Thursday, November 07, 2013
Christian "Political Correctness"
"Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye." (Matthew 7:3-5)
I've been hearing for 30 years...everyone in America has been hearing...the repeated incantation of "political correctness" as a criticism of...you name it. Criticism of anything in our national life that smacks of bending-over-backwards fairness or sensitivity to the feelings of others. The take-away is that "political correctness" is stupid because it sometimes goes to ridiculous extremes. That it is specifically liberal stupidity, because that faction makes the biggest show of its civic inclusiveness. And that "politically correct" treatment of "them" (here's the real sting) victimizes US and deprives us of our "rights."
Somebody else can hash out the relative value and the relative threat of "political correctness." That's not my concern, and indeed seems rather pointless.
What seems very much to the point is that Christians (who often squawk the loudest against anything they perceive as "p.c.") operate by their own politically-correct mindset. Doing so is, in fact, part of how we're expected to signal our membership in the "Christian" club.
Far from a comprehensive catalog, and in no particular order, the attitudes and thoughts of "politically correct Christianity" include:
that the world's "conservative" faction is our friend:
that Christianity is ITSELF, in fact, "conservative;"
that "liberals" and all their works are therefore evil;
that "liberals" are flesh-and-blood enemies of Christianity;
that "the media" is "liberal," and always lies (Fox "News" excepted);
that America's "activist courts" are "liberal" and anti-Christian;
that "conservative" political and legislative action can bring America back to God;
that God is served when we support "conservative" candidates and causes;
that our "liberal" enemies are out to take away our God-given "rights."
"Christian p.c." is a complex of many other pervasive attitudes. I could mention the "American Christian Heritage" historical lies of professional "conservative" operative David Barton and others; false patriotism, and adulation of the military; contempt for science as "anti-Christian;" and unthinking acceptance of unscriptural "conservative" positions on every other current "issue" (gun-control, global-warming, small government, etc., etc.). Those attitudes all have their political repercussions, of course, and may even (as with Barton's lying "history") be intended primarily for political ends. They are not, however, strictly political beliefs in themselves: so I don't regard them as core "Christian p.c."
Each above belief of "Christian political correctness" is quite simply false, and based on a lie. That in itself should give any thinking Christian pause, knowing who Jesus said is "the father of lies." I've written many times in this blog about most, if not all, of those lies. I hate lies, every denial of "The Truth," as must anyone who believes Jesus IS The Truth. But that's not my point here.
The fact is that "political correctness" is predicated on a righteous ideal: kindness to others. But as with all human-devised systems, its implementation becomes ineffectual, ridiculous...and ultimately destructive of the righteousness it intends. But that's not my point either.
The point is that Christians despise "political correctness," and those (whom they perceive as their "liberal" enemies) fostering it.
At the same time, Christians follow their own lock-step "political correctness" in the image of the world's "conservative" faction; and regard "Christian p.c." as a prerequisite for membership in their religious club.
The first (but only the first) problem there is that Christians accept in themselves what they condemn in others. Jesus rightly calls that hypocrisy. (Matthew 7:5)
May the American Church repent its gross hypocrisy !!
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