Is This What a Christian Nation Looks Like?
An Interview
Is it okay if I record this? Yes? Thank you… Just a moment… Right... Got it… We’re recording.
Thank you so much for your time. I know from reading your biographies that your last interview with a P. Pilate didn’t go so well. You offered few answers and the answers you did give seemed to get you into more trouble. I’m hoping this goes better…
I want to get right into it if that’s okay. Great.
Six in ten Americans believe that the US was founded to be a Christian nation. 45% of Americans believe that it should continue to be Christian…
Now… there is much debate over whether or not the US was founded to be a Christian nation, over just how Christian many of the founding leaders actually were, and if the US should be a Christian nation or a nation of separation of church and state… What was that? Yes, I know. The separation of Church and State is addressed in an amendment to the Constitution: ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.’
But that’s not the point of this particular interview. Let’s assume, for the sake of discussion, that the US is a Christian nation… I know, I know, your kingdom is not of this world… but there are many of your followers who believe that this is a Christian nation.
So, with that in mind, let me highlight some recent stories and ask the question, ‘Is this What a Christian Nation Looks Like?’ And for context, I want to note that 72% of white protestant evangelicals fully support the actions of this country at this point. So I think the question is both timely and important.
You’ve been highly influenced by your Jewish faith, and your understanding of God is rooted in what Christians refer to as the Old Testament, but which for you would have been your Scriptures.
Over and over again God speaks of caring for the poor, the vulnerable, the outcast, and the least of these, as do you. In fact, from my reading of the Bible… Pardon? Yes, I have read it. Anyway, it seems like the only time God ever gets really angry with the people is when they fail to feed the poor, when they fail to care for the vulnerable. Am I right?… For the recording he nodded yes.
And yet, a chainsaw has recently been taken to USAID, putting millions of people around the world at risk of starvation and death. HIV/AIDS funding has been dramatically cut. The Veterans Administration is set to be cut significantly, potentially putting many vets at risk. Apparently safety net programs for kids are also being targeted. This doesn’t sound much like you… or your movement?
Sorry… you’re very soft spoken today. I think you quoted yourself if I heard you correctly… just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. Is that what you said? Meaning, if we don’t feed the hungry we aren’t feeding you? If we don’t care for the vulnerable we aren’t caring for you?…
He’s nodding yes, for the recording. Interesting.
Immigration is a explosive issue in this country and no administration has been able to find a workable, fair solution. And I don’t want to minimize the challenge. Immigration is fraught with legal issues, human issues, political issues, and so much more…
Yes, I know God expected the Israelites to treat foreigners with respect since they had been foreigners in Egypt. You’re getting to my point… the dehumanizing of all immigrants. For example, labeling them as rapists, murderers, impure, poisoning the blood of the US, and even as pet eaters. It seems to fly smack in the face of your belief that all are created in the Image of God, which I’ll come back to…
Say that again? You are the stranger? I don’t quite… I see… You are present in the stranger and when we dehumanize him or her we are dehumanizing you. Again, interesting.
Anyway, here’s just one example of what’s happening right now:
Some young children, one with cancer, have been deported, children who are US citizens, by the way, as they were born here. The government insists that the deported moms wanted the children with them—but these claims have been called into question.
Your disciples once tried to keep children from you and you seemed pretty miffed about it. Do these actions reflect a Christian nation?… For the recording, he’s looking down at his feet.
Again, you’ve been highly influenced by your Jewish faith, which in the very beginning of your Scriptures says that all people are created in the Image of God. I would assume you take that to mean that all people are of incredible worth and value. Yes? And, to be fair, that concept is picked up in the Declaration of Independence, stating that all people are created equally.
I’ve already mentioned the dehumanizing of immigrants. Here’s another example:
“These are kids who will never pay taxes, they’ll never hold a job, they’ll never play baseball, they’ll never write a poem, they’ll never go on a date, many of them will never use a toilet unassisted…”
It doesn’t sound very Image of God, special, or of incredible worth, does it? They’ll never pay taxes? They’ll never hold a job? They’ll never use a toilet unassisted? Sounds like they are less than human… if they can’t pay taxes do they actually matter in the scheme of things?
I’m sorry. I can’t hear you when your head is in your hands.
I know you’re into healing. And yet huge cuts have been made to grants and organizations that do important research on how to cure diseases, along with cuts to the Food and Drug Administration and the Center for Disease Control. This will potentially put millions of US citizens into a financial health crisis.
The cuts to USAID, Health Care, the degrading of ‘the other,’—none of it seems to line up with the story of the Good Samaritan—about loving our neighbor, a neighbor being anyone in need. As in anyone.
Sorry… of course you know the point of that story.
I could go on and on but I think you understand.
So what do you say? Because so many believe the US is or should be a Christian nation (and I’m not suggesting it is or should be): Is this what a Christian nation would look like?
Sir?…
Jesus?…
For the recording… he’s weeping.
Thanks that was lovely. And correct. Great confusion a to Evangelical blind spot on all of this.
If American fundamentalism is "Christian," how much worse would the country it be if wasn't? I suggest it would be better because it would put human beings before dogma and theology. Imagine a world where people see each other as human beings and not through the cloud of language, culture, geographics, appearances, preferences, etc. Accepts people where they are and see to it that we take of each other. Less fear. More acceptance and cooperation.
There's been a lot of horrible stuff perpetrated by people who were quoting the Bible in all sincerity and earnestness. Believing something to be true doesn't make it so. I don't think any of the current "religious leaders" surrounding Trump have any capacity for self-reflection. A very simple question is: What makes you think your view of what God "wants for America," etc. is any more accurate or trustworthy than the claims made by fervent confederate God-fearing Bible-believers that the institution of slavery was godly.
The reality is that people make God in their image. This is so obvious in a political context and it doesn't just happen with Christianity. People conflate their deity to "think" and "act" a certain way that comports with their politics, biases, prejudices, etc. People who believe a deity is on their side have almost no limit to their actions, which are always seen as justified.