And I have come to a very elementary and kind of "duh" realization. As I have sat in the shattered remains of my faith these last 9 years or so, as I have struggled with hurt, disappointment, anger, and bitterness.....Jesus has not changed. He never was - and never will be - political. He loves us because He IS love, and I was wrong to let politics and people destroy my faith. I am making slow progress, but it is progress. Jesus never changes and never fails, and always, always loves. 

I have already left the Republican Party. I try to back off from politics, but see so much that frustrates me. And I give in and post. I have thought about deleting Facebook, and were it not for the authors I follow and how much book related stuff I use it for, I probably would do that. Maybe I just need to un-follow some people. 😏

I am far from perfect. God has a ton of work to do on me. I want to have a true relationship with him and love people. All people. And yeah, I will never stop opposing Trump or speaking out against him and his wrong policies, but I need to work on not having so much contempt for him. When I talk about contempt, I am preaching to myself also. (Made that bold so no one misses it).

We talk so much about how evil the Democrat Party is. Yet the Republican Party is far, far from being Biblical. Just last year, they removed opposition to abortion and gay marriage from their official platform - done by Trump offspring. The recent handling of illegal immigration is not Biblical. It is time for Christians to stop just going along with whatever the Republican Party does and call them out instead of ignoring and going along. Republican does not equal Christian, and I cannot imagine God is any happier with the GOP than with the Dems. 

We need a third party. A truly conservative one. 

God's Kingdom is based on love. Our political parties are not. It is my firm belief we all need to back away from being so political, so blindly supportive of political parties and politicians, and love and spread the Gospel.