How can Christians be right-wing when the teachings of Jesus lean so much to left and liberal?

[aubiefifty 18,259]

Answer: I can give you the answer for the USA specifically. First, we need a baseline of why the left and right wing became the way that they are now.

The short answer is that prior to the 1960s, the two parties were actually both a mess of liberals and conservatives, with the Republican party actually starting more progressive and the Democrat party being pro establishment and oozing together over roughly 100 years.

Then the 60s happened, and the first Catholic President was elected (Kennedy), and that's when the party lines start to solidify into Republican = conservative and Democrat = liberal. The Republican party started taking shape under the influence of Barry Goldwater, who campaigned for President on a platform that included a lot of anti-Civil Rights Movement sentiment.

The evangelical churches in the "Bible Belt" region opposed Brown v. Board of Education by starting religious private schools. They could claim religious freedom instead of racial discrimination as an excuse to maintain segregation. Several schools became known as "segregation academies" until the IRS threatened to take away their tax-exempt status.

1965 saw the passage of the Voting Rights Act and the beginning of the "southern strategy." I know this all sounds like I'm focused on racial tensions, but this is where the religious identity starts to tie in. Jerry Falwell was a preacher at a megachurchin Virginia that argued that the government had turned its back on whites in favor of African Americans and Latinos. Nizxon

The number of African Americans becoming voters and joining with the Democrats that were not directly campaigning against them alarmed the Republican leaders. So they branded themselves as the party of good old-fashioned family values and promised that they wouldn't leave the white voter behind.

The seeds planted in the 60s grew into vines that tied American Christianity to the right wing in the 70s. Race had been the dividing factor, and now a new target showed up: feminism. Sex Ed? What good Christian would be in favor of teaching young people about sex? Birth Control? That's a big no-no. Abortion? How dare you! All issues that had support among the progressive Democrat party were easy to establish as anti-Christian and used to garner more support for right-wing politicians.

Nixon even had "America's Pastor" Billy Graham give a prayer at his inauguration, lending credibility that the Republicans were the party of the good Christian folk.

Other challenges in this era that supported this claim were removing Bible readings and prayers from schools and the war on drugs.

By the end of the 1970s the narrative started to switch from "the Republican platform supports Christianity" to "Christianity supports the Republican platform." And given that there was a political cartoon called "This Godless Communist" and coalitions of religious leaders that had spoken out against communism in the 20th century, it was easy to associate the anti-Reaganomics sentiments towards bolstering healthcare and welfare funding as "communist" and by association, "godless."

Taking the last two elections in the United States as a sample, the average age of a Donald Trump voter was between 56-60. That means their formative years were during the rise of the Christian Right, and their first presidential election would be 1980. Meaning a lot of them probably voted for Ronald Reagan in their first or second election.

TL;DR: racism and anti-feminism made Republicans appeal to voters by claiming pro-family values, and they had some famous pastors help cement that image.

 

I would add in the rise of Jerry Fallwell's The Moral Majority as a major influence on the Christian right in the 70s and 80s.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6kOStRkQkLLosYoVLEKppy?si=eSBPLUr2SVqxk7cPj8UmhA

 

Jesus would be very disappointed in modern American Christians. He would speak out against mega-churches and these “pastors” wearing Rolex watches and fancy life styles.

 

just some thoughts on christianity by some of our young folks on reddit. they are pretty angry..................

 

 

[icanthearyou 4,468]

We replaced Jesus with Capitalist Jesus.

Jesus lacked the worldly power necessary in order to keep us divided by class, race, theology, ideology. 

Jesus told us to regulate our own sin, not the sin of others, to consider the human condition of others in relation to our own and, aid the less fortunate.

Capitalist Jesus wants us to regulate the sin of others believing in our own "righteousness" (theology, ideology).  Capitalist Jesus teaches self sufficiency with no regard for the human condition of others.  They have what they deserve.

Jesus teaches us that all of our gifts are derived from God and therefore, we have a responsibility to share.  Capitalist Jesus teaches that they are the fruits of our labor and, we alone are entitled to the benefits.

Jesus teaches us that we are all equal.  Capitalist Jesus teaches us that the more we attain the better people we are, to value those in our tribe above all others.

Jesus was humble and modest.  Capitalist Jesus has a Bentley, a Lamborghini, a Gulf Stream jet.

[SaltyTiger 8,579]

7 hours ago, icanthearyou said:

Jesus teaches us that we are all equal. 

No he did not. Jesus talked more about the “servant”. Unity is about about a faith in God. Not about unified people. That will never happen.

[TexasTiger 14,310]

4 hours ago, SaltyTiger said:

No he did not. Jesus talked more about the “servant”. Unity is about about a faith in God. Not about unified people. That will never happen.

I hope you’re making time for vacation Bible school this summer, Salty. Your swordsmanship’s a bit rusty. (Pardon my Southern Baptist references if they don’t resonate. 😉)
Ephesians 2:14

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,

Hebrews 12:14

14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Proverbs 22:2

2 Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all.

Psalms 67:4

4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth.

Leviticus 19:33-34

33 “ ‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. 

34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

Colossians 3:10-11

10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 

11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in 

Galatians 3:26-29

26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 

27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 

28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 

29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

[SaltyTiger 8,579]

19 hours ago, TexasTiger said:

hope you’re making time for vacation Bible school this summer, Salty.

Thanks the verses. Proves my point

[TitanTiger 21,246]

Jesus defies American political categories.  Depending on the specific issue at hand, He would get labeled "woke" or "liberal" at times, conservative or a religious zealot at others, and neither or a mixture the rest of the time.  He'd confound and confuse people all across the spectrum because we like our labels and He wouldn't care about any of them and our need for ideological "consistency."

Christians here should try it sometimes.

[icanthearyou 4,468]

The "ideology" of Jesus is found in what He was willing to suffer for,,, His love of humanity.

We seem to lack an understanding of love and, humanity.  We are firmly entrenched in this world.

[NolaAuTiger 3,295]

At least we can all agree that God created "male and female" but not transgender. 

[SaltyTiger 8,579]

13 hours ago, TitanTiger said:

Christians here should try it sometimes.

Reading this forum it is always leftest that bring up Jesus. Of course our authority, Mr Palmface, has no use for Biblical teachings.

[SaltyTiger 8,579]

7 hours ago, icanthearyou said:

We seem to lack an understanding of love and, humanity. 

“We” who? That is just not true. It is your choice to live daily life as you choose. Nothing more than the present moment is insured. Spend it how you choose. 

[icanthearyou 4,468]

14 hours ago, SaltyTiger said:

Reading this forum it is always leftest that bring up Jesus. Of course our authority, Mr Palmface, has no use for Biblical teachings.

That is not true. 

[gr82be 14,913]

On 4/30/2023 at 11:59 AM, aubiefifty said:

Jesus would be very disappointed in modern American Christians. He would speak out against mega-churches and these “pastors” wearing Rolex watches and fancy life styles.

If the mega church pastors are leading people to Christ then what is the problem? If a lost soul gets saved in a mega church or whether they're eating a mega meal it makes zero difference. I attend a mega church and it has more disclosure than many small churches I ever went to. I have zero problem giving to a church that is leading people to the Lord, especially young people. I guess that's what separates people. Some have figured out that there is way more after death than before to be experienced. This lifetime is about preparing for that one. I don't care what kind of watch my pastor may wear. Let's put it in perspective to the football board. We're okay with a coach making millions to lead a football team to a national championship but someone has a problem with a pastor wearing a Rolex while leading people to Jesus. That's sad. 

[arein0 1,105]

1 hour ago, gr82be said:

If the mega church pastors are leading people to Christ then what is the problem? If a lost soul gets saved in a mega church or whether they're eating a mega meal it makes zero difference. I attend a mega church and it has more disclosure than many small churches I ever went to. I have zero problem giving to a church that is leading people to the Lord, especially young people. I guess that's what separates people. Some have figured out that there is way more after death than before to be experienced. This lifetime is about preparing for that one. I don't care what kind of watch my pastor may wear. Let's put it in perspective to the football board. We're okay with a coach making millions to lead a football team to a national championship but someone has a problem with a pastor wearing a Rolex while leading people to Jesus. That's sad. 

I think it is a little bit of a hypocrisy for a pastor to flaunt his wealth when there are scriptures that say otherwise. The other thing, some people, myself included, doesn't think it's ethical to get rich off asking for money to go to a good cause, whether it's a religious or charity organization. Like I want to know that the organization I'm donating to is going to use my funds to help people in need, not funding the leaders ridiculous salary. I have no problem with the leaders / employees taking a salary, but there is a huge difference between taking a livable salary and taking a top 1% salary. Just think how much people they could help with that difference.

Matthew 6:24 ESV

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

[gr82be 14,913]

7 hours ago, arein0 said:

I think it is a little bit of a hypocrisy for a pastor to flaunt his wealth when there are scriptures that say otherwise. The other thing, some people, myself included, doesn't think it's ethical to get rich off asking for money to go to a good cause, whether it's a religious or charity organization. Like I want to know that the organization I'm donating to is going to use my funds to help people in need, not funding the leaders ridiculous salary. I have no problem with the leaders / employees taking a salary, but there is a huge difference between taking a livable salary and taking a top 1% salary. Just think how much people they could help with that difference.

Matthew 6:24 ESV

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

I spoke for my church which is a incredibly forthcoming on how money is being spent for the further advancement of God's kingdom. I left a prior church because it was not, borrowing money to fulfill God's purpose. I mean, if it's God's calling that you do something then I doubt you need a loan to do it. I do know that the church I belong to doesn't borrow money to build new campuses, help in disaster relief, fund bible publishings in languages around the world who have never had a bible in their own language before and then go into prisons to spread the Gospel to people who have a critical need for something and someone positive in their life. I can't speak for all mega church pastors but I don't think the article should either. Lies and innuendo take root in a weak person looking for an excuse to avoid Jesus. 

Edited May 5, 2023 by gr82be
Spell check error

[gr82be 14,913]

On 5/1/2023 at 12:10 PM, icanthearyou said:

Jesus teaches us that all of our gifts are derived from God and therefore, we have a responsibility to share. 

Amen!