With the death of Billy Graham, my message to Christian Conservatives:

[Martin Eden]

I'm agnostic, but I respect religious faith as a deeply personal spiritual element in the lives of many if not most human beings.

I also understand that personal values derived from religious faith cannot be separated from political philosophy any more than I can ignore my own values on the environment, equal rights, and economic justice.

What I do not respect is the use of religion to curtail equal rights or to manipulate people into supporting the poisoning of our environment or the enrichment of the few at the expense of the many. In the name of Jesus, the money changers control the temple.

I'm not saying that was the intention and life work of Billy Graham.

I am saying that religious conservatism in America has been co-opted pursuant to the support of policies which deny equal rights and degrade the environment which supports life itself and comfort the rich while denigrating the poor and conflate a fetish for weapons of murder with personal liberty.

Billy Graham is a central figure in the culture of religious conservatism. I do not know what he thought of how it has been manipulated to support the money changers, the polluters, the racists, and all that is embodied in Donald Trump.

But I will say this to religious conservatives who feel threatened by the erosion of religious faith in America:

You are your own worst enemies. You have allowed yourselves to be manipulated in service to the money changers, the polluters, the racists, and the merchants of death in our schools.

A Christian revival in America requires true religious leaders from within the culture of Billy Graham and today's Christian conservatism to deliver that message in manner which will be taken to heart.

Because I know y'all won't listen to me and other scolds from the left.

[safeinOhio]

1. Is it a Christian Revival or

a return to the Dark Ages if led by fundamentalist. I’m more into the Enlightenment

[Martin Eden]

4. There will be no Christian revival without Enlightenment

That was my point.

[pwb]

2. Saint Peter faces Billy at the gates of heaven.

That would be a sight to see.

[Skittles]

3. HOW can one be a Christian conservative

conservatives root for a party that is racist, misogynist, xenophobic, pro-senseless war, pro-torture, anti-worker - how that does a "Christian" reconcile with that?

[dawg]

6. I guess they just define "Christian" and "conservative" to mean whatever they want them to mean.

I consider myself a Christian, and today's Republican Party is pretty much antithetical to my beliefs.

If I'm being honest, I don't consider those people to be particularly Christian or particularly conservative. If they were what I think of as Christians, they would be all about forgiveness and mercy. If they were what I think of as conservatives, they would be all about preserving existing norms, traditions, and institutions.

Of course, I don't get to decide who is really a Christian or who is really a conservative. They can call themselves anything they want.

But, to me, they are fascists.

That's the word in my dictionary that comes closest to describing them.

[ProudLib72]

5. You've hit the nail on the head

This brand of Christian conservatism must be at odds with the fundamentals of the Christian faith in order to survive. They call it a "war" and they are correct. This is Christian jihad. Because, you see, if they were to live and let live, liberal policy would erode their little world. What we view as a positive step forward they view as succumbing to evil. The fact that not all Christians are like this gives me hope, but the fact that these assholes have so much influence over politics makes me sick.

[trof]

7. God was very very good to Billy. He died with a $25,000,000 estate.

Look it up.
Whatever happened to "sell your goods and give the money to the poor"?
Franklin gets paid $1,000,000 (+-) per annum by the Billy Graham Foundation.

I'm a Golden Rule agnostic.
I firmly believe in treating others the way I would be treated.
At least until they show they deserve otherwise.

[walkingman]

8. I find nothing attractive about calling oneself "Conservative". Yuk! Christian?

Just a case of indoctrination. Usually at an early age.

[Martin Eden]

9. Today's "conservatives" are anything but

And yes, indoctrination at a young age perpetuates the cult.