Convenient Christianity & Exploiting God

There are a number of religious conservatives who seem adept at exploiting religion and Christianity when it suits them. Consider, for example, the way they hyped the awful experiences of Ashley Smith who was taken hostage by Brian Nichols after his shooting rampage in an Atlanta courtroom.

Doug Basham writes about watching conservative "news" coverage:

All day long, I heard, “Ashley Smith had nothing but her God and her faith in Him...that’s what got her thru’ this ordeal.”

And maybe it was.

They said, “With-OUT God and her faith in Him, she would’ve surely faced certain death.”

And maybe she would have. Just don’t call me "Shirley." But seriously though, folks...

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not putting Ashley Smith or her faith in God down. I have no problem with Christians and their faith in God. I have a huge problem with the charlatans of the Christian right attaching themselves to - and shamelessly exploiting - the Ashley Smiths of the world; in order to push their selfish and misguided, quasi-theocratic, pseudo-fascist, fundamentalist agenda.

Program after program paraded minister after minister - pastor after pastor - preacher after preacher - before the cameras. The American mainstream media engaged in a total, orgasmic GOD-fest and revival meeting all day long. The only thing missing was the final scene from Sister Act, starring Whoopee Goldberg.

Watching them stick their chests out with immeasurable, false pride; you would’ve thought Ashley Smith’s faith and courage weren’t just her faith and courage, but theirs as well. ... It was almost as if they thought Ashley's actions somehow validated and/or vindicated their un-Christian, pharisaic lives and what they like to think they stand for. I guess when you profess to be a Christian and you live your life in direct contradiction to the Creator's laws you profess to worship; you'll latch onto anything that makes you feel less like the anti-Christ you truly are.

Basham is pretty critical of the people using Smith to puff up their own Christian credentials and I don't think that his criticism is entirely unjustified. At the same time, though, are these actions any different from how Christians have always behaved? The promotion of Ashely Smith's story strikes me as being akin to hagiography. She wasn't martyred for her faith, obviously, but her story is be used as an example for others to follow and to reinforce their beliefs.

Read More:

• Religion 101
• Theism 101
• Does God Exist?