The Conservative War on Christianity

December 15, 2013 By Allen Clifton

As a liberal Christian, I always feel like I’m battling an uphill battle to prove that Christianity isn’t anything like Republicans make it out to be.
And honestly, that is the argument I have most with people from other faiths or those who follow no faith.  Republicans have distorted Christianity so much that, for most people, their ignorance defines what Christianity is.  Which, of course, couldn’t be further from the truth.  Even this time of year as the annual “war on Christmas” hits its stride, conservatives seem to be going out of their way to make Christians seem like a bunch of spiteful, hateful, angry and petty individuals.
In fact, I’ll argue that conservatives have waged their own “war on Christianity.”
After all, conservative ignorance is by far the leading reason why I’m told by former Christians that they no longer follow the faith.


While conservatives will sit there and claim that it’s liberals who are anti-Christian and waging a “war on Christmas,” you know something I’ve never heard?
“I’m no longer a Christian because of liberal beliefs and ideologies.”
But I have heard quite often:
“I’m no longer a Christian because of the ignorance of Republicans and conservative ideology.”
So, at the end of the day, who’s really the enemy of Christian values?
Liberals like myself who are fighting to reclaim real Christianity and the values for which it espoused, or those who are driving millions of people from the faith because of their absolute ignorance?
Because I can’t say I’ve heard anyone – ever -- say to me, “I became a Christian because of the value system the Republican party represents.”
And why should they?  Those values are built on greed, hate, anger, fear, paranoia and judgement.  You know, the complete opposite of what Jesus Christ actually stood for.  In fact, these people have actually somehow convinced themselves that Jesus would be a gun-loving capitalist who would support cuts to programs that help feed the poor and needy while advocating tax cuts for the wealthiest among us.
Seriously, millions of them really believe this.
So, who’s really the enemy of Christianity?  Well I’d say it’s those who cause the most damage to the faith, while driving the most people from it.

That would be these “moral majority” conservatives who believe “Christianity” lies in opposing abortion, gay marriage and church attendance.
You know, issues that Jesus Christ never once spoke about.

Related Posts on Forward Progressives:

• Who’s Destroying Christianity? It Sure as Hell Isn’t the Liberals
• Introducing Republicanity, the Real Religion Conservatives Worship
• If Republicans Really Acted Like Christians — Then They’d be Liberals
• Republicans: Don’t Tell Me You’re “Christians” When Your Party…

About Allen Clifton
Allen Clifton is from the Dallas-Fort Worth area and has a degree in Political Science. He is a co-founder of Forward Progressives, and author of the popular Right Off A Cliff column. He is also the founder of the Right Off A Cliff facebook page, on which he routinely voices his opinions and stirs the pot for the Progressive movement. Follow Allen on Twitter as well, @Allen_Clifton.