After reading the comments by Alan Ferdman and Sandy Cassidy (Oct. 10) regarding Gary Horton’s column “The Conservative Christian Coup” (Oct. 8), I had to go back and reread his column, which was basically a reprint of one he had originally written in 2005. Given that this was written 20 years ago, I believe Mr. Horton is talking about what is now referred to as “Christian Nationalists” rather than the broader term “Conservative Christians.” In fact, he refers to “Christian nationalism” in both his opening and closing statements.
I am not here to defend Gary Horton. He can defend himself if he feels it’s necessary. Besides, I don’t necessarily agree with everything he has to say. However, I do see a distinction between Christian Nationalism and mainstream Christianity. As a lifelong United Methodist (which is generally considered to be one of many mainstream Christian denominations), it has been my experience that these various Christian denominations welcome a wide range of ideologies within their memberships. Whether Republican, independent, Democrat; or conservative, moderate, liberal, all are welcome in God’s House.
Each of these Christian denominations was founded on the basic principles of Jesus’ teachings, which include peace, love, joy, hope, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, understanding and concern for our fellow man. Many of his messages were conveyed through parables and examples of compassion, such as the good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-37), the poor widow who donated her last two coins to the church (Luke 21: 1-4) and the adulteress subject to stoning by the Pharisees (John 8 1-11).
Far be it from me to speak for Jesus, but based on his teachings and his interaction with the establishment of his day (religious leaders and political leaders), I think he would be more aligned with the values of the traditional conservative and moderate-left than he would with the ultra-liberal, and especially the Christian nationalists of the extreme right. However, he would undoubtedly welcome each and every one of us into his fold. There are no outcasts and undesirables in Jesus’ world.
In the aftermath of the assassination of Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10, an article was published in UM News in which the bishops roundly condemned violence in all forms and urged churchgoers to emulate Jesus. You’ll find it at: www.umnews.org/news/after-assassination-bishops-urge-peacemaking. I encourage you to read it.
While it’s true that Judeo-Christian values played a significant role in the formation of our country and that they continue to help define our moral fiber, they are not and should never be the basis for establishing a national religion.
I will always argue for the separation of church and state. We are a nation that was founded on the principle of religious freedom, including freedom from any religion. That being said, if we would just follow the basic precepts of Jesus, as outlined above, this would be a much better world in which to live.
Jack Crawford
Saugus
