America the Christian

(Looks remarkably like a follower of Christ, doesn't he?)

I recently found an article written by Bill McKibben for Harper's Magazine using StumbleUpon. While I would probably go further than McKibben's call for reform of Christianity in the US, he does make some disturbing points about the "Christian identity" that a majority of US citizens possess (or perhaps are possessed by).

McKibben states:

• "Despite the Sixth Commandment, we are, of course, the most violent rich nation on earth, with a murder rate four or five times that of our European peers."

• "most Americans—which means most believers [in the US]—have replaced the Christianity of the Bible, with its call for deep sharing and personal sacrifice, with a competing creed. In fact, there may be several competing creeds."

• "...one straight from the sprawling megachurches of the new exurbs...Their goal is to service consumers—not communities but individuals: “seekers” is the term of art, people who feel the need for some spirituality in their (or their children's) lives but who aren't tightly bound to any particular denomination or school of thought. The result is often a kind of soft-focus, comfortable, suburban faith."

In essence, McKibben suggests that the 'Christian' identity possessed by a majority of US Christians is patently at odds with the identity of Christ. He highlights Jesus' summation of what it means to be righteous in Matthew 22:34-40:

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Those US citizens possessed by a 'Christian' identity are probably farther from the Kingdom of God than they are from the kingdoms of the world we live in. Yet there is always hope for these people; there is always hope for humanity because of Jesus. He continues to call us out from darkness into light