What if the Right was Right? A Reflection on the "Christian States of America."

I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. -MK Gandhi

For years now I have been debating with friends and family on the question of whether the United States can (and should) be called a "Christian nation," and for the record, I have always argued a vehement no. But maybe I'm missing the point. What if I conceded that question, just for the sake of argument? What if I let go of my adherence to the dogmatic belief that the United States is and should be based on secularism and enlightenment values? Just how might it change things? What would it look like if we considered the nation's most pressing policy questions through the lens of "Christian" principles? What would it mean if the right was right?

War and Guns

"If you cannot say on the basis of the New Testament that Jesus was nonviolent, you cannot say anything about Jesus." -John L. McKenzie, Jesuit scholar

Let's start with the most controversial of the themes, and since I'm not a fan of mincing words, here it is: the advocacy of war and violence as tools of expressing grievances violates the most fundamental messages of Christianity because Jesus himself was the most renowned voice of principled nonviolence that the world has known.

Historically, the most vocal support for U.S. war-making has come from those who identify themselves as devout Christians. Not only is that surreal considering the philosophy of Jesus, but the sinister irony is that the main targets of the "war on terror" are radical fundamentalist Muslims against whom a primary grievance is their propensity to (mis)use religion to justify acts of violence. So for pro-war Christians, violence is righteous if its targets are threatening to Christianity or Christendom. But in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives very clear instructions about how to deal with foes, and his notion of righteousness varies significantly from that of many Christian US policymakers:

I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;...For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?...And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others?

In other words, loving your friend is easy. Loving your enemy is very difficult. So Christians (people who ascribe to live by the example of Jesus Christ) who advocate for war as a response to hatred and violence do insult to this key command. They are guilty of precisely the same kind of thinking for which they condemn their enemies.

Considering what Jesus' view of guns might have been is difficult given that firearms would not exist for many more centuries after his death. I have, however, heard more than one gun proponent point to the example of Jesus' "cleansing of the temple" as evidence that he would have not been as quick to condemn the individual's right to own and carry (and if necessary, use) weapons as, say, advocates of nonviolence might like.

The example does give pause. But consider this: the moment in the temple was the only act of anger ever shown by Jesus, and it was specifically directed against garish displays of greed and avarice. There is also no evidence that it was violent, and most contemporary scholars conclude it was not. The term in the original Greek (that was later liberally construed by English language translators as "whipped") literally means "to drive out." And the whip is mentioned in only one of four gospels (John), which is also the only gospel that mentions the role of sheep and cattle in the story. It's been widely understand for decades by Biblical scholars that the reference is to a cattle whip and was not used by Jesus on anyone. But even allowing for the most wide interpretation and conceding that Jesus used a whip to drive corrupt vendors out of the temple, his prayer on the cross during the crucifixion shows the truth of his heart. Instead of rage and bitterness, Jesus made a plea for forgiveness of those who condemned him to death. It is that example that we are asked to remember above all.

Taxes and Taxation

Believe it or not, there is plenty of evidence in the New Testament to suggest that Jesus was not only sympathetic to the maligned image of tax collectors, but that he advocated for more tolerance of those who had the world's most unpopular job.

He also commanded his followers to pay their taxes, and not to confuse the demands made by the state with those made by God. In an encounter between Jesus and and a suspicious mob who showed him a Roman coin, the Gospel of Matthew recounts the following exchange:

He saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. When they had heard these words, they marvelled and left him.

The command is notable in that Jesus neither condemned nor praised secular authority, but simply requested that it remain distinct from the realm of God.

Jesus's attitude towards taxes generally can be summed up in the following exchange, recounted from the Gospel of Luke:

Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them.

Together these excerpts suggest that Jesus viewed the payment of taxes as the responsibility of the citizen (who was not supposed to demonstrate stinginess), but also cautioned against greed or corruption on the part of those collecting the monies. Only those taxes which are necessary to the end of providing for the common good are righteous, but the question of how that figure is determined is left to the secular governmental authority and once settled, should be obeyed.

Foreign Policy and International Law

In order to fairly consider what Jesus' view on foreign policy might have been, we must return to the concept of nonviolence. I have heard it argued by Christians that it is morally indefensible for a nation-state in the age of global terrorism to take a position of nonviolence. We can't sit back and let terrorism just happen, the argument goes; a state is obliged to protect its citizens.

Notwithstanding the fact that Jesus did not concern himself with base matters like nationalism (because all of creation was his community), the assertion that nonviolence amounts to complicity is erroneous. Principled nonviolence is not just an absence of violence, it is a proactive commitment to social justice, and it is deeply rooted in the very simple idea that if you treat others fairly, you will have a lot less to worry about (this of course is also known as the Golden Rule.) However, many folks in the Christian war camp would have us believe that there is a moral obligation to meet terror with violence and war.

A century and a half ago, Abraham Lincoln, who himself was no stranger to war, remarked, "I am not so concerned as to whether God is on our side, as to whether we are on God's side."

With that one quote, the lens of the Christian audience shifts profoundly. Who are we, after all, to assume that because we had the luck to be born (or naturalized) into the United States that we have been specially chosen for benediction by God? Perhaps it's that our good fortune comes with a corresponding obligation: to use our gifts to help those less fortunate obtain theirs.

The United States can no longer ignore the interests of the people of the rest of the world, and a nation guided by Christ's example should know better than anyone that the most righteous approach to engaging with others is by locating our mutual interests as human beings. The reality is that states themselves are becoming increasingly irrelevant on the global stage, and the concept of citizenship itself is expanding and taking on global dimensions. If we are being honest about principles and values, there are very few issues where the roles of democratic citizen, true Christian (or Jew, Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist), and decent human being should come into conflict in the 21st century.

A genuinely Christian lens on international politics would not call for violence against one people by another in the name of God, but would ask that all people recognize that our moral and democratic obligations extend beyond our own borders, and that our political, economic, and spiritual development is deeply interwoven with the corresponding development of others. We cannot actualize as a people (Christian or democratic) if we continue to be dependent on the domination and submission of other human beings around the world.

Health Care and Socialism

For me, one of the most surreal claims being made by some on the far right about President Obama's health care reform proposal is that it is evidence of his (secret) hostility to Christianity and Christian values. Some of the most extreme opponents of the president have even suggested that his (alleged) preference for (partial) socialization of health care is enough to prove he is the anti-Christ. (Blogger's note: I would hyperlink to a blog that makes the aforementioned claim, but I can't bring myself to give these folks any more internet traffic, so if you want to read this stuff, Google it for yourself. I have to draw the line somewhere.)

The notion that universal health care is anti-Christian (not to mention undemocratic) is, well, kind of crazy. It is impossible for me to imagine that someone who has read and grasped the meaning of Jesus' teachings on compassion and kindness could argue against the idea that a society (especially one with policymakers and citizens who claim to be guided by Christian principles) is supposed to take care of its people - all of its people.

How can we interpret the commandment of "Love thy neighbor as thyself" but in the most literal possible sense: that we must respect the needs and desires of our fellow human beings and consider them as equal to our own. Is there some subtext or qualification that I (a layperson) am missing? Should the commandment really be read as "Love thy neighbor as thyself, as long as it doesn't inconvenience you too much, or if your neighbor seems kind of lazy or weird or different than you"?

I remember a few years back, a(n outspoken, unapologetic neoconservative) colleague and I were having a discussion about this very theme, when he challenged me point blank to sum up the most fundamental tenets of Christianity in one sentence. I remember blurting out, "We must take care of the least amongst us." He looked at me stoically for a few seconds and then nodded and mumbled somewhat defeatedly, "I guess I can't argue with that."

So if taking care of the least amongst is the first responsibility of Christians, how can there be any debate on whether universal health care is "moral" or "ethical" or "responsible"? Sure, there is plenty of room for discussion about the logistics of a universal policy, but I am completely flabbergasted as to why we - in the self-proclaimed "Christian states of America" (and self-proclaimed model democracy, come to that) have not yet reached a consensus on this first, most critical point. If we aren't willing to simply say that yes, everyone must be taken care of (and we must as a society find a way to do that), then what exactly are we doing?

Which brings me to my final point: Jesus was a socialist. There, I said it. To read the Gospels and come away from them with a picture of Jesus as anything but an advocate of communally-shared resources requires a level of cognitive dissonance that I simply cannot fathom. Please let me be clear (before my detractors start firing up their email clients to send off that hate mail): I am not saying that Jesus was a Stalinist or even a communist, just that it's very clear from his teachings that he believed that people were happier and healthier (literally and spiritually) when they shared with each other.

For example, the following comes from the New Testament book of Acts:

And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Read that again: "Possessors of lands sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold...and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need."

That passage bears an undeniable resemblance to the words of a political philosopher from eighteen centuries after the death of Christ, who wrote "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need." But while Karl Marx's philosophy of contributing for the common good is viciously maligned in the United States today (thanks mostly to the gross distortion of his philosophy by the brutal ideologies of Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, and others), there is little to no discussion amongst the Christian right about Jesus' own advocacy of the very same concept. Despite our verbal proclamations to the contrary, Americans (Christian or otherwise) have such a negative visceral association with the concept of socialism that we-thus far-have been unable to have an authentic, productive conversation about whether greed or compassion is the more moral (and productive) incentive for human beings engaged in the social experiment of the democratic nation-state. Regardless of how that discussion turns out, honest Christians are hard-pressed to deny that the example offered by Jesus' life tells us that if our own spiritual evolution (and frankly, salvation) is a consideration, we have no choice but to not only hold the needs of others in equal stead with our own, but must find ways to share what (oftentimes little) we have in order to fulfill that calling.

So if we concede that the United States is a "Christian nation," it follows that its citizens, as practitioners of the teachings of Jesus, should be: anti-war, anti-gun, anti-death penalty, pro-universal health care, pro-taxes and pro-(democratic) socialism, while also being - to the rest of the world - forgiving, meek, humble, generous and loving of everyone, even perceived enemies.

On the far right, it is often difficult to distinguish between policy and religion. Self-proclaimed Christians have gone to great lengths in recent years to tie religion to everything from health care reform to war to gun control, and the one common denominator pulling all these otherwise unrelated threads together is the notion that government presents the world's most insidious threat to the moral fabric of civilization. But these folks have it sadly backwards. It is not that Christianity is threatened by President Obama or the US (or any other) government or even by some vague notion of socialism. The regrettable truth is that Christianity has already been commandeered on the far right by the angry, the fearful, and the misguided, and if the religion (and by extension, the "Christian United States," since we're still working on the assumption that there is such a thing) is to thrive, those sentiments must be replaced with compassion, forgiveness, empathy and universal love.

Imagine.

Follow Cynthia Boaz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/cynthiaboaz

Comments

[markbhall]

Excellent article, stating eloquently what I've been saying for many years.

A long time ago, after being raised as a Christian, I decided to read the New Testament cover to cover. I realized that the religion I had been taught had nothing to do with the actual source material. My religion fell away like an old skin, and I am now happily atheist--but still trying to practice the real Christian morality: love your neighbor as you love yourself.

[Marian Aanerud]

The Bible says NOTHING about abortion what-so-ever.

However, certainly through literal translation of various biblical passages, if we were a "Christian Nation' we would make the Taliban look like a bunch of pot-smoking hippies.

I'm pretty sure the author is using "Christian" to mean "Christ-like".

Obviously, there are Christians who are Christians in name only, who identify as "Christian" only because they have been indoctrinated into it and/or enjoy the power and social acceptance that it brings.

Many Christians are very sincere, however, and I am also confused about their reluctance to support comprehensive Universal Health Care or "safety-net" types of programs to help others. I've come to the sort of freaky conclusion that they simply don't want their thunder stolen.

If secular, governmental agencies, apart from God, can render help to the poor and sick - what good are Christians? If the poor and sick are no longer dependent on the Church, at what point will Christians render service and bring them into "the fold"? THIS is why they see government as direct opposition to them - because if the government becomes the agency that provides community-based social support - it diminishes the role of the Church to do the same.

I think this dynamic is pathological - because it puts the Christians is a position where they essentially want people to be desperate so that they have little choice but to come to the Church.

[rtb61]

Well, the United States of America, just needs a bit more accurate branding. So rather than being just a 'Christian Nation', it should really be branded a 'Christian Preaching Nation' so as to differentiate it from those other more pacifist socialist 'Christian Practising Nations' especially those that define themselves by having staunchly secular governments. There all fixed, just add in the word 'Preaching' and they can continue to practice unchristian acts and legislate unchristian laws, and exploit each other in the most unchristian ways imaginable. Practice what you preach (just about any religion's claimed virtues), there's just no profit in it and, strangely enough that statement is absolutely true.

[regellner]

Excellent article!
Christians, if they support the teachings of Jesus, must be Socialist!

Of course we are not a Christian nation, but it is humorous that those who push Christianity the most are the ones that follow its teachings the least.
This, however, is nothing new. History is full of extremists who have done this time and time again. Christianity, a religion which from what I have read teaches peace above all else, has been twisted and used to promote violent agendas many times.
If only Christians would actually believe in their faith enough to follow it, then this would be a much better world.

[Jason Hollis]

like your Christ.
I do not like your Christians.
They are so unlike your Christ.
~Gandhi

[PoliticalJunkie65]

Along the same lines, I saw this bumper sticker.

Jesus is ok, I just don't like his fan club.

[Brian Trautman]

This is an important and provocative piece on many levels. You made a number of strong arguments about the extent to which Christian thought is exploited for power and political and financial gain, and how and why Christianity is frequently interpreted and invoked wrongly (purposely or not) by many of today’s social, educational and political leaders. I liked how you aptly tied artificial and hijacked claims of Christian belief and practice to violent and destructive policy decisions by contemporary government. I also enjoyed reading and reflecting on the evidence you put forth suggesting that Jesus, or at least his teachings and actions, could be considered "socialist" in nature! Indeed! If you plan to write a follow up piece in the near future, you may want to consider adding material about “The Family” and “C Street”.

[Jude Nagurney Camwell]

There are too many anti-democratic tendencies among those of the Christian Right to convince me that this great experiment called the United States could ever truly be a "Christian nation." It would be a blatant contradiction in terms...insulting to both the nation and to faith. It's known fact that, for decades, many in the Republican political class have willingly - and with great political calculation - co-opted the narrow views of the Christian Right. One look at TheocracyWatch.org will bring out those facts clearly. The recent book by Jeff Sharlet revealing the secrets of "The Family" is just another example of how democracy dies in the hands of statesmen with an earthly political agenda who deliberately use their particular religion to try to co-opt the true spirit of Christ. What a joke! They're still trying to play that joke on us today. Voices like Cynthia's are welcomed by Christians who mourn the rise of the religious Right and the lawmakers who have warped the faith with their dirty anti-democratic politics.

[jimthefireman]

Elegantly written and argued. It epitomises why many like me reject religion while embracing the example of the life of Christ. Well done!

[bluerthanblue15]

Precisely!

[Joel Watts]

Cynthia, I correct my statements on Josh's blog, and I have posted my thoughts on my blog as well. Sorry for the confusion - as Josh will tell you, as theological conservative as I am, I am equally politically liberal.

[christocc]

Actually, the purging of the temple is NOT "...the only act of anger ever shown by Jesus..."

Just prior to this story is the one about him damning the fig tree because it wasn't bearing fruit (Mark 11: 12-14, NASB). Of course, it wasn't the season for it to be, but no matter. He got angry, and frivolously cursed the tree.

[Spinman]

Surely the title of this post should read "What if the Right Were Right?". Setting it in the past tense ("was right") implies that they used to be right, but aren't right any more. That is not what the rest of the article asserts. This may seem like a minor point of grammar, but it really changes the meaning.

[Cynthia Boaz - Huffpost Blogger]

Interesting. I wasn't thinking of it in terms of tense, I was thinking of it terms of plural versus singular (they "were" versus it "was"), and decided the "Right" should be characterized as one entity, not many.

But regarding tense, I may just have a poor grammatical grasp of my native language. Which trumps which- tense or number?

[BulwerLytton]

Loved the article, Cynthia. Thought I might be able to clear up the confusion.

In pure denotative grammar, Spinman is correct, but for the wrong reason. It is neither the tense nor the plurality that calls for the verb form "were"; it is the mood. That little word "if" places the sentence in the subjunctive mood , which refers to COUNTERFACTUAL conditions.

When Three Dog Night speculated, "If I WERE the king of the world," the singer did not intend to imply a statement of fact, but rather to explore the possible outcomes SHOULD THE CONDITION BE FULFILLED. (Contrast, "When I WAS the king of the world", which would introduce a review of historical fact.)

Similarly, your speculative question "what if" does not intend to imply that "the right was right". That would be a past tense statement of fact. Instead, your intention to speculate on what MIGHT have been or what MIGHT come to pass HAD THEY (or he, or it) BEEN RIGHT calls for the subjunctive mood. Note that plurality does not affect verb choice in this case because the subjunctive conjugation is the same in both cases.

Many modern grammar texts point out that use of the subjunctive is becoming more and more rare, replaced by the more common indicative. Thus, "What if the Right Was Right" is a currently acceptable construction, regardless of rule-bound preference.

Everybody wake up. Class dismissed.
--Steven Holmes, Chair, Language Arts Dept., Trinity High School

[jbuterba]

Wow. Flawed on so many levels I'm not sure where to start. Of course USA is not = CSA. The real question is how should the faith of Christians affect their involvement in the US govt process. The fact that Jesus wasn't violent has no bearing on whether US should take military action. Biblical view of human nature recognizes human evil and authorizes governments to use "the sword" to restrain evil. As for taxes, of course Christians should pay them once they have been levied. But what taxes should be levied? And for what purposes? Those are the relevant questions. Yes, the Bible calls Christians to compassionate service to the poor. But is the govt the best vehicle for that compassion? Biblically speaking, the Church is the more appropriate channel of service and funds in many cases. As for her assertion that Jesus was a socialist. No. Jesus called for Christians to VOLUNTARILY contribute to the common good within local communities.

[Reme]

She doesn't say anything here about government being the best vehicle for compassion, but what would be wrong with that anyway? Are you pro-corruption and greed in government?

She's clearly saying that people need to walk the walk if they're going to talk the talk.

And as for your second sentence, duh. The title is obvious tongue in cheek, as seen by the quotes.

What do you think people (Christians) should do when their government takes military action that conflicts with their Christian values? Just let it happen? Are you okay with living a compartmentalized life like that? Doesn't that seem hypocritical?

[TheRealThunderMonkey]

If the government is an extension of the people, especially a democracy or a republic, would it not stand that the government also help facilitate the need to help others?

Christians try to assert their belief system into all aspects of the government and some take it to a completely extreme level (hence the C-Street Cult).

If you want to parse the good vs. evil, then you're misinterpreting was each is. Evil isn't the opposite of Good, it's the absence of Good. If Good does not help those that need help, then Evil will prevail. (It's the age old might vs. right, and it should be right makes might).

You're correct that the church is a good vehicle to administer help. However, there are things that the government can help as well.

Jesus was a socialist. Jesus didn't say "You could help..." He gave us the command to help others. Are you going to go against the command of Jesus?

[thethinkinggirl]

Jesus may have been a Socialist, but God is a Libertarian.

The difference between Jesus commanding us to help others and the government legislating it is the point of a gun.

When the rich man came to Jesus, Jesus commanded him to leave everything and follow him. The rich man did not do this, and Jesus and the disciples left in peace. The rich man had the freedom to choose. God gave us all the freedom to choose. The problem with Government Socialism and income redistribution is there is no freedom and no choice.

The "Church" says that to live a "right" life I should give to the poor, but leaves it to me how much and how often to give. It even leaves it to me to decide whether or not to give. The Socialist/Marxist doctrine says that to live a "socially just" life I should share equally with my fellow citizens, then sets about legislating how much, how often, and the penalties for non-compliance.

If free will is good enough for God, it's good enough for me.

[Gemma08]

Amen.

[thethinkinggirl]

Great article. Very well thought out, but I noticed one glaring omission. Ms. Boaz said, "So if we concede that the United States is a "Christian nation," it follows that its citizens, as practitioners of the teachings of Jesus, should be: anti-war, anti-gun, anti-death penalty, pro-universal health care, pro-taxes and pro-(democratic) socialism,..." Question: Wouldn't it also follow that we should be pro-life? I, for one, am glad we are not a Theocracy. The problem with trying to use the other side's point against them, however, is that it can often come back to bite you. No one single group or ideology has all the right answers, if they did, everything would be much much easier. One of the great things about our democratic republic is that we are (usually, ideally) able to openly discuss, disagree, and (eventually) compromise on something close to what's best for everyone.

[fr33d0mhawk]

Everything Ms. Boaz says is true, but the Christian Right have pushed their faith into more of a fascist cult status than anything close to resembling worship of Jesus Christ. The Christian Rights worship is of itself, advocating torture of innocents using Jesus passage, "do not concern yourself with war". Cults can warp anything Jesus said to justify any act of evil and the Christian Right is a cult. Its moral relativism at its worst.