AmeriChristianity

[OneGrassRoot]

No doubt like many of you, I'm reeling from the stunning level of hate and viciousness so many right-wing, so-called Christians are spewing everywhere since last Friday after the horrific attacks in Paris. I've been surrounded by racism and bigotry my entire life, and it has been more visible than ever since 2008, but something snapped over the last few days, egged on by both radical conservative politicians and radical conservative religious leaders. They simply cannot see that they are sliding into their own version of fear- and hate-fueled radical extremism. And that is putting us all in danger.

I started with the following message:

I think we can finally all agree that the United States is not a Christian nation after all. The hatred spewing forth surrounding immigration and refugees proves that those of you who are most vocal about God, Country, Family (sorry, are guns in there somewhere now too?) aren't even trying to follow Christ's teachings. You're not even trying, so you have no moral standing to push any of your cafeteria-style religiosity. Thank you for making me more grateful than ever that I don't follow any religion and that we do have a separation of church and state in the US.

This same callous, selfish attitude has been shown for decades towards our own homeless population in the United States. So, there's that. But the hate (fear) is almost overwhelming now.

Then I read what is a MOST EXCELLENT blog post, by a minister, John Pavlovitz. He seems to have coined a perfect word: AmeriChristianity.

I'm using it nonstop now when dealing with any so-called Christian promoting nuking the entire Middle East and similar Jesus-like messages.

Freeing Christians From Americhristianity

http://johnpavlovitz.com/2015/11/17/freeing-christians-from-americhristianity/

And once that fear becomes the dominant force in your religion, you end up becoming more and more terrified, more desperate, more jittery, more reactionary in your responses. You grow more hostile to those you perceive as outsiders, more contemptible of those who are different, more drawn to protection and violence and aggression.

In other words: You become less and less like Jesus.

What you’re seeing right now in the wake of the terrorist attacks from so many professed Christians is not Jesus, or the loving, radically hospitable, interdependent community which sprang from his life and ministry.

<snip>

It’s simply Americhristianity. It is a Frankensteined faith made as much of rabid nationalism, political posturing, and fearful self-preservation, as it is the foot-washing, enemy forgiving, humble hearted, suffering Christ of the Gospels. It’s a flailing, angry, violent monster that once began as a noble experiment in Life.

Most American Christians have lived so long in Americhristianity that they simply accept that this is how their faith is supposed to look and sound and react. They live in an echo chamber of agreement in churches and talk shows and podcasts. That’s why when Christian politicians rushed to close their doors and borders to Syrian refugees, as they ramped up the inflammatory generalizations about Muslims, and as they called for immediate airstrikes, so many stood and applauded and amen-d, because they now have fear as their default setting and it feels natural.

It's a really good piece. I hope it helps you in interactions with the many AmeriChristians out there.

[MisterP]

1. here's some of the precedent--Boetcker's fake Lincoln quote in the service of "positive thinking"

and capitalism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._H._Boetcker

the US's long tradition of non-mainline, DIY Christianity has had very interesting results, generating both the fundies and tremendous movements answering unanswered demands and giving tremendous moral leverage against war

so the fundies have motives, even if they're not direct--Cold War reaction, the failure of experts and technocrats with Vietnam, the malaise from OPEC and stagflation, and an identity marker for a middle class that felt itself besieged

[Fritz Walter]

2. His December 1 blog is even more forceful: My Emancipation from American Christianity

The full essay is here: http://johnpavlovitz.com/2015/12/01/my-emancipation-from-american-christianity/

My favorite excerpt:

I’ve outgrown the furrowed-browed warnings of a sky that is perpetually falling.
I’ve outgrown the snarling brimstone preaching that brokers in damnation.
I’ve outgrown the vile war rhetoric that continually demands an encroaching enemy.
I’ve outgrown the expectation that my faith is the sole property of a political party.
I’ve outgrown violent bigotry and xenophobia disguised as Biblical obedience.
I’ve outgrown God wrapped in a flag and soaked in rabid nationalism.
I’ve outgrown the incessant attacks on the Gay, Muslim, and Atheist communities.
I’ve outgrown theology as a hammer always looking for a nail.
I’ve outgrown the cramped, creaky, rusting box that God never belonged in anyway.

Most of all though, I’ve outgrown something that simply no longer feels like love, something I no longer see much of Jesus in.

[OneGrassRoot]

3. Yes!

I forgot that I even created this OP. I've been sharing his latest far and wide. Powerful stuff.

[Fritz Walter]

4. My thanks to you, sir or ma'am!

After getting burned once -- getting an OP locked because its link was duplicated in another OP -- I've learned to search before starting a new post.
Imagine my pleasant surprise to find yours.

Keep the faith, but continue to question authority, whether it's religious, corporate, governmental or other hierarchies.