When you hear evangelicals talking about Jesus, you may wonder if they have read the Bible, since their Jesus is so different from the biblical Jesus. Below, let us count the ways.
In the 2016 Presidential election, 80% of evangelicals voted for Donald Trump, a higher percentage than voted for George W. Bush in 2004. In other words, they are becoming more radicalized, not less. We know what progressives think about evangelical support of Trump. But what would Jesus think?
1. The biblical Jesus included the excluded. Evangelicals exclude the excluded. Jesus of Nazareth was a social radical who preached a dangerously inclusive message. His scripture demanded that lepers be shunned, but he dined with one. In a patriarchal society that oppressed women, he included them among his disciples. He chose a Samaritan, a religious sect that many Jews hated, as the hero of his most famous story.
But evangelicals confidently exclude the excluded. They continue to marginalize sexual minorities, citing what few verses of scripture they can find to justify their pre-existing biases. They still refuse to ordain women, denying leadership roles to 50% of their population, no matter how gifted for ministry. And, while Jesus made a religious other—the good Samaritan—the hero of his story, evangelicals express a deep fear of Muslims and strongly supported Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from entering the US.
2. The biblical Jesus preferred mercy to justice. Evangelicals prefer justice to mercy.
Jesus was insanely forgiving. When his disciples asked him how many times they should forgive each other, and suggested seven, Jesus replied, “Seventy times seven.” About to die on the cross, tortured to death by the Roman Empire, he said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” When a crowd of men gathered to stone to death a woman caught in adultery (or framed by her husband for adultery, it’s hard to tell), Jesus ignored the law, which insisted that she die. Instead, he said, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” And, reflecting on the biblical command to take an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, Jesus rejected it, commanding his followers instead to turn the other cheek.
Alas, evangelicals love retribution. They support the death penalty more than most Americans. Oddly, in their support of the death penalty they frequently cite the biblical command to vengeance but ignore Jesus’ instruction of mercy. They disproportionately supported George W. Bush’s Iraq War as retribution for 9/11 although, ironically, Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11.
3. Jesus counsels his disciples, “Do not fear.” But evangelicals are more afraid than the general population. The Bible commends hope and decries fear. Any time a prophet, angel, or even God speaks, the first words are, “Do not fear”. Jesus himself repeated this admonition to his disciples multiple times.
Given evangelicals’ exalted doctrine of scripture, and the Bible’s repeated assurances of divine providence, you would expect them to be less fearful than the general population. But they aren’t. Instead, they are more fearful—especially of “the other”—Muslims and atheists in particular.
4. Jesus calls for compassion toward the poor. Evangelicals feel compassion toward themselves. The words “poor” and “poverty” appear in 346 verses of the Bible, almost always with a divine command to help the needy and make society more just. For this reason, you would expect evangelicals to support social programs. Instead, they tend to vote for politicians that want to cut social programs and increase military spending. And that, despite Jesus’ teaching, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
Alas, evangelical compassion is directed toward themselves. Although they tend to be white, heterosexual, and Christian, they feel marginalized by their majority white, heterosexual, Christian country. In fact, most believe they are more discriminated against than Muslims. Almost half of evangelicals believe that whites are under attack.
5. Jesus preached peace. Evangelicals tend toward militarism. Although Jesus preached “blessed are the peacemakers” and “Love your enemies,” although he disarmed Peter when Peter defended him with the sword, evangelicals who worship Jesus as the Son of God tend to tend to support both increased military spending and American wars overseas. America already spends more on its military than the next seven nations combined, so it’s hard to see how increased spending is really necessary.
Unless, of course, you like to invade foreign countries, which evangelicals apparently do. They have supported American military action overseas at a higher level than the general population for years. From Vietnam to Iraq, for evangelicals an overseas threat is an existential threat demanding a military response.
What gives? What would evangelical Christianity look like if it was as hopeful, generous, loving, and inclusive as Jesus? Right now, we don’t know. Maybe one day we’ll find out, but that’s up to the evangelicals. In the meantime, I as a progressive Christian will work for an America that accepts everyone—Muslims, atheists, Jews, Africans, Asians, whites, gays, straights, progressives—even evangelicals.
A friendly note to all Daily Kos readers. I am a progressive like you, only from a Christian perspective. In support of progressivism, I am trying to articulate a progressive Christian political vision. As I argue for progress from a Christian perspective, I am in no way asserting the superiority of faith to atheism, or Christianity to any other worldview. I am just trying to advance humanity from my own particular perspective. I think that God prefers kind atheists to mean Christians. My hope is that we can all cooperate across worldviews to create a more just, inclusive, and peaceful world. Thank you.