The Way We Never Were: Calling Out Evangelicals For Hypocrisy Misses the Point
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
One mai nstay of our current political discourse is the injudicious use of the term “hypocrisy” to call out one’s political opponents. Charges of hypocrisy are ubiquitous across the political spectrum, but they play a significant role in religious critiques of Trump and his evangelical supporters.
Writing for the Guardian , Samuel G. Freedman, for instance, portrays Trump as a modern-day Cyrus, the ancient Persian ruler who, according to biblical traditions, allowed the Babylonian exiles from Judah to return to their homeland. Freedman suggests, “ Under King Cyrus Trump, however, the religious right has laid bare its hypocrisy, and indeed its heresy.” He goes on to hope that perhaps one day “white evangelicals will recover some of their ethical and religious moorings.”
Jay Caruso expresses much the same sentiment. Writing for the Dallas Morning News , he notes that when it comes to evangelical support for Trump, “all of the lying, multiple marriages, multiple sexual assault and harassment allegations, ugly comments about immigrants, petty and vindictive insults thrown at people who dare to criticize him—none of it matters.” Evangelical leaders like Robert Jeffress—who just last week referred to evangelicals who don’t support Trump as “ spineless morons ”— proudly wear their “hypocrisy” on their sleeves.
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Fundamentalism is characterized by obedience. This is true, regardless of the religion. Islamist fundamentalists' behavior and beliefs are very similar to 'Christian" fundamentalists.
Obedience to the preacher / imam, even if that means going directly against the religion's strictures.
Fundamentalism. A sanitized word for those who keep 'The Inquisition Card' in their pocket at the ready when 'Their Opportunity' arrives.
Jesus Christ would, without any doubt, abhor the damn gop of today...