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The Christian Paradox

In the “The Christian Paradox: How a faithful nation gets Jesus wrong” by Bill McKibben ,shows that a country such as America, which seems to pride itself on following the Christian faith has little real understanding in terms of the religion, which they claim to follow. He insists that they actions and behavior do not follow any Christian teaching as they have their own deals and follow a creed, which is in contrast to the Christian religion. It is evident that a creed, which is preached by majority of televangelists together with preachers, tends to demonstrate the aspect. The creed is mainly centralized on the notion that God tend to help individuals who try to help themselves, which is definitely a conception that could not be more in contrast to Christianity basic ideas. This is because the notion that God only help those who help themselves remains the core of many Americans behavior.

The year, 2004 saw a statistic provided by McKibben showed America ranked second last in government provision of provided foreign aid n terms of economic earnings as private charities tend to increase the amount by a small percentage. At the same time, Aid to given to their own citizens is not any different. America trails in almost every category for example almost eighteen percent of children in American children live below the poverty line in comparison to Sweden’s, which is a secular nation and is eight percent. Conversely, the numbers seems not be improving in that according to the American Department of Agriculture, which McKibben cites, houses number which were experiencing food insecurity was on the rise compared to twenty six percent in 1999 to 2003. In spite of the biblical teaching on loving one’s neighbor’, that is not the case in a tremendously Christian America.

McKibben argues that Christianity in America presently seems to forgo the foundation of Christian teachings in the Bible, and replacing it with the latest interpretations complete with fabrications, which seems to support a new, egotistic form of Christianity. At the same time, only around 40percent of Americans are comfortable naming four or even more than four in relation to the Ten commandments with only scant half being able to cite the Gospels four authors. The failure to be in a position to recall certain specifics Christian heritage is the evidence of the country’s educational decline. However is obviously does not matter in terms of political or spiritual matter. It is obvious that as a Christian nation, it has to mean something as individuals who attend church absorb the lessons learnt there and make logical decisions in relation to the lessons. The lessons often inform their politics as one poll showed that 11 percent of churchgoers in America were encouraged by their clergy to vote for one particular political block.

George Bush often say that Jesus Christ happens to be one of his favorite philosopher, although he might not or be sincere, he seems to reflect the genuine beliefs of the most Americans majority. There lies the paradox as America remains the most professedly Christian in relation to developed nations but has the least Christian behavior in terms of most citizens actions. It is true that around 75 percent of Americans claim to pray to God daily, but only a 33 percent state they manage to attend church weekly. Still, although, 85 percent overemphasize actual practice, this clearly symbolizes aspiration. There is nothing else, which tends to unite over four fifths of America. This is because other statistic, which a person can cite on American behavior, is essentially a measure of the professed Christians behavior. The country is a place saturated in terms of Christian’s identity, which begs the question on whether it is a Christian nation. Christ was specific on what He wanted for his followers. Maybe the simple criterion is giving help to the poorest people being a sensible substitute for Christian behavior.

Nevertheless, the days prior to crucifixion, when Jesus summarized his message to his disciples was that the separation of the righteous from the immoral was on their actions. This involved welcoming the stranger, feeding, and the hungry, clothing the naked, and visiting the prisoner. Ironically, the country was ranked second last in the year 2004, after Italy, in developed countries in giving out government foreign help. This means each citizen offer fifteen cents daily in official development aid to underprivileged countries. On the other hand, they are not giving private charities in relief work as a substitute. Such funding tends to increase the country’s average daily donation to twenty cents. At the same time, around 18 percent of children in America live in abject poverty. In fact, preschool access, childhood nutrition, and infant mortality the country is ranked almost last among the affluent nations with a wide margin. It is evident that that the American country trails badly in Christian teachings, which Jesus seemed to pay attention.

It is evident that the American Christian nation seems to make individual contrary to political, choices, which the Bible would be viewed to oppose. In spite of the Sixth Commandment, the nation remains the most vicious rich nation in the world with the rate of murder being four that of their European peers. The population in prisons is greater six times in comparison to other rich nations, which also should give plenty of opportunity in terms of prisons visits. America is the only Western democracy left, which execute its people, generally in the states where Christianity remains in theory strongest. In spite of Jesus’ strict declarations on divorce, marriages tend to break up at a speedy rate compares poorly with the countries found in the European Union’s average. The country tops the charts in terms of teenage pregnancy, obesity, credit purchase, which definitely prove that Americans are hypocrites.

The more disturbing explanation for this detachment remains between belief and action. This is because many Americans, which seem to means mainly believers, have replaced Bible Christianity, with its call for profound sharing as well as individual sacrifice; with an opposing creed. Many American churches seem to have done a good job in loving their neighbor, when they are in church. This means majority of them are Sunday Christians and do not practice Christianity practically but in theory. It is obvious that many churches concentrate on consumer gospel in many suburban megachurches, which remains a perfect match for development of conservative financial notions. The situation entails personal accountability instead of a joint action. This does not entail privatization of Social Security, which makes health care expensive and claim that God only helps those who try to help themselves.