I have been reviewing books for a while now. Lately, I have dived into Christianity and its hijacking by right-wing politicians and far right church organizations. People, it's a shock these so-called Christians aren't shown the exit door buy true Christians.
But, I began to read Dr. Robin Meyers' "Why the Christian Right is Wrong: A Minister's Manifesto for Taking Back Your Faith, Your Flag, Your Future" and realized I was in for the fulfillment I was searching for.
Dr. Meyers is a minister at Mayflower United Church of Christ in Oklahoma City, OK, where they are "unapologetically Christian and unapologetically liberal, open and affirming." I can truly relate as I am of the same.
He's known for a speech given just after the November 2004 election at the University of Oklahoma to a peace rally and candlelight vigil in opposition to the war(s) waged. The book is a continuation of that speech.
Why the Christian Right is Wrong is an eyeopener for those who masquerade as Christians. Simply put, Dr. Meyers stands up for the true intention of faith and compassion set forth by Jesus, not the "prosperity theology" prescribed by the likes of Joel Osteen. It seems people have to be reminded that Christ wanted (and Paul's letter to the Romans insisted) "we who are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak."
Such a passage is forgotten in today's time and age. We live in the context of the strong taking care of the stronger so they become the strongest, forget the rest. Dr. Meyers nails this point time and time again with scripture that others seem to forget is in the Bible.
Dr. Meyers has been against the grain of fundamentalist Christianity for a while, urging people to do the same in order to push out the narrow-mindedness of the ones who hijack the true Gospel for their individualist own.
An expansive, well-orchestrated, well-written and deeply factual book, Why the Christian Right is Wrong should be in your library as well as in your hand during Sunday school teachings.
Christianity began as a way of life, not a set of creed and doctrines demanding total agreement. In fact, it was in reaction to religion too narrowly defined by law, by ritual, and by an angry God that The Way swept through the Mediterranean world like a 'mighty wind' of radical freedom.
It should come as no surprise to anyone that we once declared a 'war on poverty,' only to surrender, and have have now declared a war on closed markets and the union movement, only to increase poverty and swear that we will never surrender.