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The media and educational elite portrays the rather absurd image that all Christians are fundamentalist conservatives or in their lexicon – knuckle dragging neo-cons. In reality the 'socialist' tendencies of both church and church-goer are well known. Far from being a bastion of conservative-republican goose-stepping war mongers, a clear majority of Christians are actually quite 'left wing'; socialist or avowedly anti-conservative. The church is not an ally of the 'right'.
In the most religious country in the West, the United States, the division between socialists and non-socialists is even. According to a Pew poll, 54% of white, mainline Protestants and 50% of Catholics voted Republican in the 2004 presidential elections. Keep in mind that voting Republican and being conservative are not identical, with many Republicans little different than the more left-wing and Marxist Democrats. In any event the trend over the past 20 years is clear – the power of the 'left' in church is growing.
Many prominent conservatives and republicans are of course church-goers. But so are many high profile socialists and marxists including Hussein Obama [and his racist preacher[; Nancy Pelosi, many Euro-politicians and populist statists such as the Prime Minister of Canada. This says nothing of the very communal and socialist ideas put forward by the Vatican church; the Protestant coalition of churches; or various Church sees in Europe such as the Bishopric of Canterbury. Such ideals include abasing Western culture in deference to Islam, supporting illegal immigration, anti-war vitriol, and disavowing captialism.
Church membership then is hardly exclusionary to ideology. In fact the rise of left wing forces in the church is a singular and powerful trend which has accelerated in the past 15 years.
It is a noticeable fact that the religious 'left' to use the term, has close associations with movements and groups who promote socialism. The church is very cooperative with unions and other groups who constantly cite massive poverty as a crime [the real poverty rate is about 5-8%]. This has resulted in christian groups being very active in helping unions, politicians and extremist organisations aiding workers against employers; fighting for worker 'rights'; and defending the rights of illegals to remain, work and receive public benefits. Such activism transcends Christian thinking but it also obviously impacts the ability of companies to do business, by raising their costs, reducing their profits and limiting their ability to improve wage and work conditions.
Yet the inclination of the church to support left wing causes is not new. The 19th century spawned many social 'good news' movements based on the biblical teaching of poor support. These ideas mutated into marxist-egalitarian demands to equalise incomes; mandate redistribution systems and provide expensive social welfare programs. Complete equality of material outcome was the objective.
These impulses gave rise to similar movements in the 20th century. The Catholic church long supported huge taxes on the wealthy; excessive capital and business regulation; and expropriation of 'unfair' profits. Church membership – and monied support - became increasingly tied to the union movement. As the 20th century wore on, the Protestant and Catholic church became vocal and angry promoters of social justice and social equality. They also actively pushed and developed an anti-war agenda again reflecting their base support amongst unions and fundamentalist christians who believe that war – any war – is immoral.
In fact the unions have long viewed the church as a prime recruiting area. Churches and unions cooperate in producing union-supporting sermons, bulletins, leaflets, and meetings. Church sessions have routinely asked members to donate to unions, support minimum wage legislation or help with union activities in the community. Church groups are very active in supporting 'living wage' levels, or other legislation to help the working class. Many union groups have promoted internships, fellowships, or job training opportunities with various union branches at local churches, trying to entice church members into closer contact.
Even more disturbing is the mere reality that despite a massive decrease in poverty and a rapid rise in wealth, the 'church' is still insisting on failed socialist dogma. The growing power of the religious left is obvious in the church's almost constant description of capitalism, trade, and markets as malicious and evil. Church leadership regularly denigrate WalMart for its non-unionized labor force; or constantly appeal to the malignancy of the 'rich' and their 'exploitation' of the rest. Socialist economic policies lead to higher levels of poverty, and economic stagnation – a fact that the church blithely ignores.
The church is also incredibly active in promoting the green eco-cult agenda and its irrational demand for higher taxes and regulation. Most church sects spending an inordinate amount of time on green propaganda and corporate 'guilt' and responsibility for despoiling mother earth subjecting their membership to relentless eco-marxist propaganda of the most disturbing and sordid variety. The green-marxist agenda would literally wipe out millions of jobs; starve millions to death; and end in economic and social tragedy – for absolutely no purpose.
This then is the reality of the 'church' and the above is one set of reasons why church membership for some sects is plummeting. The church has value and can add a lot to society's development. But its embrace of socialist-marxist ideology; and its attitude that capitalism or conservatism is to blame for the world's woes; or that all wars are bad; is dangerous and neurotic. In any event it is laughable to equate the entire edifice of the 'church' with conservatism. It is akin to equating the eco-cult with rationality.
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