The Culture War

I recently got an email that was titled: "How We Lost the Culture War". The email was filled with all sorts of Christian Fundamentalist conspiracy theories. Here are a few excerpts from it with my comments:

Although 1980 and Ronald Reagan brought a new era for Evangelicals, and for me, as a new straight ticket Republican, I knew that laws would never truly change until hearts changed. The problem is, those whose hearts are hard toward the Gospel and moral truths began to organize an agenda to turn the hearts of America, and especially our children, away from God and morality. So, naturally, that parental protection instinct kicked in, and we began to fight back for our children, as well as for the ones whose voices would never be heard. But, it seems, the more we fought back, the stronger the enemy grew.

Not sure where to begin.. this sort of Christian vs Atheist picture is so often painted.. and many times the Republican Party is sucked into the rhetoric. The picture is painted with such a broad brush of good vs evil. Seldom are non-Christians ever painted in a good light.. self-righteousness seems to rule the message.

I have seen such vitriolic hatred coming from the left at Republicans, not because we are "conservative," but because so many of us are Christians! The left hates Christianity, and they will go to any length to demonize Christians.

Do you again hear the polarization? If you are a Democrat then you must be liberal and therefore most not only be a non-Christian but must hate Christianity.

My point is this: it has only been natural for true Believers and Followers of the Messiah to go on the offensive. And while adhering to the tenants of Scripture, we also, naturally, fall into the Republican mold. No, we shouldn't alienate ourselves from half the population where the Gospel is concerned, but if we identified ourselves with the Democrats, who have consistently and vigorously fought for immoral issues, we would be disobedient to God's Word. We MUST stand for truth.

What a sad picture of Christianity is painted by folks like this. I cringe when I read a phrase like "true Believers". Where is the love of Jesus in this? How do these folks ever expect to be relevant if they try to change the world by any means other than love?

I think that this "Culture War" is one made up by misguided religious people.. history is replete with such people who have brought shame on the cause of Christ. These same people are ones who bring dissension into religious circles because of a narrow view of right and wrong.. they see the world in black and white terms.. and refuse to embrace anything that is gray.. their culture is a dark one.

Of course this "war" is not a one-sided one.. folks on the left side of politics also have fundamentalist zealots.. I am just not on their mailing lists :)