We Once Were Family....Until The Preacher....

NOTE:  This is an older post I wrote 10 years ago this month and during Trump's first run for the presidency. 

I am now witnessing enough of the motivations I had suspected during his first presidency come to fruition in his second presidency, that I feel validated in those suspicions, unfortunately. 

Whether anyone I expressed those suspicions to before have reconsidered, now that we have a second look at Trump's self-proclaimed intentions,It is apparent that more have actually reaffirmed their support of Trump. 

I should know better by now. 

I have seen the very same thing happen on a much smaller scale, with church being the setting. 

My intention at this time is to reveal how my extreme, right-wing conservative political and fundamentalist Baptist history as a child, adult parent and as an aging adult has convinced me to embrace a more authentic position on all those former dogmatic positions. 

To those people I know, who have similar backgrounds-- who may identify with my discovery and recovery process-- but who have not found the strength to express them,

I am speaking to you...

This older writing marks the beginning of my journey towards a whole new political identity...and it is my very own. 

This season’s political climate has stirred me to question my formerly-held beliefs that America--it's foundation, founders and founding documents--is positively, expressly ‘Christian’..

As one who now feels freer to question former beliefs, I have concluded that this nation is NOT and never was intended to be Christian in identity.

Though principles drawn from the Bible have INFLUENCED its foundational governance, that is not the same as being ESTABLISHED as a Christian nation. This would make it a Theocracy instead of a Constitutional Republic and democracy.

There is a difference in being influenced by and founded upon.

The first is about recognition and acknowledgment of Christian principles The latter is about entitlement.

Many conservative Christians fervently believe America’s heritage to be of the ‘Judeo-Christian’ tradition. Those who believe this to be fact also expect this Judeo-Christian tradition to be by right of establishment and thus should be reflected in its laws and governance.

So, what does this term‘Judeo-Christian even mean?

Judeo-Christian values are somewhat dubiously defined as those values, ethics, principles etc. that Judaism and Christianity have in common. It was made popular by conservatives to describe their political ideals.

From Wikipedia:

The present meaning of "Judeo-Christian" regarding ethics first appeared in print in an book review by the English writer George Orwell in 1939, with the phrase "the Judaeo-Christian scheme of morals."^[5] The term gained currency in the 1940s, promoted by groups which evolved into the National Conference of Christians and Jews. They intended to fight antisemitism by using a more inclusive idea of values.^[6][7] By 1952 Dwight Eisenhower looked to the Founding Fathers of 1776 to say:

"all men are endowed by their Creator." In other words, our form of government has no sense unless it is founded in a deeply felt religious faith, and I don't care what it is. With us of course it is the Judeo-Christian concept, but it must be a religion with all men created equal.^[8]

Conversely, I challenge anyone for find Orthodox Jewish leaders who agree with with this determination.

The contention, simply put, is that Judaism rejects Christianity and Christianity rejects Judaism.

However, those who use that term to mean that America was founded on the same moral principals included in both Old and New Testaments of the Bible should consider if this description, ‘Judaeo-Christian’ is really an accurate term to apply to this country’s founding history and purpose. 

But enough of that.  

What I’d really like to explore here is what America as a idealogically ‘Christian’ nation in practice and in spirit should look like.

In using the term ‘Christian’, I am speaking of those attributes and teachings of Christ as a believer in his deity or even as mere follower of his teachings.

Perhaps a better mission for Christians of America would be to model what a nation full of sincere, Christ-like people should look like.

Here are my thoughts:

If America were a nation of Christian people who take to heart Christianity’s pure Gospel message, its governing authorities certainly would not desire to convert personal moral beliefs and principles into Old Testament-derived laws to be enforced with their accompanying brutal and archaic penalties.

America as a nation of truly Christ-like people would not EXPECT it to establish such in its governance, but in the people identifying as Christian actually BEING Christ-like.

America as a nation of truly Christian people would love their God enough to love their neighbors as their God commands.

They would love their God enough to love their enemies instead of hating them, blessing them that curse, doing good to those they hate, praying for them who despitefully use and persecute.

They would not be obsessed with storing up treasures on this earth.

They would not be slaves to money.

They would do unto others as they would have others do to them--Golden Rule.

They would walk in justice, mercy and faithfulness.

They would exude love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith and meekness.

They would practice unconditional love and acceptance toward those with whom they disagree....even the LGBTQ, Atheist, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and Liberal Democrat 😳 etc.

They would rather be defrauded than take a brother to court (when not involving a crime).

Their love would be patient, kind, not envious or boastful, arrogant or rude.  

They would not insist on their own way, not be irritable or resentful.  

They would not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoice in truth. 

Their love would bear all things, believe all things and endure all things.

Their godliness would be defined by and coupled with contentment.

They would not do anything that would cause another to stumble. 

And, finally, America, as a nation of people who identified with purely ‘Christian’ ideals, would not insist it is Christian in its foundation, but concern itself with behaving as one reminding its people they are pilgrims and strangers in this land. 

Its Christian people would behave as those  who truly believe their citizenship is of a homeland-- a heavenly country not built by human hands but a city whose designer and builder is God himself.

Its Presidential candidates and leaders, who profess to be ‘Christian’-- who promise to be human saviors of America’s ‘Christian‘ heritage-- are largely catering to a discontented, disillusioned and prejudiced group of people who desire a morality-policing government which enforces their carnal desires for elite communities populated by people who look, behave and believe just like them. 

Perhaps these 'christians' should examine the real reasons they find certain diverse people make them so uncomfortable?

Do they pose a threat? If so, what kind of threat? Physical? Spiritual? Cultural? Racial? All of these?

Are they all a physical threat to our safety? Statistics don't support this. 

Is it their various religious beliefs? Are we concerned they will convert our children? Do we fear our children will intermarry with people of different colors, cultures and beliefs? 

If so, why is our faith, culture,  and confidence in adult offsprings' choices all so fragile as justify condemning and controlling these possible outcomes?

Could fear and prejudice have more to do with it?

Truth is, this country has already dealt with these kinds of concerns only to find that none brought this country to ruin as feared and predicted. 

In fact, 

I can just off the top of my head think of many falsehoods believed by the majority in this country, along with the accompanying dreadful attempts to prevent and mitigate them. 

Most all turned out to be just, falsehoods. 

To name just a few:

*Black people are subhuman

*Black people are inferior and less intelligent that white people

*Slavery was biblical, good and right

*Women should have less rights than men

*Women were too emotional to be leaders

*Racial intermarriages could never be happy ones

*Races should be segregated

And on, and on, and on, and on.   

This is the cause--I believe-- to be at the heart of the whole ‘return-to-America’s-Judeo-Christian-heritage’ cry.

 To me, this is a blatant contradiction! 

How can one expect to make this country into a heavenly kingdom consistent with the fundamentalist/literalist interpretation of the biblical ideal without using some kind of coercion or even violence?

And, how can ‘Christian-nation-via-coersion-or-force’ ever be reconciled with the example and teachings of Jesus, the author and finisher or our faith? Hebrews 12:2