Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Christian Herd Mentality

In my previous post, I quoted Andrew Sullivan's observation regarding Bush and Cheney's accomplishments, in which he said:

"But what they did to the culture - how they systematically dismantled core American values like the prohibition on torture and respect for the rule of law - is the worst and most enduring of the legacies."

I utterly and completely agree with these sentiments. It is also worth noting that it was possible for Bush and Cheney to do so much cultural damage only because evangelical Christians became cult like worshipers of these men. Evangelical Christians remain largely supportive of Bush and Cheney - despite all that has been revealed about their conduct while in office. Had we had any concern for basic human decency, had we any Christian concern for our neighbor - whom Jesus told us to love as much as we love ourselves - we would have abandoned Bush and Cheney long ago and insisted on accountability. But because these were our guys, we supported them against the evil forces arrayed against them. Defending torture and a overlooking a lawless government were simply costs of our allegiance - and we paid these costs eagerly.

Think about it. We abandoned core American values rather than admit that we'd been duped by a religious con. And we continue to do so.

I'm completely and utterly embarrassed that Christians are still largely supportive of these men, and want them to be protected from prosecution. God help us - we've lost our minds.

Joe H.

3 comments:

Alan Bahr said...

You've heard me say it before, Joe, but this is due, in part, because very few of us are Christian. We're a nation stuck on the Ten Commandments, when Jesus wanted us to be better than that. Christ's admonishments never really took to heart, or we would never have let this crap happen.

Jim Wehde said...

Alan:

This comment could NOT have been more SPOT ON.

Bilbo Baggins said...

A blogger on the Christian Century blog challenges "liberals" and other left leaning Christians to consider how we sometimes treat and use
fundamentalism as a derogatory term -- i.e., claiming to be a "recovering Fundamentalist."