Clueless Conservative Christian

As I was finishing up my lunch today, a co-worker and a guest sat at my table. It turns out that the guest is a sales representative from a local fundogelical radio station; my co-worker recently arranged to buy advertising time during the Rush Limbaugh show. The first minute or so went okay, with polite introductions and handshakes around the table. A fellow with whom I’d eaten lunch knew something about this radio station, so he made some polite comments about it. The sales rep beamed appreciatively, then dropped her bomb: she and her colleagues are thrilled about, in her words, “the Republican takeover” of the House of Representatives in January, because “the government hasn’t been too friendly” to Christians lately. I nearly swallowed my teeth, but managed to keep my mouth shut. Instead of engaging her in an argument a conversation, I waited quietly for a polite interval – perhaps a minute or so – then excused myself.

Had she not been my colleague’s guest, I might have asked her if she honestly thinks – not believes, thinks – that Republican control of one branch of Congress is going to have a significant effect on advancing her station’s agenda in the next two years. Beyond that, I’d be curious to know why she thinks – again, thinks, not believes – that Republicans give a rat’s ass about their agenda. The Republican party, for the most part, has been adroit at giving conservative Christians little more than table scraps and lip service – just enough to keep them coming back for more. In return, the Republicans get millions of conservative Christian votes, which gives them access to the power they crave. In other words, the Republican party powers-that-be are playing conservative Christians for fools.

Now, don’t think for a moment that I think that Democratic office-holders are much better than their Republican counterparts. The Democrats controlled both the legislative and executive branches of the American government for the past two years, and they don’t have a hell of a lot to show for it (which may have something to do with why they lost so many Congressional seats in the recent election). Instead of governing like a party with substantive majorities in both houses of Congress, complete control of the administration, a clear mandate from the public, and a clear vision for the country, they governed like a minority Parliamentary government that has to barter, compromise and muddle through to accomplish anything more complicated than picking their noses. Still, it seems to me that, in the current political climate, with the current political players in place, the Democratic party is slightly less likely than the Republican party to flush average Americans down the national toilet. Having said that, regardless of who’s in power, my newest hobby is making rope ladders out of toilet paper.

My conversation with my colleague’s guest was brief, and I obviously don’t know much about her. But, I know a lot of conservative Christians, and her gushing enthusiasm about the Republican party struck me as the same sort of uncritical acceptance of all things Republican that I’ve observed in them. As far as I’m concerned, all Americans would be well advised to view ourselves as sheep among wolves when dealing with politicians of all persuasions. Being a clueless liberal isn’t any more praiseworthy than being a clueless conservative. Contrary to what snake oil selling politicos want all of us to believe, the clueless will not inherit the earth. And, if the Republicans have their way, they won’t get Medicare or Social Security either.

– the chaplain