Religious Right Hypocrisy: Social Restriction and Economic Freedom

Capitalist Jesus

Two main tenants of the religious right wing movement are, if not in direct contradiction to one another, extremely inconsistent.  On the one hand the movement feverishly advocates for legislation restricting civil liberties in the name of Christian morals and values.  For example, if the religious right had its way, the following would be banned via constitutional amendment:  gay marriage, reproductive rights, privacy, pornography, etc.  These restrictive measures would take place to protect our supposedly Christian nation from the so-called disease of liberalism.  But on the other hand, the right wing vehemently opposes economic restrictions i.e. redistribution of wealth, higher taxes for the wealthy, etc.  They typically argue that charity ought to be left up to the individual, not the government.  Although conservatives purport that less government is good government, it seems to be ok for government to act on the behalf of Christianity in regard to social issues, but never economic ones.  However, in Matthew 6:24 it is written, “You cannot serve both God and money”.  In Luke 18:22, Jesus even goes as far as to say, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”  The clarity is undeniable, if you argue that government ought to advocate and legislate Christian social values, they ought to do the same for Christian economic values.  Unfortunately for right wing Christian conservatives, these values sound a lot like socialism, an ideology they would spit on if personified.  We’ll see if they would after the second coming.