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The twisted political philosophy of some evangelicals
The Bible can be twisted to say anything… as can any religious text
In 1952, the pastor of Marble Collegiate Church in New York City Norman Vincent Peale wrote a book called The Power of Positive Thinking. Its claims that thinking positively could result in material rewards was roundly criticized by the psychological and the faith communities. Nevertheless, Peale was praised by five Presidents in a documentary, and he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the highest award available for civilian service. Donald Trump’s family, by the way, were parishioners.
It shouldn’t be terribly surprising that there is so much enthusiasm about such an acquisitive theology. For some, Christianity has become an identity rather than a faith tradition. After all, how could any reading of the Jesus’s teachings become the basis for slavery, racism, and segregation? And yet for some people, they did.
Even today, the idea that prayer will result in temporal rewards is an appealing idea. One of its most prominent proponents, Joel Osteen, has turned it into a fortune worth upwards of $50 million. Convincing his congregants to make contributions to support his lavish lifestyle is his stock in trade. They contribute in exchange for the promise from Osteen and his ilk that God…
