Culture Has Triumphed Over Theology on the Political Right

 


A nationally known Christian columnist pointed out how the Christian political right has had its religious values swamped by its own culture. As Anthropology 101 will explain, we are born into a culture neither we nor our parents created. It is just here.

Christian conservatives talk endlessly about the "culture." When they use the word they are referring to their enemies, people who do not conform to their Christian beliefs, do not get married, flaunt their secularism and believe in liberal causes. 

They do not discuss their own version of culture. They themselves live in a culture of victimization, "Everyone gets a break but us." White males without college degrees make up a sizable portion of this group. They have watched black people and women move up while they themselves have not. Along comes Trump and tells them they have a legitimate grievance--they should not put up with others out working and out earning them. 

When it comes to Christianity, the link lists Trumps bonifies.  

 If I’d told them in December 2014 that white Evangelicals would shortly vote in overwhelming numbers for a thrice-married man who bragged about grabbing women by their genitals, appeared in a Playboy movie, paid hush money to cover up an affair with a porn star, and was facing multiple corroborated claims of sexual harassment and sexual assault, they’d say that only Democrats were that hypocritical. 

The white evangelical Christian culture, however, overruled, actually swamped, facts about Trump's morals and character. The problem was not the culture of their enemies, it was their own culture. 

It is popular in conservative Christian circles to say "the faith never changes." But when only a few years ago these Christians were talking about be a sinner Clinton was and then endorse another sinner for political expediency there is no way to describe it except change. Their culture demonizes liberals and worships conservatives. The culture cares little about the faith, cares much about politics.

The culture of the religious right is not a culture to be admired. 

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