Why America’s Christian right is wrong

It’s always been easy to use religion, in this case Christianity, as a means to enshrine bigotry, hatred, and stupidity. In the last 30 years or so, we’ve seen a strong and politically effective bond between Christian zealots and the American Republican Party.

All social democracies have freedom of religion. And so, if you believe, literally, in magical apples, talking snakes, talking donkeys, and virgin births, that’s your choice, your right, and your privilege. The problem, from the perspective of liberals, progressives, and thinking people, isn’t (just) the theology of the “Christian right.”

The danger is when this theology is grafted into public policy. Indeed, what we have now in the conservative movement is a theological political ideology, a “theopolitical” point of view. And so, human life at conception is afforded the same privileges as you and I.

Thus, if the anti-reproductive rights people had their way, once a woman is pregnant, her body becomes property of the state. To abort a pregnancy is murder: premeditated murder. What, then, would be the punishment for a woman and her doctor, if abortion is outlawed? Premeditated murder is a capital crime in America, punishable by death.

It gets worse. If you believe in magical, mystical things that cannot be empirically proven, then you give less credence to science. Global warming, evolution, biological science, even fiscal policy all become matters purely of faith. You believe in what “feels” right, and what your pastor taught you last week in Sunday school.

As aforementioned, the political/religious nexus has a long and bloody, violent history. The Bible, as some believed (and far too many still believe), permits slavery, damns dark-skinned people, outlaws homosexuality, relegates women to second-class citizenry, declares all other religions false, extorts genocide when God commands it … the list is extensive.

If I sound derisive of Christianity, I am not, so much as I’m exhausted by the learned ignorance and sustained lack of sophistication the Right, particularly the Christian right, espouses. The moral hypocrisy of this group is just as breathtaking.

Abortion is a perfect example. If they had their way, abortion would be illegal. Yet, all the social programs that help underprivileged, single mothers with young children (the majority of those who seek abortions) are seen as wasteful and “socialist.”

So child welfare, pre and postnatal care, early learning programs, subsidized daycare, food and nutrition subsidies, subsidized medical care, and career training programs would be cut or abolished by the same people who want woman to have children they do not want and cannot afford. Life is only important in so far as it exist. The quality of life is irrelevant to the Christian right.

Another example can be found in the American “justice” system, wherein we incarcerate more citizens than almost any other country, including dictatorships and communist regimes, is not one conducive to rehabilitation or re-acclamation into society. Yet, many on the Christian right are pleased with this, and think more prisons and harsher penalties are in order. Jesus, full of mercy, indeed.

The rank hypocrisy and immorality of those so-called Christians in the Republican Party is obvious. What I want thinking conservatives to do, (the few who are still out there and dare to speak), is to resist the cancerous growth of the hardcore and ridiculous of their party.

Bigotry and ignorance are part of the human condition. I hope conservatism isn’t inextricably linked to said bigotry and ignorance. America needs two thinking parties. Not just one. I pray a change will come. No pun intended.

The writer holds a master’s degree in English literature and literary theory and is currently an English professor outside of Seoul. He can be reached at deauwand@hotmail.com. <The Korea Times/Deauwand Myers>

news@theasian.asia