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There is something almost admirable about the flexibility of Christian nationalism. Its principles are presented as absolute until those principles become inconvenient for the political cause of the moment.
We are told America must return to its Christian roots. Yet the teachings of Jesus about loving our neighbors, caring for the poor, welcoming strangers and showing mercy seem to get misplaced whenever they conflict with a political agenda.
Apparently, "Christian values" now require government involvement in people's private lives, but compassion for struggling families is somehow socialism. Protecting the unborn is treated as a sacred obligation, while helping children who are already here can become an entirely different matter.
We are also told that government should stay out of our lives -- except when there is an opportunity to control what people read, what they teach, whom they marry or what medical decisions they make. Apparently, freedom comes with a few carefully selected exceptions.
Perhaps the problem is not Christianity itself. The problem is using Christianity as a political weapon while conveniently ignoring the parts of the Gospel that are less than useful for winning elections.
If Jesus were actually running the campaign, I suspect the slogan would be considerably less political and the message about loving your neighbor considerably harder to ignore.
Michael Stubler
Altoona