When I read the teachings of Jesus, two primary messages come through: (1) love God (Matthew 22:37), which includes avoiding the kinds of ostentatious displays of piety that will make other people regard you as religious (Matthew 6:5-8); and (2) love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 7:12), which includes taking care of people who may not be worth all that much in the eyes of society (Matthew 25:40). Jesus teaches all of this while affirming a theology that says there’s no such thing as a good person (Luke 18:19), that wealth is a threat to our souls (Matthew 19:24) and that the world will end up in the hands of the meek, not the violent (Matthew 5:5).
You’re not going to hear Jesus’ actual message preached very often—not even from the pulpit, because churches don’t get much pledge money from poor folks. Politicians describe Jesus as a bloody-minded cosmic hit man for the rich and powerful—someone we can rely on to obediently torture the poor, who in turn will be marginalized in hell for eternity if they don’t obey their earthly masters.
“Be careful who you vote for,” I heard one young member of the clergy tell his wealthy congregation from the pulpit last year. The power of heaven, his sermon implied, rests completely in the hands of those who hold power on Earth—and his views are shared, almost to a person, by Christianity’s loudest, wealthiest and most frequently quoted gatekeepers. They have literally purchased institutional Christianity, and they see Jesus as somebody they can reinvent and command—not someone to follow and obey.
Their Christianity has no place for the man who stood with the woman accused in adultery (John 8:3-11). They say Jesus would throw stones at people accused of sexual impurity, and we believe them. There is no room in their Christianity for warning of the rich man who went to hell for not giving a beggar a drink of water (Luke 16:19-26); they say Jesus would have kicked dirt in the beggar’s face, and we believe them. There is no room in their Christianity for the Jesus who said “blessed are you poor” (Luke 6:20); they believe God curses the poor with poverty, and blesses the rich with wealth.
The Jesus who warned of public prayer (Matthew 6:5) has no place in their Christianity; they believe he abandons anyone, even children in public schools, if they do not show off their piety in public. Neither is there room in their Christianity for the Jesus who said, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (5:9), and who warned that living by the sword means dying by the sword (Matthew 26:52). Their Jesus wields a sword. And the Jesus in their Christianity is crucified only as a passive-aggressive display—in a “real” fight, he’d be the one hammering in the nails.
Often their prophet is not Paul or Moses or Isaiah; it’s Ayn Rand, whose political philosophy (best summed up in her dark masterpiece “The Virtue of Selfishness”) is a corollary to Anton LaVey’s Nine Statements. When LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan, writes, “Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it instead of love wasted on ingrates!” these Christians could substitute “Jesus” for “Satan.” When LaVey writes, “Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek!” these Christians could substitute “Jesus” for “Satan.”
LaVey intentionally preached what he thought was the opposite of Christian doctrine. Today, many of Christianity’s gatekeepers have done the same thing—but they’ve done it in the name of Jesus.
So how are we to interpret Gov. Phil Bryant’s claim that he has “a divine responsibility” to pursue his agenda—one that harms the poor and benefits the rich, deprives the sick of hospital care, defunds schools to make room in the budget for new prisons, and makes sure violent people can carry guns with them everywhere they go?
Bryant’s pronouncements probably shouldn’t surprise us. He accurately represents the values of a peculiar version of Christianity, one that a violent, consumerist culture has handed to us for the past 40 years. It is a Christianity that condemns the life and teachings of the real Jesus, and hands us a money-loving, sex-obsessed and violence-addicted alternative.
Until we’re willing to confront this lie and stand up for the real values Jesus taught, this casserole of messy, self-serving pseudo-religious doctrines will be the only version of Christianity some people ever see.
Tom Head, Ph.D., is a Jackson native. He is author or coauthor of 25 books, including “The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to the Bible” (Que/Pearson, 2005, $26.99).
Previous Comments
@ Dr. Tom Head I don’t know how I missed this article. It is absolutely brilliant! I’m amazed that bloggers here did not respond to anything said. You are so right: You do not hear the real message of Jesus preached today. The teachings have been so manipulated as to fit whatever rocks the soul of most messenger. A friend introduced me to a Reality Show called “Preachers os LA”. It is on a station called OXYGEN . If anyone doubts you assessment of todays “Christain” practice, these folks will put it into better prespective. It’s all about money, fame, fortune and the concept that God intends for all people to have wealth. First of all, you must plant your financial seed with the church: Then, there will be a financial harvest. The only “harvest” I’ve seen so far is gathered and owned by the ministers. LOL – Yet Serious – Sad but True.
#4788 | Author: justjess | Date: Dec 3 2013
#4789 | Author: justjess | Date: Dec 3 2013
Tom, I agree with justjess that your take on what some call the “socially and economically conservative Christian movement (SAECC) “, is not only on point, it is creatively presented as well. Which is to say, I agree with you! When things are going well the SAECC’s say “I would never allow myself to get in that condition (the Invictus Syndrome)” Well, the current recession, and ever widening of the wealth gap, has virtually thrown millions of heretofore SAECC’s out of the “middle class” and into the two job “working class”. For many this meant for the first time needing to utilize public assistance programs, humanitarian feeding services, home foreclosures assistance, and emergency room health care Rather than using this experience to empathize with their working class peers and poor, they have coined the phrase “through no fault of my own” to explain their reduced station, while at the same time still insisting that they deserve public assistance, unlike the underserving and lazy “others”. What will it take for them to internalize Jesus’ golden rule “Treat your brothers as yourself” because” “There but for the grace of God goes I.” (Charles Bradford) “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.” ~( 1 Corinthians 15:10)
#4790 | Author: FrankMickens | Date: Dec 4 2013
@darryl This comment violates our user agreement. Please refrain from calling people names as part of your argument; it hurts the argument and will force us to moderate your comments. http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/user-agreement/
#4793 | Author: Todd Stauffer | Date: Dec 4 2013
Darryl — This may surprise you, but I didn’t earn my degree so that anonymous blog commenters would call me “Dr. Head.” “Mr. Head” is still a grammatically correct way to address anyone who identifies as male, regardless of rank or title, though “Tom” is better. As you do not appear to agree with Mr. Bryant’s interpretation of Christianity, I’m not clear on what your point of disagreement with my little article actually is. Maybe you should clarify that. I’m sure Anton LaVey was much more charming in person than his books would suggest (you aren’t the first to say so), but the fact remains that he founded the Church of Satan and is generally regarded (and worked hard to be regarded) as the founder of contemporary Satanism.
#4796 | Author: tomhead1978 | Date: Dec 5 2013
(justjess, Frank: Thanks to both of you! I appreciate this.)
#4797 | Author: tomhead1978 | Date: Dec 5 2013
Today I find myself in an odd situation, I actually agree with Tom. The teachings of Christianity as I interpret them often do not coincide with a large majority of followers. Especiallly in the South where teachings have been distorted for the sake of politics.
#4801 | Author: js1976 | Date: Dec 6 2013
Dr. Darryl strikes (out) again!
#4802 | Author: Donna Ladd | Date: Dec 6 2013
Darryl’s emotional based objection to a piece referencing Mr. LaVey’s own writings which are backed up with interviews that can easily be found in history channel documentaries on Youtube clips is a bit baffling to me.
#4806 | Author: multiculturegirl37 | Date: Dec 7 2013
This is a good article and it touches on something that I believe has as much to do with Mississippi being the national joke as race relations does. That being the incorporation of so called Christian faith as nothing but a means to win elections and gain power. I am what most of you hate. I’m white, Christian, right wing conservative and I’ll tell you quickly that my party is guilty of that. I’ll also tell you that politics and religion have no place together. Sure I want my representative to be a Christian but I want him to vote based on the constitution, not the Bible. But this is Mississippi, home of so many ignorant people whose Christianity is based completely on an endless number of Sunday morning sermons devoted to drinking, homosexuality, and hell. To call yourself a Christian is to acknowledge the New Testament as the law. This would be when Jesus took over the family business and told everyone the old Mosaic laws no longer apply, He came to preach a new way, and He did. But these same people I speak of without fail use scripture from the Old Testament to back their stupidity. If you’re going to validate your opinions on the Old Testament then you’d better get busy burning goats and sending the women out of town when they have their periods. According to the Old Testament to not do these things is to have to walk around with a smited ass for a few days. A good example of what I’m talking about would be gay marriage. Allowing two people to have the same advantages a marriage brings me is pretty much a constitutional no brainer to me. But every republican in the country has that our front in their campaign because it’s a push button issue. They tell us how much more they love Jesus than their opponent and that he is going to hell because he supports gay marriage. Nowhere in the New Testament does Jesus mention homosexuality or comment on gay marriage but you’d never know it listening to them. Something he does mention though, is the fact that divorce and remarriage is a sin. He’s very clear about that one and in 40 years I’ve never heard one sermon on that one. Our governor is a reflection of that politician who uses their faith as a means to political gain. To hear him talk, he and Jesus have a standing golf game every Thursday at three because they are so close. Seems like with all that power sitting in the golf cart next to him every week he could get Jesus to miracle us into 49th place but he hasn’t as of yet. And why? Because being a Christian doesn’t make a damned bit of difference in how many jobs are created or explain the Jackson City Council makeup in any way. Christianity is a personal thing between a person and God not a slogan on the side of a campaign bus. We need good politicians not good Christians running this state but it seems we have neither.
#5177 | Author: Scott1962 | Date: Jan 11 2014
Scott1962, Amen to the latter part of your message, and LOL!
#5184 | Author: Turtleread | Date: Jan 13 2014
And may I suggest that either Dr. or Mr. Head, whichever he prefers, is also using scripture and the Bible to support his own way of thinking. God is not only a God of mercy, but also one of justice, and “His ways are NOT our ways.” In my religion, there is no everlasting Hell so your threat is nonsense and the accusation that God who is the God of Love would have such a thing or allow it to continue, even after the New Earth is established has no force over me and/or over twelve million other believers on this planet. I would pose this question: What difference is there between you as a libertarian and far leftist and the libertarians and far rightists Republicans? Didn’t you or at least your tactics come out of the same mold? So how is that going to make for a good discussion, a better country, and an improving Mississippi? Yeah, yeah, [crickets], I doubt I will get an answer either based on your past performance.
#5185 | Author: Turtleread | Date: Jan 13 2014
I would not call it brilliant, but you are correct that too many people follow the Bottom Line/Prosperity Jesus preached from the pulpits today in many churches and on TV. However, as people misunderstand Islam and the Koran, people also do the same to Christianity and the Bible. Many people parade their ignorance about the Constitution and the Bible on many fronts today. In economics, Gresham’s Law states (concisely) that “bad money will drive out [of circulation] good money.” It appears that law may apply to media and media outlet content too, along with unvarnished and ill-researched opinions. True Christians can tell the difference. A joke: a young man comes up to an old blues musician, listens, and likes what he hears. When the musician takes a break, the two get to talking about music. The young man asks, “Do you like electronic music?” The musician replies, “Do you like frozen food?” The religion of Bottom Line/Prosperity Jesus and the political and social politics it creates is frozen food. Too bad it injuries us much more badly than frozen food ever could.
#5188 | Author: Turtleread | Date: Jan 13 2014
Turtleread, that is blatantly false. We did not disclose anyone’s identity to anyone–and we couldn’t know your identity from the email you used. As Todd has already explained to you in email, all anyone, including Tom, had to do was Google “turtleread” to make a guess as to your identity. If you wish to be more anonymous with your posts, then you might be more careful what you on the Interwebs. These days, most people know how to search. As for the user agreement, you might note that continually complaining about the moderation on this privately owned website rather than sticking to the topic is also a violation. If you want to complain about the way we run our business or our site, I suggest you sent Todd yet another email.
#5191 | Author: Donna Ladd | Date: Jan 13 2014
You might also re-read No. 6 while you’re in there. You’re clearly excited to be here, but you might try to refrain from posting over and over and over again — especially if your posts say the same thing. That is bad netiquette.
#5192 | Author: Donna Ladd | Date: Jan 13 2014
Oh, I see. So now your company is cloaked in a privately owned website nonsense that says We have no responsibility for what happens on here even though we own it and make the rules. It seems like you want to make the rules for everyone else in the city and the businesses too, but if someone points the finger at you, you want to cry foul! And your first sentence about my statement being patently false is a pathetic lie! And I have the emails to prove it. Everything that I said was true, and I can go into a court of law and prove it. My attorney, who is a judge, backs me up.
#5193 | Author: Turtleread | Date: Jan 13 2014
Sorry, when you are preaching to the choir, especially a choir as dense as this one is and you feel you are not getting through, you tend to take a few more runs at it. Just to try to get your point over. Guess I might as well have been talking to a Tea Party Republican, Ted Cruz, Mario Rubio, an abortion protester, or a climate denier, even a holocaust denier then. Because I’m not going to change their minds either. You and your publisher, “talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk.”
#5194 | Author: Turtleread | Date: Jan 13 2014
Turtleread, I know you’re salivating to fight with me, but it’s not going to happen. The story above is about Christianity and, thus, your posts here going forward need to be on topic. Others will be deleted without comment.
#5195 | Author: Donna Ladd | Date: Jan 13 2014
Fine, I find myself surrounded by Christians who think that God thinks as they do and that He is only a God of mercy, and forget that He is also a God of justice. What justice is it when you let evil flower? I am not interested in fighting with you. I am interested in seeing just a glimmer, just a sentence that you understand my perspective as I understand yours.
#5196 | Author: Turtleread | Date: Jan 13 2014
Turtleread, I knew your name only because you provided it publicly in your Twitter bio (which you have subsequently deleted, though it’s still cached in Google)—and, being someone who respects personal privacy, I would never have violated your confidence by revealing your name if you had not done so first. In any case, Donna had nothing to do with it. I’m a freelancer, not a JFP staff member, and do not have access to the web server or confidential user database.
#5197 | Author: Tom Head | Date: Jan 14 2014
Turtleread (I will not address you on this site by your real name again, and apologize if it upset you): As your issue with me spans multiple threads and appears to be personal, I suggest you email me at tom@tomhead.net if you have any questions or concerns. You clearly find me fascinating, and I’m flattered by that, but I don’t think my biography is a very interesting subject for public conversation. Cheers.
#5198 | Author: Tom Head | Date: Jan 14 2014
Dr. Head, I appreciate your reply and apology. I am always interested in a good bio and good writing. I will take your suggestion. Thank you.
#5199 | Author: Turtleread | Date: Jan 14 2014
He speaks. I am glad you have finally cleared that up. Yes, I have been lax in my security over the years. BTW, there are at least two or more people with the same name in Jackson and many more with the last name as branches of my family have lived in Mississippi since the early 1800’s. I realize now that Donna and her publisher had nothing to do with it, but they now have their own sins to account for.
#5201 | Author: Turtleread | Date: Jan 14 2014
I also find it disturbing that in my beloved South Christianity is often distorted for the purpose of generating votes. Politician’s also frequently cloak themselves in conservative public announcements of religiosity whilst leading lives and making decisions therein that are in stark contras thereto. Thou shall not commit adultery immediately leaps to mind.
#5205 | Author: Iceman | Date: Jan 15 2014
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The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippi’s systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.