Right Wing Morality and the Christian Mind
Another issue I have been thinking for a while - something that we have all took for granted most of the time - is the issue of Christian morality.
The problem of morality is something that involves us all, yet it remains one of the least understood (much less articulated) areas in contemporary Christianity. What do I mean?
Firstly, churches have largely forgotten what it means to be a church - that is, a community of God's people set apart in this world and called to be holy and blameless. Of course, the history of the Christian church is a tainted one (sometimes by the shedding of innocent blood), but then again, Christians (including myself) have always been less than saintly on this side of heaven (this is no excuse though for the need for repentance).
Now, what erks me is not so much that we have been less-than-perfect (sometimes even wilfully), but that the church - under the throes of modernity - have capitulated without even knowing so. In the process, we have exchanged the essence of true Christian morality for a counterfeit version, one that is shallow at best and hypocritically despicable at worst. This I will term as the Right-wing morality.
For instance, someone who does not drink, dance or smoke and attends church regularly is generally seen as a model Christian of sorts. On the other hand, a tattoo-toting, cigarette-wielding alcoholic is almost immediately discriminated against - sometimes even without knowing his name. Lest anyone thinks I am a sword-flashing angry young man of the hippie generation, let me assure you I am not. In addition, I am not against folks who do not drink, dance or smoke (and certainly not against regular church-worship) nor for those who dress and act simply because of some latest fashion fad.
However, the error of the church lies in her tendency to polarize according to cultural, socio-political trends and agendas rather than in faithful obedience to the Word of God. So instead of standing up for holiness, righteousness and truth - as opposed to profanity, falsehood and sin - we drum up categories like Conservative vs. Liberals, Communists vs. Capitalists, Right vs. left, Science vs. religion, the list goes on...
Now, I am not advocating that we cannot have categories with which to think and articulate our ideas within - except that these categories cannot sufficiently take into account the totality and reality of the Christian faith. Unfortunately, many Christians fall into the trap of aligning themselves with the dominant ideology of their times without realising that such ideologies - while containing valid moral aphorisms - actually do more harm than good as they create a false sense of self-righteousness. No wonder then, the harshest words of Christ and John the Baptist were not directed at the tax-collectors nor prostitutes, but against the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
Unless the Church of God can recover its true missiology, we'll be forever conducting our operations in the wrong battlefields...leaving the real work undone.
The problem of morality is something that involves us all, yet it remains one of the least understood (much less articulated) areas in contemporary Christianity. What do I mean?
Firstly, churches have largely forgotten what it means to be a church - that is, a community of God's people set apart in this world and called to be holy and blameless. Of course, the history of the Christian church is a tainted one (sometimes by the shedding of innocent blood), but then again, Christians (including myself) have always been less than saintly on this side of heaven (this is no excuse though for the need for repentance).
Now, what erks me is not so much that we have been less-than-perfect (sometimes even wilfully), but that the church - under the throes of modernity - have capitulated without even knowing so. In the process, we have exchanged the essence of true Christian morality for a counterfeit version, one that is shallow at best and hypocritically despicable at worst. This I will term as the Right-wing morality.
For instance, someone who does not drink, dance or smoke and attends church regularly is generally seen as a model Christian of sorts. On the other hand, a tattoo-toting, cigarette-wielding alcoholic is almost immediately discriminated against - sometimes even without knowing his name. Lest anyone thinks I am a sword-flashing angry young man of the hippie generation, let me assure you I am not. In addition, I am not against folks who do not drink, dance or smoke (and certainly not against regular church-worship) nor for those who dress and act simply because of some latest fashion fad.
However, the error of the church lies in her tendency to polarize according to cultural, socio-political trends and agendas rather than in faithful obedience to the Word of God. So instead of standing up for holiness, righteousness and truth - as opposed to profanity, falsehood and sin - we drum up categories like Conservative vs. Liberals, Communists vs. Capitalists, Right vs. left, Science vs. religion, the list goes on...
Now, I am not advocating that we cannot have categories with which to think and articulate our ideas within - except that these categories cannot sufficiently take into account the totality and reality of the Christian faith. Unfortunately, many Christians fall into the trap of aligning themselves with the dominant ideology of their times without realising that such ideologies - while containing valid moral aphorisms - actually do more harm than good as they create a false sense of self-righteousness. No wonder then, the harshest words of Christ and John the Baptist were not directed at the tax-collectors nor prostitutes, but against the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
Unless the Church of God can recover its true missiology, we'll be forever conducting our operations in the wrong battlefields...leaving the real work undone.
posted by Benjamin Ho at
4:40 AM
5 Comments:
I wonder what would you say about the idea that morality no longer constitutes an essential aspect of our Christian identity? I mean, in the past, especially in the first century church period, Christians were literally defined by their virtues and their morals. When someone is identified as christians, they are automatically associated as moral persons.
In close relationship between being Christian and being moral in the first century can be seen very clearly in the way Justin Martyr, in his defence of the Christian faith, argued against the pagans that the validity of christianity can be seen in the holy and moral lifes lead by the christians. Imagine if we were to make such an argument today for the validity of christianity. We'll be laughed out of the discussion!
But unfortunately today, the morality of christians have went down, and, may I dare say, the morality of the non-christians have went up. With social welfare governments, removal of slavery, increase tolerance and acceptance of other races and other 'moral advancement' (the quote marks for the benefit of those we thinks the world is getting more corrupted), it seems that being moral no longer forms a part of what it means to be christian. And this is due to the dual effect of the lowering morality of christians (especially due to inqusitions and bloody wars waged in the name of Christ) and the rising morality of the world, morality no longer constitutes or defines what it means to be a christian.
So, I guess, in some sense, Christians feel a need to assert their Christian identity in other ways, or, to use your term, in 'Right-wing Christian morality'. Because a moral Christian will simply be seen as a 'moral person', not a 'moral CHRISTIAN'. And there are many 'moral persons' out there which makes morality no longer unique to christianity and in some sense, morality is no longer a means to advertise Christ and Christianity to the world. So, we resort to other means.
But in my opinion, i think, moral or not, I think the main point of 'advertisement' of Christianity or the main constituting identity of Christian is basically the gospel, that we are saved sinners, not moral saints (as Jesus would put it, the healthy does not need the doctor, its the sick!). And Christians yesterday today and forever will always be saved sinners although our morality may flucuate thoroughout the ages.
So I guess, in regards to Christian morality, i believe that it is a useful rhetorical device or means to advertise to the world and reach out to it (everybody loves a moral person naturally), but i don't think it is essential feature of what it means to be Christian. And I think that what IS essential is being a saved sinners and confessing our faith in the saviour rather than being a moral saint.
I'm not sure whether it is true regarding the morality of Christians vs. non-Christians (who is more moral...).
You are probably right to observe that Christians do see the need to assert their Christian identity in some ways - what I do have trouble with, is that these forms of articulation are often a less than faithful representation of what it means to truly loving God with all our hearts, soul, strength and mind. Worse, when such psuedo-morality replaces the essence of true spirituality (without us even knowing it), then we are in trouble.
As for what it means to be a Christian, I have no qualms saying Amen to what you just wrote. Christian confession though involves more than just propositional assertion, it includes personal repentance and bearing of good fruit =)
i cant understand a word of wad u ppl r saying...by e way i m yongsheng..XD
One good politician (Mike Pence) [out of many bad ones] once said this:
I'm a Christian, Conservatives and Republican; in that order.
legalise and antinomia is always goes hands in hands. When we throw away God's law, we create our own laws (not swimming, movies, drinking..etc) It is very important for the church to preach sins and God's law
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