I've been thinking about this topic for some time, and I thought that the first Sunday of Lent would be a good time to discuss sin.
If you'd never heard of Christianity before, from a brief review of the American news it might be safe to assume that there are two great sins: abortion and homosexuality. These are the sins that the Church (Protestant and Catholic) is publicly and politically at war against.
I've read the Bible several times, and there are only a few oblique references to abortion and homosexuality. I won't argue (today) that under a different interpretation neither would be called sinful. For the sake of this discussion, let's assume that homosexuality and abortion are sins.
Why are Christian leaders (both Catholic and Protestant) so obsessed with these specific sinful activities to the exclusion of all others?
Have people stopped murdering each other (thou shalt not kill)?
Is greed a thing of the past (thou shalt not covet)?
No more theft (thou shalt not steal)?
Is there no more adultery (thou shalt not commit it, you know)?
What about the old standby (also little mentioned in the Bible) of pre-marital sex? Has the Church ceded that this is no longer sinful behavior? Too much of an uphill battle against what is commonly accepted by society?
Are the 10 Commandments and the 7 Deadly Sins no longer relevant in today's Christianity? Is gluttony no longer considered worthy of opposition by the Church? Lust is no longer deadly? Envy no longer a thing to be avoided? What about worshipping false gods (celebrities) or creating graven images?
Why are there no Catholic or Protestant leaders going on TV in a campaign against economic inequality in our society, citing the parable that it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven? It seems particulary apt in the era of cutting medicaid while giving tax breaks to the very rich.
I imagine there are more straight people committing adultery than there are homosexuals. There are probably a lot more thieves than women having abortions. Why isn't the Church up in arms about these sins that are much more common and arguably far more damaging to society?
Why are homosexuality and abortion the only sinful behaviors the Church acts against? Why not single out some other obscure sin in the Bible (eating shellfish, for example)? Why aren't they all upset about women not covering their heads in church?
Disclaimer: I was raised Episcopalian, and though I haven't worshipped in years I still find the liturgy comforting. I know most Christians are good, well-intentioned people, many of whom are doing great things like building homes for Habitat for Humanity and raising money to feed and vaccinate impoverished children. But this is not the public/political face of American Christianity. Why not?