Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Is America a Christian Nation?

Why is it so difficult for American Christians to see that this is not a Christian nation?

Christians should treat America as the Christians of old treated pagan Rome. For what really is the difference?

We don't have infanticide, but we do have the sterilized, cosmopolitan version of it in abortion. And we have slaugtered many more babies than the Romans ever dared to kill.

We don't have slavery, but we do have massive debt, crony capitalism, illegal immigration and cheap outsourced labor.

We don't have rapacious ambitions to conquer the world, but we wouldn't mind it if the worlds indirect subservience to us should remain exactly as it is.

We don't have the moral compromises of paganism with its sensuality and temple prostitution, but we do have Las Vegas and the Internet.

We don't have a silly system of multiple deities to whom we bend our uncritical allegiance, but we do have celebrities and politicians and athletes.

We don't have gladiators, but we do have our fascination with violent forms of entertainment.

It is time for Christians in America to live and articulate something better than America!

It is time to stop pandering to people who expect that the next argument, politician or law will restore Eden for us at last!

It is time for Christians to promote the stark and austere theology of Paul when he claimed that only in the cross of Jesus can man or society be healed. "We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks."

It is time for the cross of Jesus to be a scandal in America and not a mere accessory.