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The Decaying Christian Arena


The American Christian arena has been taken over by a very sinister and cynical kind of belief system.  It is anchored in legalism and is fueled by fear.  It completely ignores the most basic teachings of Christ—love, forgiveness, compassion, generosity of spirit, unconditional acceptance, joy and grace.

It elevates selected Bible verses that suit both a ruthlessly political and religiously extremist approach.  This approach works hand in hand with scheming politicians and money grubbing preachers to control society in ways that advance the agendas of the these politicians and preachers. 

This sinister and cynical belief system pits people against each other.  It says conservatives are more patriotic more truly American than progressives.  It says the wealthy are more deserving than the middle class.  It says Christians are the only ones in possession of religious truth and God’s favor; all other believers however good or kind or moral they may be are just wrong and should be opposed.  It says that straights are a higher form of human than gays are and that heterosexuals represent God’s ideal while gays represent some sick perversion of humanity and should be shunned and judged for being depraved.  It says the Bible carries more value than people.  It says there is no room in Congress for anyone except who fundamentalist Christians say belong there.  It says that money, not love, is the real proof of God’s approval on one’s life.  It says that it’s okay to bully people, to belittle and condemn them, and to turn against them in the name of Christ if they do not follow the life, the behavior, the rules conservatives set as the norm. 

It is simply not true that liberals or Democrats or progressives or atheists are our most destructive forces in society.  It is not Hollywood that corrupts us.  Our problems today are not caused by yoga or New Age teaching, by book reading or higher education, by rap music or R-rated movies. 

No, what is really breaking down the structures of our society and creating among us an atmosphere of anger, hate, prejudice, political dysfunction, educational incompetence and religious exploitation and manipulation, is the influence of today’s decaying Christian arena.

(c) 2012 Timothy Moody

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