Real compassion for others missing

Good for the new wave of evangelicals who are interested in “practical ways to help their communities” (May 26 article, “Who Leads the Christian right?”) The old wave of Falwells is passing on to their promised land above (jammed with preachers, praise and prayers). Now the younger mega-believers in their mega-churches are finally doing a mega-thing: getting involved in the real world to do good things. Really?

I nailed my ordination on the door of the church after years of seeing and experiencing this dishonesty. Christianism, like other isms of faith, has a failed policy much like the war in Iraq, only grander and more dangerous. The policy, the agenda, never changes, whoever leads the faithful flock. What is the unchanging agenda? “There is no God but our God and Jesus is His messenger.” Whoops. I’m confusing this with Islam. My mistake. Or, the truth. This is the basis of any and all evangelical social “compassion” (and let’s be honest, most Catholic and Protestant churches have one major change in mind: an increase in membership).

Is it any wonder more of us are looking to reason and nature to lead the way, beyond religion? Is anyone surprised that a growing number see religion as one of the greatest obstacles to effective social change?

The article on prayer gives a firm Amen! to this view. We wonder, what if these folks just unplugged their prayers and put their minds to work in their community, in this world? Can freethinkers wake up the herd? We can speculate, but the ad announcing the message at the Cowboy Church probably gives us the best answer religion can muster: “Branded by Him.” Yee-haw. Point made. Who can reason with that?

Chris Highland

Langley