Monday, August 24, 2009

Anti-Obama article reveals depth of Christian corruption

Allow me to forego today's news briefs for the time being. Something I read this morning has been on my mind. And you know when that happens, I have to write about it.

Anti-gay phony news service One News Now has been doing all it can to help various groups derail President Obama's idea for health care reform.

But a recent "article" reveals more about the nature of One News Now and it's "Christian" audience than it does about the President.

The piece Healthcare for illegals part of Dems' plan, lays out the assertion that the President supports healthcare for illegal immigrants. The article does admit that Obama has said that his health plan does not support illegal immigrants.

But then the article says the following:

However, he also said during a radio interview that he has no problem with illegal immigrants receiving emergency room care in certain situations under his plan.

The article then quotes Congressman Spencer Bachus (Republican of course) taking the President and the Democrats in Congress for this position.

So the President thinks that illegal immigrants should be allowed to receive emergency room care in certain situations. What in world is wrong with that?

Would any self-respecting physician turn anyone away needing emergency room care? I don't think any physician would do this and I think that all reasonable people would agree with the position that anyone needing emergency room care should receive it.

But then again, this "article" is standard fare for One News Now.

One News Now articles generally aren't geared to showing both sides of an argument but to reinforce a position of exclusion.

And yet this news service is supposed to speak for the American Christian community?

So it's come to this. From "thou shalt love your neighbor as you would thyself," to the Good Samaritan stooping down to ask the man robbed and beaten on the lonely road his "legal" status before administering health care.

Really this isn't about the President's position, "illegal immigrants," or even health care in general. It's about how One News Now embraces an ugly form of Christianity in this country; a form that no one wants to talk about.

There is much spotlight on the most extreme nature of Islam, i.e. those who think that the religion advocates violence. And this is a good thing. However, I would like to see some attention devoted to just how some political/religious leaders have corrupted Christianity in this country.

Granted, they don't endorse violence, but their actions are insidious. They reduce Christianity to a coldblooded clique that embraces the desire to be the majority and also the desire to "take America for Christ."

This form of Christianity embodies megachurches full of precisely coiffed people in expensive suits who mistake wealth and position as evidence of God's favor rather than His grace.

It embodies having the "right" political and social affiliations, where people are brainwashed to think that there is a verse in the Bible saying "And Jesus said pick up your cross and follow me and I will give you a nice car, a nice house, 2.5 kids and a Republican President and Congress."

This form of Christianity not only embraces but encourages the use of the Bible as a weapon for passing judgement, explaining away blatant hypocrisies, and covering up lies told about various communities who are not the approved "chosen people."

It's this bastardized form of Christianity that gives all Christianity a bad name. If people have a negative view of the religion, it's not the fault of President Obama "illegal immigrants," the lgbt community or the other supposed forces of " Godless humanism."

It's the fault of organizations like One News Now and those whom the phony news service speaks to and whose causes it embraces.

It's time for One News Now and its allies (i.e. the religious right organizations, conservative bloggers, and various so-called pro-family spokespeople) to stop blaming everyone else for what they are causing.

The Bible itself tells Christians "no weapons formed against you shall prosper."

But it also says that "pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."

If you ask me, Christianity in this country has entered a freefall.


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6 comments:

Matt Algren said...

Ultra-conservative Christianity, maybe, but we've seen major positive steps from both the Episcopal and Evangelical Lutheran Churches this summer, in addition to the Church of Scotland and an almost-get from the Presbyterians.

Also, the Episcopal, Presbyterian, Unitarian, and Methodist denominations have explicitly endorsed the HR676 including single payer.

http://bit.ly/18X8Hq

Anonymous said...

There is much in the Old Testament that talks about how strangers and aliens in the land should be treated. In fact Got threatens judgement on Israel if they do not treat them well. He also talks about how the fruits of the land are to be shared with strangers.

Try Exodus 22:21-24, Exodus 23:9, Leviticus 19:33-34, Deuteronomy 10:18-19, Deuteronomy 24:14-18, to name a few. There is much more specific direction in the Bible on treatment of strangers in the land than on treatment of gay people. Its not even close.

How is it that the "Christian" position has come to allow them to bleed to death? If this is supposed to be a "Christian" nation, is that what it would look like?

anotherqueerjubu said...

While I don't disagree with your position on the current state of Christianity in this country, I take issue with you prejudiced generalization about "precisely coiffed people in expensive suits."

I like my expensive suits very much, even if I do buy them at sample sales. And I try my best to use the proper product promoted by queer divas so that my hair is primed to win the man of my dreams.

Well, fat chance, but I do my best.

Terry said...

Reminds me of the old joke about the guy who's turned away from a church because of his shabby clothes. He bumps into Jesus on the sidewalk, and Jesus tells him not to take it too personally because he'd been trying to get in there for *years.*

Buffy said...

And yet this news service is supposed to speak for the American Christian community?

It speaks for the RRRW Christian community. If you aren't one of them you can, essentially, eff off and die. You don't deserve health care, human rights, marriage equality, food, shelter or anything. Only by joining their exclusive club do you make yourself worthy.

Matt Algren said...

...RRRW...

Red River Romance Writers?
Relative Risk Ratio Watchers?
Really Really Right Wing?