What So Many Really Want To Say To American Christianity

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To be sure, there are good people doing good things within American Christianity. Not everyone has taken the message and cause of Jesus and raped them of their unconditional love, beauty, and purity of Grace.

Yet sadly, much of American Christianity, as well intentioned as it may be, has largely become a religious machine of institutional self-preservation, self-righteousness, condemnation, and power-seduced privilege—some, not aware of the evil in which they participate.

In its wake, there is a disillusionment and disgust that has long been building in the caverns of many a soul. With the full capacity of discernment, countless have tasted and seen that what has become of much of American Christianity is not good, not good at all.

Despite the aggressive efforts within significant segments of American Christianity to minimize, discredit, and demonize these voices of dissent, good people everywhere aren’t fooled by the slick circus show of American Christianity with its endless maze of funhouse mirrors. They see the dark fruits growing on the tree, requiring very few brain cells to discern their obvious evil.

Perhaps, what is most challenging and elusive along this journey through religious darkness is the permission and freedom to be fully enraged, and the words to express it. Most resolve that the problem is somehow within themselves, what they feel must be wrong, or it’s a useless endeavor to resist and hope for change. In the end, many remain largely silent or extremely careful with their words, intimidated by the Death Star that has become of much of American Christianity.

Yet, there is a new level of urgency that has been thrusted upon our time. A spiritual civil war is emerging that is threatening the very foundations of our nation and all of humanity at large. There is no more time for squabbling over messages of “deconstruction” by those who wish to carve out some kind of “higher” ground and rationalize their lack of courage. There is no time for tone-policing the truth of people who have suffered in the concentration camps of religiosity. There is no time for feathery fantasies of long tables filled with conceding conversations. There is no more time for declaring peace where there is no peace as much we might desire its full fruition. There is only time for truth, and truth doing whatever it will wherever it lands. Either the Gospel of pure Grace faithfully reflects the complete heart of Jesus, His ways, and all the ramifications thereof, or it does not. With a religious conservatism that vehemently seeks to rule the world and a progressive passivism that might just allow it, there has been perhaps no more important time in all of history for the bravery of unbridled evil-confronting Grace to find its voice and to speak it loudly without restraint.

Dear American Christianity, this is what so many of us really want to say to you…

“Stop Being So Damn Selfish”– Whether it’s your intention or not, it truly feels likes everything about Jesus has become all about you. In fact, the average American church spends 75% of its budget on staff and buildings, and 80% of its time and energy on self-serving endeavors that ultimately benefit their own sustainment. If Jesus applied that same formula to His ministry, He would have never made it the cross, let alone out of the manger. Sadly, in most congregations, self-preservation and institutional success is the pendulum from which decisions are weighed and rationalized. Nearly everything about American Christianity speaks of a self-serving desire to franchise Jesus and build exclusive clubs with crosses on top. In both progressive and conservative circles, pastors and leaders dream of ministry fame, book deals, speaking engagements, conference presentations, Facebook shares, Twitter retweets, and overall personal ministry empire building–many of whom will steal, kill, and destroy in order to build and protect their throne of popularity. For others, the consumer-driven nature of American Christianity has forced them to spend their time and attention on keeping church people happy, entertained, and committed to their ministry, lest they hop to a better show down the street and jeopardize their future.

Yet sadly, the moments when we do finally see you serving altruistically beyond your own interests, it still feels like it’s all about you. From photo-ops posted on Facebook holding babies from third world countries, to emotionally crafted and carefully placed video clips during worship to display your good deeds in the community. From tales of late night prayer meetings where you “win” people into the Kingdom, to your public declarations of your “radical” living for Jesus. From the unique niche and brand that you have created for your personal ministry, to your self-promotion of everything you are doing for the Kingdom. Every light you seem to shine into the darkness has a way of ultimately swinging the attention back onto you. For Christ’s sake, can’t you just serve for the sake of serving without any fanfare, Facebook pics, name-dropping, attention seeking, slick branding, empire building, or the hoisting of trophies won as you play the never ending game of Christian competition?   

“Your Worship Is Empty”- In fact, it’s not only empty, it’s thoroughly insulting. Insulting to God, insulting to Jesus, and insulting to humanity. Have you ever considered that perhaps God desperately tires of all your singing, repenting, preaching, praying, and staged spirituality, especially when hours upon hours of ritual rarely lead to a minute of seeing you in true worship through genuinely serving, loving, and extending pure Grace unconditionally to anyone and everyone who is willing. I think God gets it—you love Him and He loves you too. Great, congratulations—now what the hell are you going to do about it? The truth is, God doesn’t need your dressed-up Sunday morning gatherings, so why is it alarmingly apparent that you can’t live without them? Perhaps, it’s all become a spiritual veil to an empty life. For all the effort, time, and resources you put into it, I wonder if an offering wasn’t taken from the crowd you’ve gathered, would it be such a big deal to you? Besides, when do we get to sing the hymn, “God I Hate You Right Now, Life Is So Depressing?” Let me guess, that probably wouldn’t be good for business, and besides, how could you ever program the right mood-lighting? When do we get to feed the poor, clothe the naked, affirm the condemned, protect the minorities, rage against the religious spirit, and stand with those discriminated–not as a side item on your spiritual menu, but the main thing? When do we get to love people unconditionally without fine print, restrictions, or fear-pedaling? When do we get to stop trying to convince God we love Him, but instead, spend our time convincing the world they are loved, affirmed, and included? When do we get to stop erecting and maintaining buildings to hide in, and start seeing all the world as our sanctuary and loving people unconditionally as our worship? Quite frankly, ask around, it doesn’t matter about your style nor flavor of liturgy, so much of your worship seems completely superfluous—all leading to the sermon where you weigh me down with formulas for life improvement and God-appeasement, and then ask me for my offering and energy so we can hop back on this religious treadmill again next week. Listen to the Spirit moving among you—staged spirituality is out, and true worship through sacrificial service, unconditional love, human affirmation, and pure Grace extending is in. Not just in, but the only thing that matters—especially to Jesus.        

“I’m Not Your Spiritual Bitch”- Every time you try to turn me into your personal Chia Pet for Jesus through growing me into a “fully devoted follower of Christ” who believes and acts like you, every gag reflex in my body violently begins twitching, and it’s all I can do to keep myself from kneeling into a full body vomit. With all due love and respect, while I appreciate your efforts, I don’t need you to save me, especially from the god of your faith understanding who tortures people forever in hell simply because they didn’t follow the proper codes for loving him back in return. The more you see me as a problem to be solved, a project to complete, and a mission to fulfill, the more your image of Jesus shows itself to be filled with far more of you and far less of Him. In fact, your leatherbound terrorism of proof texts, clobber passages, claims of inerrancy, and the weaponizing of Scripture has only served to convince me that you are devoid of the cure and filled with the cancer. I don’t want to be a part of your club, denomination, or Christian supremacy. The way I see it, there is enough useless division and inequality in the world, and to me, it’s a sin the way you use Jesus to foster it. So, you can take all your accountability partners, incense ladenned sanctuaries, and crusades to save the “lost,” I refuse to become enslaved by the tyranny you are wielding upon the earth. When I see that your faith is about unconditional Love from the Father through the Son, from the beginning to the end, maybe, just maybe, I’ll want to sign up. Until then, I’m not your spiritual bitch. Never have been, never will be.

“Zip Up, Your Privilege Is Showing” With every ounce of praise and worship you sing towards our lying, adulterous, carnal, bullying, and pubescent President. With every push for the nationalization of your faith ideology. With every white, male, heterosexual demonization and condemnation of minorities and those you deem to be sinning. With every spiritual rationalization of greed, discrimination, and inequality, your addiction to power and privilege is showing, not Jesus.

With every grip you refuse to loosen upon the guns you worship at the bloodied sacrificial altar of our children. With every segregated church service on Sunday morning. With every denial of the equal calling, value, and gifting of women. With every mission trip that serves your interests more than truly serving the needs of others. With every committee purposed on reaching the “lost” through your Christian supremacy, your privilege is showing, not Jesus.  

Stop complaining that the world can’t see Christ when you’re the one standing in the way.

For what’s most certainly clear from the shadow you cast upon the earth is this—it’s not about sin, it’s not about Jesus, and it’s not about extending a Kingdom of unconditional love and Grace. For you, it’s about the fruition of your white, male, heterosexual power and privilege disguised as the ministry of Jesus.  

“Get Your Shit Together Or Close Up Shop” The time has come, there’s too much at stake. People are dying, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Sadly, any light you bring to the planet is being eclipsed by your dark religious blanket. If you aren’t willing to reboot your entire system of faith, then power down altogether for Christ’s sake. The truth is, you have become much more of the problem and an antagonist of the solution. For when there is no turning the Titanic around, perhaps it’s better to send it sinking to the bottom. 

If anyone needs to be sidelined until their repentance is louder than their sin. If anyone needs to choke on a good swallow of their own medicine. If anyone’s tree should be laid bare to the stump. If anyone needs to kneel down at the altar of recommitment, it’s you—American Christianity, it’s you.

You are the wolf in sheep’s clothing. You are the Judas reclined at the table. You are the Herod whose addiction to power would kill the person of Jesus. You are the Jezebel whose greed and desire for domination is insatiable. You are the demon dressed as an innocent angel. You are the Ephesus that has fallen from Grace. You are the white-washed tombs that reddened Jesus’ face.

This is why we rage, this is why we cry.

This is why refuse to be silent.

This is why we will not comply.

American Christianity, this is what so many of us want to say.

 

Grace is brave. Be brave.

 

  

 

30 Comments

  1. Riley Case

    Chris, I can’t figure out why you are so angry. You obviously have had a bad experience, or several bad experiences along the way. Time to offer some grace to the people you are writing about.
    I have been a part of the evangelical world for eighty years. I grew up among Methodists, Baptists, Amish, Mennonites, Quakers, and have visited numbers of churches overseas. The word evangelical today is a catch-all for all variety of groups, Calvinists, holiness groups, Pentecostals, reconstructionists, charismatics, right-wing fundamentalists (yes it is true), pacifist Brethren,
    most of the mostly ethnic churches, Mennonites, dispensatinalists, and who knows who. But this particular blog is not (like some) restricted to “right-wing fundametalists” but to American Christians in general. The people I have lived with and pastored (I am a retired UM pastor) have been gracious, generous, forgiving, and are the salt of the earth. They have not been among the ruling class, not among the academic types, not among the politicians, not among business leaders. They are farmers, teachers, factory works, and yes, many have been drug addicts and poverty-stricken, and in trouble with the law. They have been on the forefront for justice in matters of race and in matters of poverty. They have been generous (evangelical Christians give far more of their income to charity than any other groups). They feed the hungry, heal the sick, visit those in prison. I have known atheists, persons from the universities who speak about justice but are not the ones visiting those in prisons.
    I don’t deny that there have been those who fit your description but keep in mind that polls show that 25% – 29% of Americans identify as evangelical Christian in America. That’s a big hunk of America. These are your neighbors, the ones who don’t make a big fuss about their religion. The great vast majority of these persons are the salt of the earth.
    One point to be made is that we are born in sin (yes, I do believe). We have faults and weaknesses. We are prejudiced, sometimes hateful and we make mistakes. Grace does not mean that anything goes in this world. It does mean that we can be forgiven through Jesus Christ and live changed lives.
    When I see anything like that in the Hollywood world, or in the secular media, or in the public universities then I will take what you say in your blogs with some seriousness.

    • ckratzer

      Riley, thanks for your comments. Grace does not turn a blind eye to evil, subdue voices that have been religiously oppressed, nor display an unwillingness to speak truth. Truth and reconciliation are sequential. Until American Christianity confronts it’s own dark truth, there will be no peace and healing for so many. Your statement, “I can’t figure out why you are so angry” not only confounds me, but is deeply saddening. Apparently, you are largely disconnected from countless people’s true suffering at the feet of large segments of American Christianity. I offer tons of Grace to all the people I write. Where am I condemning them to hell? Where am I restricting their rights? Where am I dictating what bathrooms they can use? Where am I marginalizing them to the point of suicide? Where am I refusing to bake them a cake? Where am I removing them from church? Where am I kicking them out of the house? Where am I declaring them abominations? Where am I trying to thrust my faith views to be nationalized and forcing them to be dominate in the public sector? If you want to lecture anyone on manifesting Grace, you should take your concern to large portions of American Christianity who do things each and every day to countless people everywhere.

      • Dennis Branine

        God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, it’s his world, he set it up. Just because true Christianity might not fit your mold, that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. I appreciate your opinions, but until you have a true relationship with Christ it’s going to be pretty hard for you to understand just exactly what putting God first in your life really is. God bless!

        • ckratzer

          Dennis, who are you to say whether my relationship with Christ is true or not? Who is to say their interpretation of Scripture is faithful, which out of the 30,000 different Christian denominations have it right? From Calvinism to Arminianism, Christians (who all read the same Bible) can’t even agree on the truth of something so central as the issue of salvation? Yet, you expect me to believe you are an authority on what a true relationship with Christ entails? Do you believe Donald Trump has a true relationship with Christ? How about Bill Hybles? How about Steven Furtick or Joel Osteen who both live in multi-million dollar homes? Do you have a true relationship with Christ? If so, what makes yours true and mine false?

    • Liz Bligan

      So, as a retired UM pastor, you know that your denomination still defrocks gay clergy and punishes clergy who perform the sacrament of marriage for gay couples. I, too, came from a wonderful UM parish, where love abounded amongst the congregation, but for many members did not extend to LGBTQ persons. Sure, they were kind and friendly and loving toward the few LGBTQ persons in the congregation, but they fought against the right of gays to marry. If one does not want certain types of people to have the same civil rights as all others, one does NOT “love them.” Period, end.

      And the “born in sin” thing? Yeah, I’m sick of “Christians” telling me that I am wretched and hopeless without loving God the way they do. That’s not love, either.

      “The are not among… the politicians”? Sure they are. They’re *voting* for them, and there is no clearer means of showing one’s approval and support than voting. Every American Christian who voted for the abomination in the White House IS “among the politicians,” because they *voted* for him. They WANTED him in the White House, despite his patently obvious lack of any qualifications for the job whatsoever, and despite his patently obvious racism, misogyny, classism, lies, sexual predation, and everything else. Every American Christian who voted for Roy Moore did so because they didn’t mind that he raped young girls.

      We have the abomination in the White House BECAUSE of American Christianity.

      Whether the numbers prove your “vast majority” statement or not, the reality is, and this is absolutely inarguable, that the American Christianity that is in power right now, that is running the US government, that is working diligently to turn this nation into a Christian Theocracy no different from Iran or any other Muslim theocracy, that is crafting and passing laws allowing the mistreatment of ALL Americans — is the American Christianity of which Chris speaks.

      I left the UMC and ALL American Christianity because of this. And I’m a straight, white, professional, fairly affluent woman. I’ve joined the Unitarian Universalist church, because it is far more Christ-like than any Christian denomination. We DO visit the sick, work for social justice, visiting those in prison, and feeding the poor. Unlike parishes that do those things on an individual, parish-based basis, we also, as a denomination, fight for social justice, fight for economic justice, fight for LGBTQ rights. American Christianity fights for depriving God’s children of civil rights, for reducing the government aid to the poor, for continuing to have health care be a privilege rather than a right. What’s Christ-like about those things?

      • ckratzer

        Liz, well said!

      • Dennis Branine

        It’s great you do the things you do for people that need the help. The question is are you doing what God wants or what you feel God wants, or you just do the things you do because you think you should? God gave us his word through scripture of what he wants us to do and that alone is what we should be doing. God Bless!

        • Liz Bligan

          Dennis, I’ll ask this — what difference does it make whether we help people because it’s what God wants, what I think God wants, or just because we think we should? It’s doing the right thing either way, and besides, Matthew 25 gives me a pretty good indication of what Jesus calls us to do. And God mentions literally nowhere in scripture (which by the way is man’s writings, not God’s, and which version is truly, exactly God’s words?), that we should try to deny persons different from us their civil rights in our nation, or that we should force disabled and elderly people to “work” to “earn” welfare support, or literally anything the abomination in the White House and right wing “Christians” are doing in this nation. Literally nowhere does God say “feed the poor, but make them take a drug test first,” or “heal the sick, but only if they have enough money to pay you,” or “don’t provide rights and
          services to homosexuals.” Literally nowhere.

  2. Suzanne

    Pastor Chris,
    I have always felt frustrated in church. I always felt like everyone was wrapped in cellophane. We would get there and most everyone would draw on their Christian smile then never speak to or get to know you in true fellowships. I always felt like an outsider, even after trying to jump through the hoops. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t go to church and feel like I watched with my face pressed to a window. It seemed like no one wanted to be bothered with the other church members.
    I wanted to tell you that I find your publications like a “supply drop”. I’m a single mom and have been for 24 years. My son is autistic. I hoped that I would be able to find some kind is support at the church we attended. It didn’t happen. I needed an ally and search as I may, people almost ran. So we gave up. This has been a walk in faith. I lost my house, my car and my dignity. But the Lord never let us down. There was a time I was sure He had washed His hands of us. I just couldn’t see Him through my pain.
    The bottom line? I lost my faith in the church and it’s people. My son is my gift from God, Himself. I was so hurt and disillusioned. I’m so glad that I found a pastor who speaks my language and above all a God who continues to guide and carry us through this quagmire of life. God Bless You.

    • ckratzer

      Suzanne, thank you so much for this powerful comment and for validating my writing! I used to work with special needs children professionally and completely understand your journey, especially as it relates to church. At Elevation Church (Steven Furtick) here in Charlotte, a special needs child was escorted out of the service for being mildly disruptive, no more than perhaps an infant might be. When it’s all about a slick performance, that’s what you do, you send people of all kinds of needs that don’t fit your branding to the curb. If we aren’t already, I hope we can stay connected through Facebook or some other means! Thanks again for your bravery and encouragement!

      • Suzanne

        God has given me my own tribulations and He has made me lean on Him; despite myself. Our last several years have not been easy. I thought that God had forgotten us. I couldn’t have been more wrong. When we stand too close to our own problems, it’s difficult to see them. Once we step back and see what the Lord sees, then we get His perspective and realize that He allows us to fall. But He’s never far away. I can, without reservation, say that God rescued me and my son from so much yuck. …and He hasn’t stopped. We are so incredibly blessed!
        God gave me my son for a reason. I have upset so many people by telling them this because it is my belief that this remarkable young man was put in my care. I’m no martyr by any means. I just know my purpose. How many people can say that? I will continue caring for my son until the Lord tells me to stop. God has made it clear that He wants my son in Heaven…one day and it’s my job to make sure he gets there. …a journey that began at my birth. But that’s a whole other tale.

        Thank you. I believe I follow you on Facebook. God bless you and stay strong. The Lord is never far away. You just have to call out.

    • Liz Bligan

      Suzanne, I urge you to find your nearest Unitarian Universalist church. They WILL support you, love you, and welcome you and your son, unconditionally. One can be a believer in Christ and a Unitarian.

  3. Connie J Beane

    From your remarks it’s obvious why you can’t understand Chris’s anger: you have always lived inside the cozy womb of the Church, especially as a pastor. If you examine your life, you will probably find that you primarily live with, work for, socialize with and comfort those who are a part of your group–which is normal human behavior, actually. When you step outside your group, to as you say “feed the hungry, heal the sick, visit those in prison,” it’s almost always with The Agenda (one that’s blindingly obvious to the recipient): to win souls, pump up the numbers, make brownie points with Jesus. I say “almost always,” because there are some Christians who do live their faith, but sadly these people are often the target of criticism and even violence from their fellow Christians. (The history of the civil rights movement is a case in point, which both of us are old enough to recall.) Chris’s point is that many Christians are focused on their personal desire for spiritual perfection or their personal relationship with Jesus or their pride in the size, prominence and glossiness of their “church,” instead of forgetting all that and simply helping those in need, without trying to “save” them or “win” them to Christ or counting them up on their list of good deeds.

    • ckratzer

      Well said, Connie!

    • Connie J Beane

      Actually, I didn’t assume anything. Riley Case said “I have been part of the evangelical world for eighty years.” Then he enumerated a long list of denominations–“Methodists, Baptists, Amish, Mennonites, Quakers”–and added, “I have visited numbers of churches overseas.” If that doesn’t qualify as a deep, life-long engagement with The Church–leaving aside his self-confessed years as a minister–I don’t know what would. And I consider it a “womb” (not a “whom”) because it’s warm and cozy and everything revolves around you and your comfort, both here and in the hereafter.

  4. Seth

    Hey Chris!
    A few questions about your post…
    1. Why do you need to curse? Doesn’t Paul address the unwholesome talk issue pretty clearly? You have an obvious gift for writing, and I think you’re much to talented to need to use curse words to make a point. Kinda like a comedian that can’t be funny without being dirty…… obviously you feel the need to shock us all by saying bitch…. but why? How does saying bitch help the kingdom of Christ?
    2. Who are you talking to? Me? I mean, I’m American and go to a church where we sing and take up offering. I didn’t vote for Trump, and I’m not a member of the NRA. I don’t hate gay people or care where they go pee pee and poo pop. But I do attend a church, and host a community group in my home. We are centered around service, mainly to the sick, needy, the widows and orphans. Sooooo… should I consider this message as meant for me? Oh, I am white and a male. But I don’t hate darker people that aren’t male.
    3. Do you think MLK would have been as successful as he was at fighting social injustice if he had spoken in the tone in which you do? This is to say: What if he cursed in his messages and told whitey that he wouldn’t be his bitch anymore??
    4. How do you know how I worship? How do you know how anyone worships? Is the singing just offensive to you? Aren’t you judging people you don’t know, just like the Christians that judge the gay man that they don’t know? How did you discern my heart of worship?
    5. How is it that you can bring yourself to ask for donations, while also insulting the practice of church offering? You ask for money – knowing that 10,000 kids will starve to death this very day. And tomorrow. And the day after.
    6. Where did you get you church budgeting statistics? I’d hate to think you just spewed a number out without citing a valid source.
    7. Will you respond to my questions, by assuming you know who I am, and having already painted a picture of my belief system in your head? Will you do what you so obviously hate, and stero type me because I don’t agree with you? Will your open mindedness end, because my mind may not agree with your mind? Or are you open to answering tough questions, and open to….. maybe being open to a different opinion? Or have you already tied up your beliefs as the one interpretation that has it right?

    Will you even acknowledge this post?

    • ckratzer

      Seth, I appreciate your questions. Seeing this and your other comments to writings on my blog, it appears to me you aren’t really searching for answers nor interested in dialogue. This isn’t my first rodeo, so with all due respect and love, I’ll kindly pass. Best wishes to you.

      • Seth

        Really?
        It’s your blog, so it’s totally up to you if we dialogue or not. I am dissappointed though, I was hoping we could better understand each other through a condversation – and demonstrate to others that common ground can be found.
        I realize I asked some pretty up front questions – and assumed that’s the kinda thing you would appreciate, seeing as you are very up front in your writing style.
        I really wish you would reconsider, and answer some of my questions, at least affording me the opportunity to understand your view point better.

        At any rate – I wish u nothing but the brother.

        • Desertlillie

          Seth,
          Hi! I was wondering, have you ever been a member of a church/congregation that treats you and others like a commodity instead of a loving, breathing, eager child of God? Have you ever walked into the church that you had been a member of for years and realize that no one is nurturing and showing interest in the wide eyed, spiritually hungry people who get shot down by the apathy of the external priorities of the church. Often people are there to fill a seat so they can say that they had a record in attendance; patting themselves and each other on the back.
          As far as cursing, well I’m not perfect either. Here’s a shock, my brother. Neither are you. Frankly, I’m actually surprised that you would focus on the residuals of the problem than the problem itself. Can you imagine the disillusionment, frustration and disappointment in the Church a Pastor…teacher of the Gospels, has that would bring him to curse? Yet, that’s what you chose to center on. You don’t seem to want to speak about the problem. It appears that you want to discredit this man for being human and allowing a few curse words to surface in an issue that he feels is detrimental to the body of Christ. I don’t think that Chris needs to explain this to you. I am certain that the Lord will forgive him.

  5. GALE GREEN

    I wonder what would/could happen if each of us who read this would print out a copy and surreptiously nail it to the door of one of our local churches… hmmm. Just wondering…
    Love the statement:Grace is brave. Be brave!

    • ckratzer

      Thanks Gale, if you ever do print and post on a church door, take a pic for me! Ha!

  6. Kimbrough Leslie

    Riley Case seems to have a practice of commenting (trolling?) on progressive blogs and Methodist Facebook pages in spite of his prominence in the reactionary “Good News” movement within United Methodism, supported by the infamous, intentionally destructive IRD (Institute for Religion and Democracy) and funded in part by right wing sources such as the Richard Mellon Scaife Foundation. I’ve responded elsewhere a couple of times about his rude, unchristian behavior toward a person in my family whom he didn’t even know but made assumptions about, and about his legacy of fundamentalist Calvinist teaching in at lease one of his United Methodist churches.

  7. Margaret Marquez

    Stop complaining that people can’t see Jesus when you’re the one standing in the way

    This!

    • Connie J Beane

      You’re giving Chris waaay more credit (or blame) than he deserves.

  8. KatieS

    These are many of the reasons why I’ve realized there is no god at all. Religion is about power and control.

    • ckratzer

      Very true, KatieS

  9. Nine

    Evangelicals from a pure national security perspective are threats to national security in the long run!

    Look at the bloated military budgets as trump and his evangelical republican backers have been put in office by our very neighbors!

    I have reevaluated all of my friendships as those who are the most toxic of conservative evangelical republican I have severed those relationships other than family!

    I state the facts about America and her endless wars and I call them hypocrites when they fail to follow Jesus!

    I refer “republican ” Jesus as Jebus as American evangelicals follow a false one!

    Nine

  10. J Smith

    Chris, did you know the term “unconditional love” entered the lexicon of Christianity in the 1950s? In other worda, none of the great theologians for hundreds of years mentioned that term. My point? I think it is bad theology and makes God look silly.

    • Martha B

      Wait… unconditional love makes God look silly? “Love thy neighbor as thyself” isn’t unconditional love? That right there is what is wrong with American Christianity, and why I’m done with it, completely and forever. There is nothing Christ-like about American Christianity anymore.

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