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Watching Pence I’m wondering again: what is it about people who “accept Jesus” that makes them so weirdly slickly-phony? Ideas? Comments? Here is what some (very perceptive) FB friends had to say

Watching Pence I’m wondering again: what is it about people who “accept Jesus” that makes them so weirdly slickly-phony? Ideas? Comments? Here is what some (very perceptive) FB friends had to say

Last updated on: July 21, 2016 at 11:14 am by Frank Schaeffer

Watching Pence I’m wondering again: what is it about people who “accept Jesus” that makes them so weirdly slickly-phony? Ideas? Comments? Here is what some (very perceptive) FB friends had to say 2016-07-21T11:14:29-06:00 Frank Schaeffer

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The question is do Jesus-following white American evangelicals of the left or right, turn into smarmy flakes because they get “saved” or do smarmy flakes gravitate to Jesus?

Watching Mike Pence even if I knew nothing about him as he spoke at the GOP convention I’d know he was a born again evangelical.

How?

Here is what some of my Facebook friends think (and thank you all!) but first maybe I can spot the white born-again types because there’s a slick smarmy insincerity to the “saved” that’s sort of unique.

That believe-in-Jesus flavor is the “flavor” of gross hypocrisy. What does it cover?

The lingo is all in coded asides to the faithful, like dogs sniffing each other for signs of kinship. It’s all “I-am-one-of-you” message.

And it’s not just white evangelicals of the right like Mike Pence, who exude this slick patina of falsehood.

Listen to most white social justice/intentional community types of “lefty” evangelical holding forth on Black Lives Matter. What’s with all the Bible verses quoted in public when speaking to evangelicals (say about the death penalty) but all the private disrespect for the very same evangelical movement to fellow “enlightened” lefty-Christian types in private?

(Translation: The evangelical “left” talks Black Lives Matter but want to stay on the racist, homophobic Christian college and mega-church lists of acceptable speakers nevertheless. Why? HINT: $$$$).

I asked my Facebook followers this question, and here are some of the (mind-blowingly perceptive) answers I got:

Frank Schaeffer

Published by Facebook Mentions · 9 hrs ·

Watching Pence I’m wondering again: what is it about people who “accept Jesus” that makes them so weirdly slickly-phony? Ideas? Comments?

Tim Kettenring DMin Frank, as a former evangelical, revert to Catholicism, I think its a learned behavior.

Linda Hopper It doesn’t affect all people who are Christians that way. The slick phoniness comes from the person’s lack of empathy and their willingness to say whatever they need to get whatever they want, and Jesus has nothing to do with it.

Jamie Moore I don’t think that they really are very accepting of Anything so they are misled their own self and cannot be relied upon to lead anyone else. Jesus doesn’t really have anything to do with it, they’d most likely twist and corrupt even their own beliefs.

Don Heatley I think it’s because “accepting Jesus” is a phony idea. The phrase “accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior” never appears in the Bible. Ironic since these are often the same who say they “only believe the Bible”.

J Eric Thompson Depending on the Christology, it can be a complete abdication of personal responsibility. Do whatever you want and ask forgiveness as long as you check the right belief boxes. The cheapest of grace.

Brenda Boytim Morrison They all (the RNC guys) look like fundamentalist preachers. 😛

Charles Jennings Hoping to gain power shows his true heart bc he’s siting aside all Christianity stands for !!!

Bobby Guthenberg Self-serving nonsense

Michele Gammon they only pay lip service to Jesus.

Francine Adkins-Alexander People who are phony are either after something or hiding something. That’s the only thought I have about this.

Oz Robert I am in graduate school studying religion because of questions like this. I grew up in an Evangelical school (I guess I can thank your family for its existence hahahaha) and I have always thought that the “born-again” and “accept Jesus to my heart” crowds’ rhetoric and mannerisms was disturbingly similar no matter where you go. I have always wondered why.

Bryan David Smith The King James bible, or what we have left of it, says it’s not flesh and blood that we battle, but rather principalities in high places. I believe the religious right now host the same demons the Pharisees hosted, who had Christ Crucified.

John Anderson Because the twisted truth never approximates the Jesus who actually walked this earth…it is an abomination what Christianity has done…in essence to make reality tv out of a beautiful soul who spoke against the Pharisees…

Valerie Schneider Since when do you govern a country by a bible? That’s what churches are for. Jesus take the wheel should be replaced by Jesus pull the trigger. It’s the Republican way.

David Wilds IMHO, it’s the idea that one can live ones life striving for anything…in any way & then close to the end murmur, “I’m still forgiven, right?”, and be told “Yes.” that gives so many such license as to be above it all. Mostly their treatment of others.

Glenn Stephens Some may fear their doubts and inconsistencies will be exposed if they present themselves authentically. That “slickly-phony” persona adopted by Evangelical leaders in particular is likely due to the dependence of their livelihood …

Thomas Lee Allman A fundamentalist Christian is capable of believing absolutely anything. There is nothing in the world more ridiculous or unbelievable than the belief that they are and only they are getting into heaven. It’s apparent they feel superior.

Bob Lien Deep inside they are at best, unsure of all the lies pounded into them – at worst, they live in absolute terror. The result is exactly as you describe – a slick phoniness – a goffmanian front-stage to mask the lurking horror within.

Rachelle Roberts-Bethel Frank, it is called going to Church every Sunday, reading the Bible every week, yet not feeling or comprehending a darn thing. Sort of like the rich man who frustrated Jesus in wanting to know what he needed to do to go to Heaven but didn’t quite get it.

Erick Krasnoff People lose who they really are when they make the decision to identify as a follower of something (Jesus). They are no longer just themselves. That throws a creepy vibe. It’s unauthentic, it’s not genuine.

Claire Schrader I think it has to do with thinking that because you are “saved” by Jesus, you can behave in way that indicates that you think you are superior, but forgetting that this is not at all how Jesus taught his disciples to act. It’s a focus on his death and not his life. His teaching is all about humility, justice and demonstrating the love he taught us about by his example.

Kathleen Baker It’s the voices in their heads that they keep listening to, believing that God is speaking to them personally. Sane people know that Goddoesn’t have that much time to waste.

Hans Larson in some cases I think people find an interesting payoff for accepting the Christ offered by their piers. they get belonging,a kind of pretend shared interest. encouragement. And acceptance. One big rule can protect the whole congregation and that is Don’t disagree. kissing ass can save your soul so Amen etc……ya know?

Sam Collins I am a former fundamentalist evangelical as well now a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and i think what you are seeing is a cult at work in the Republican party.

Kevin DaVee Perhaps it is a return to a medieval concept of Christ, i.e. the King that requires his servants to crusade to restore or protect his patrimony. Given some folks (reportedly Gov. Pence for instance) also reject a good deal of post-Enlightenment thought and learning, it seems very much in character. I guess I’m suggesting there may be no internal conflict for the speaker.

Karla Schmidt For me, it is their setting of Jesus as “Saviour” in the place of doing what Jesus lived and preached! They let “Jesus” do the work and carry on as before.

Melissa Brazell Geralds They aren’t worried…once saved means just that to them.

Nothing they do or say will doom them to hell.
So…what have they got to lose by being self indulgent hypocritical hedonists?…

Sharon Hodkinson I think you have it backwards, slickly-phony people anre more likely to accept Jesus. It is all a weird power play.

Mike Jensen This is hardly the forum for an intricate and nuanced argument. Conservative Christianity as practiced in America is a conformist life style and set of beliefs. There is tremendous pressure to conform. Those who do not conform are spoken to “in Christian love.” People are not that simple, so phoniness to toe the line is common.

Penny Morrow Kilgore They jump on the Jesus bandwagon because religion is profitable. Look at televangelist, and how generous their followers are.

Peggy Reilly If they all believe in a supposed “Judgement Day”, one would think they’d all do what they’re taught–like treat people the way you’d like to be treated, and stop being so hateful and judgmental.

Stacy Carey I think Lucifer (if he really does exist) infiltrated the ranks of Christianity and Islam along time ago, and people are too stuck in their myopic world’s to realize it. ..

Pam Wilson This is NOT Christianity as we old folks know. It has been hijacked by extremists who wouldn’t know God’s will if it bit them on the ass.

Richard Ettelson A very thoughtful question, which, I, as an outsider, will have to think about. I’ll get back to you.

Maribeth Wright Curry Even more scary than Trump as president is Pence as president if something happens to Trump!!

Gulie Molkenthin I can’t decide whether it’s the glittering eyes or the forked tongue.

Bill Amos It’s a condescension to everyone else, kind of like a self-righteous “I know the truth and you don’t” attitude.

Gloria Cassano Has anyone seen Donald Trump. He needs the support of the Bible Thumpers.

Gayle Evans Great question, but there are pretenders.

Faye Denton Unfortunately, I’ve seen other phony evangelical Christians like that. I’m a Catholic and I’m appalled by that stuff, it’s very disturbing.

Debi Williams It is his tea party background and he was going to lose his re election here in Indiana big loser in so many ways

Bobby Sullivan Hypocrisy is pretty easy to spot, these days. There are a whole lot of Pharisees out there.

William Heatley The concept of “accepting Jesus as personal Lord and Savior” is delusional. Most of us outgrew having imaginary friends when we were in kindergarten.

Supermom Daley Jones They are all hypocrites

Arland Russell Oh, come on, Frank. From what you tell us of your history, you must have seen plenty of CHARLATANS like Mike Pence. This guy has not accepted anything except that he will bend over for the higest bidder.

Sue Boydston Sanctimony . Isn’t that a giveaway for phony?

Brian Roemer It’s interesting how the language in American Christianity is more focused on “accepting” Jesus as opposed to obeying.

Jesus has become a commodity of the intellect and a cover for pushing whatever agenda a persons decides on in life regardless …

Pat Delzell How much of the Sermon on the Mount do they follow?

Manny Whitlock The GOP Is known for its fake use of religion

Chris Peterson Religion has been overrun by extroverts and they have stopped listening to introverts. Introverts want peace, not dominion.

Jan Malec Berkebile He looks like plastic ! He looks fake ! He looks too perfect . Did you see Trumpettes kids sitting like manakins in the audience . Perfect posture,

Please add your own comments here below

Frank Schaeffer is a writer. His latest book —WHY I AM AN ATHEIST WHO BELIEVES IN GOD: How to give love, create beauty and find peace

Available now on Amazon

Follow Frank on Twitter www.twitter.com/frank_schaefferSee Frank’s paintings http://www.frankschaefferart.com/Follow Frank on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/frank.schaeffer.16 Contact Frank at http://www.frankschaeffer.com

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