'Vertical Morality' Might Describe Why MAGA Christians Seem So Unchristian

[marmar]

(HuffPost) For many Americans, the gap between Christian teachings and MAGA politics is baffling. How can people profess faith in Jesus ― who preached love, mercy and care for the oppressed ― while supporting policies that punish immigrants, demonize LGBTQ people and glorify cruelty?

The key to understanding this apparent contradiction might lie in something called “vertical morality.”

What Is Vertical Morality?

“Vertical morality teaches that authority, power and a moral code of right and wrong, or acceptable and unacceptable, come from ‘above’ ― an external superior who designates rules, systems and tenets that must be obeyed by those beneath,” said Tia Levings, a former Christian fundamentalist and author of “A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy.”

In the context of religion, the superior is God. In politics, it might be an authoritarian dictator. In a cult, it would be the controlling leader. Whatever the circumstances, the idea is that behaviors are only right or wrong based on what the figure in power says.

“Vertical morality in Christianity is the idea that our ethics and behaviors have a duty to please God alone. We get our morals from God and we must obey him, furthering the will of God no matter the cost,” said April Ajoy, author of “Star-Spangled Jesus: Leaving Christian Nationalism and Finding A True Faith.” ..............(more)

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/vertical-morality-might-describe-why-maga-christians-seem-so-unchristian-goog_l_69bc09f1e4b0bb6debb7954b

[Jbraybarten]

1. They simply are not Christian. They just like the brand except for that pesky Jesus guy

[angrychair]

11. All due respect

That is Christianity. I mean in the Bible their god tortures, enslaves, rapes, murders the offspring of every living thing. That is just what we are told he did to those called "Gods chosen people".

God advocated for everything from slavery to infanticide
I mean, according to the Bible, god once commanded two bears to maul 40+ children to death for making fun of a guy for being bald. That seem reasonable to you?

[Jbraybarten]

18. in terms of

what they are and the core of what Jesus taught, no that is not Christianity. I'm not here to defend the Bible.
All I'm saying that the core of what Jesus taught in the Gospel is positive and focused on helping those who have the least, which is counter to the GOP.

The Old Testament isn't the Gospel.

[Wednesdays]

2. The same mentality that espoused slavery.

It's now used to support misogyny, racism, and fascism.

[angrychair]

14. The Bible

Never once speaks out against slavery. It was a fact that the Slave Bible (a modified Bible that highlighted that fact, while removing anything to do with freedom or equality, given to slaves brought to America).
Christianity teaches slavery and obedience as a core tenant.

[Wednesdays]

19. Well, it mentions the Hebrew slaves in Egypt like it's a bad thing.

But yeah, enslaving other people was okay. The irony was apparently lost to them.

[Drum]

3. "...buying a stairway, to heaven."

[617Blue]

4. They also talk a lot about "forgiveness" for sins - basically a get out jail free card. *

[ms liberty]

5. In the Middle Ages, these are the people who would be terrified they were bound for hell

When the King was excommunicated for not obeying the Pope.

Superstitious fools.

[MiHale]

6. And the stinking, filthy, Atheists were right...

Eliminate gods of all kinds.

[angrychair]

15. It's true

It's the only way. All gods must die.

[Martin68]

7. Umm, If anything, I believe Jesus preached against any concept like "vertical morality."

So anybody who subscribes to such an elitist belief is not a real Christian.

[OMGWTF]

8. Jesus is their mascot but not their role model.

[flvegan]

9. So when Trump was raping little girls

he was either pleasing or obeying (or both) God? Is that what I'm to believe from these MAGA "Christians" now? How...contradictory.

I'll stick with "bullshit fucking hypocrite fake-ass Christians" (MAGA) rather than some other made up (almost apologetic sounding) "vertical morality" when there are, in fact, no morals. a/k/a it's a fucking cult made up of stupid, useless meat puppets.

[mwmisses4289]

10. They have no morality, vertical or otherwise.

They are amoral, anti-christian freaks. Ye gods, my cats have more morality in the tips of their tails than these freaks have in their little toe!

[WmChris]

12. Perceptions

You can justify whatever behavior you as long as you adjust your perception of God's will is. I personally am not arrogant enough to believe I know what a mythical figurehead expects of me. I'm also not gullible enough to buy into the cult bullshit this administration is selling as righteousness. It seems like treating others the way you would expect to be treated seems works pretty good.

[multigraincracker]

13. Most, not all Western Religion are based on authority. Some one laying down the rules for you to follow and

let you know what the penalties are. The authoritarian leaders picks the rules from that persons scripture which most likely goes against other parts of the same rule book. I pick not to buy any of it. Love to read and study it, just not follow it. Love to listen to them and then throw some words attributed, in red letters, that counters all of what they said.
I would never want everyone to think alike.

[angrychair]

16. Let's be clear

Religion, from the beginning, was and still is, a tool for control.
History literally tells us that it was used in this way.
Very quick and dirty history lesson, the Roman Empire in Rome was toothless and a zombie of its former glory.
The Eastern Roman Empire was falling apart too and Emperor Constantine was looking to consolidate power and influence of his rule and decided to use Christianity as that tool. Made it the official religion and put anyone to death that would not bend the knee to their new god many had never even heard of, even then. There were a lot "gods" about back then.

Christianity was mandatory and enforced by the power and might of the empire. That is how Christianity spread to all of Europe, at the point of a spear and swing of an sword.

[multigraincracker]

17. Like I said, most but not all. Friends Churches for example, No Talking, singing or chewing gum, the Friends service has

UUs are pretty tolerant but vary among them, but mostly Secular. You can find individual other churches that lean toward those Red Letters. Each Denomination and individual churches tend to vary. If you really want to attend a church, there is most likely one you can find in your area. My wife is a member of two that preach love and she loves to volunteer in service to the less fortunate. I respect that and may attend a service a few times a year. I enjoy not judging them and just observing, more like what learned studying anthropology in college. I had a course in Anthropology of Religion that I loved.

[LisaM]

20. There are some good takeaways in this article.

I've always been consistently baffled how so many charlatans like Jerry Falwell and Jim Bakker manage to hoodwink so many people in the name of Jesus. I like reading articles like this because they contain actual reasoning about why people behave the way they do (like listening to experts on cults who have a huge amount of insight). I'm not saying I condone the behavior but I always appreciate windows of understanding.