I understand the social issue part of it: gay marriage, abortions. What I don't understand is the perpetuation of massive wealth inequality, and the valuing of the rich above the poor, since Jesus was totally a champion of the poor. It's no small stretch of the imagination to say that, if Jesus were to be transplanted to our modern times, he would be some kind of religious socialist.
If you read Acts 2, Acts 3, and 2 Corinthians 8, it's exceedingly clear that what scripture does require
within the Body of Christ is the redistribution of wealth as necessary to make sure all members everywhere have their needs met, even to the point of economic equality. Of course, no Americans want to hear that, because the patron god of Americans is actually Mammon.
Another thing I don't get is the glorification of the military. War is bad. I mean, of course there are such things as a just war, but I think we should do everything we can to prevent wars. Maybe I'm just a silly young idealist?
I'm a military guy. There is a subtle distinction to be made between glorifying war and respecting the soldiers who fight it.
For one thing, the basic ethical framework of the soldier is the same as the Christian...it's just the commander that is different. That's why only a soldier was able to "astound" Jesus with his faith...a soldier "gets it."
Most soldiers fight for different reasons than most governments go to war. No war is ever declared by a poor man or a working man. Wars are always declared by the wealthy and powerful to maintain and enhance their wealth and power. They then concoct moralistic reasons to bring the shopkeeper and farmer on board.
I can assure you, the average American soldier does believe he's fighting in the Middle East for moral ideals, but I can also assure you that if there were no oil on the Saudi Peninsula and no sweet deals between the Saudis and US oil companies, the US would not have fought any wars there. It was stationing a standing force of American troops in Saudi Arabia that led directly to the bombing of the World Trade Center, so even the war in Afghanistan would not have occured, except for the oil company contracts in Saudi Arabia.
Glorification of war is a different thing, falling under the heading of "nationalism" to be discussed in a moment.
Also, the whole gun culture. You know, if Jesus were around today I'm sure he would have a large collection of guns in his basement.
I don't get it either. Even if one argues the necessity of guns for self-defense, that does not explain the Christian fetish culture with guns.
And the environment. I'm not sure, don't you think Jesus would want us to protect the environment?
As stewards of creation, yes. If someone says, "We're wasting natural resources," the answer of a good steward should never be "We have plenty left."
Bill Gates has all the money in the world to pay his electric bill, but if I were the head butler in Bill Gates' mansion, as a good steward I would still turn off the lights in unoccupied rooms.
Jesus commanded us to preach the gospel "to all creation." I've thrashed that verse out through the Greek and through the scholars, and it always works out that "creation" here really does mean "the natural world."
That doesn't mean we walk up to a tree and recite John 3:16. But it does mean that our practice of the gospel should result in relief to the world that "groans" under the weight of sin.
One day God might ask, "Whatever happened to the elephants I created? I got a hoot out of designing elephants. What did you do to care for them?"
But the true patron god of the US is Mammon, and Mammon is the adversary in the issue of the environment.
And the ridiculous, fervent nationalism. Do you think God has some kind of special destiny for America? We're just a country, like any other country. Nations are a human construct. Do you really think the God of the universe cares about flags and anthems? He doesn't love an American more than a Frenchman or a Mexican or a Nigerian or even a filthy, godless Chinese communist heathen.
Most Christians in America just don't know where their home is.
Read 1 Peter. We are citizens of Heaven deployed to these various earthly nations as aliens and sojourners. We are here to perform a mission of limited duration, then we're going home.
1 Peter is the field manual for how we are to relate to the natives of earthly nations as ambassadors of Christ. It goes into detail about the distinct difference of our cultural foundation and our different heritage. But we are not supposed to "go native" and begin acting like this is our home.
Also pertinent are 1 Timothy 2:2 and Romans 13.
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. -- 1 Timothy 2:1,2
This tells us what the state owes the Christian: Merely to be left in peace to live as a Christian. That's all. Benign neglect. I was in the Philippines when they had a "people's revolution" to oust Ferdinand Marcos. It was pretty interesting watching a revolutoin going on around us. But we didn't care that Marcos was being ousted because we already had the assurance of the incoming government that we would be able to continue our mission. Soldiers get this: It's all about the mission of the commander; we don't care about civilian affairs.
Romans 13 tells us what the Christian is to give to the government: Pay the due taxes, obey the laws, give due honor to the officials.
Going back to that soldier thing again, it's interesting that Romans 13 is exactly what US soldiers must obey when deployed overseas. We were also required by our commander to pay whatever taxes we were charged, to obey their laws, and to honor their officials. Soldiers get this: That did not make us think we were citizens of that country.
Once we understand this is not our home, a lot of 1st Century Christianity comes into focus.
Take for instance, "Lay not for yourself treasures on earth...." Think about this: Where does a soldier deployed to Afghanistan keep his savings account? In an Afgan bank? Of course not--he keeps his money in a bank back in his home nation.
That's why it makes total sense for a citizen of Heaven to accumulate his treasure in Heaven while he's deployed to a worldly nation. Soldiers get this: Keep your treasures in your real home.
It just all makes me facepalm, folks. A lot of Christians claim to love the Bible and the Constitution. But the Constitution is not a religious document. It is a secular document. America really, truly is a secular nation. That is what the Founders intended. They were sons of the European Enlightenment, a movement that was skeptical of God. In our republic, you aren't supposed to have laws based on a particular religion (gay marriage in mind here).
The Founding Fathers made sure of this: That the federal government required no more of a Christian than Romans 13 and that the government did no more than 1 Timothy 2. They did an excellent job of writing into law the contract between Church and State as layed out by the New Testament.