The Cost of Betrayal



Pastors of churches on the Christian right have battled against what they consider to be unfair stereotypes of their rock hard conservative branch of the faith. They feel they must counter the imagery put in front of the public by news media, comedians and pundits. Now they have been undercut by President Trump. He presents the faith in exactly the way they do not want it presented. 

The link finds news media portrays conservative Christianity as graceless, joyless, seized by fear, hypocritical and filled with grievances. A conservative evangelical pastor described as very successful gave an unvarnished view of Trump's effect on his branch of the faith. He did not reveal his name for career purposes. 

There are many reasons young people are leaving our churches....Trump has accelerated the trend. For decades the media has portrayed the church as cruel, ignorant, greedy and hypocritical. Trump has ... put this in overdrive. He is everything I've said the church is not all about. But sadly, maybe it is.

There is one serious flaw in the way conservative religion attempts to put its faith into law. It over reaches. There are recent examples, both involve the Supreme Court.

Demands on Trump were clear: deliver Supreme Court judges who will overturn Roe. With a little more reflection they might have realized this demand was out of reach. Maybe court cases will put a few more costs on providing abortions but a precise turnaround involves a lot more than some group's religious views.

The other I've mentioned here, the court cases brought forward. These court cases involved claims that are simple not true. For example, the claim doctors need to have admitting emergency admitting contracts with hospitals because abortions are dangerous is simply contrary to known facts. Abortions are not dangerous and patients can be admitted for care without the demanded contracts. 

While the pastor quoted above understands the costs to the faith of Trump and court watchers understand the folly of right wing court theories, it is not clear this branch of the faith understands it at all.

Time will tell if any adjustments are in the wings.

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