NPR covers how early 1900s corporate lobbies used ministers to promulgate propaganda conflating Christianity and free market capitalism, kicking off the modern conservative right.
Wow. I knew "Under God" was a 20th century thing, but I had no idea it was a corporate purchase. There was an elder at a church I attended in Texas like that. Most of the members were fairly progressive (for Texas), but the elders weren't. It was an odd situation. Anyway, they did a bible study on the book of James. One elder—a rather wealthy individual who tries to pretend he's not—with another backing him up, proceeded to monologue on how James is saying there's nothing wrong with money and wealth. …if you haven't read James, half the book is about how wealth is not OK. I was at a loss for words. I mean, what do you even say to that? "I know you're an 'elder' here, but what you're preaching is the polar opposite of the words I'm reading, as well as my own conscience?"Accordingly, he disregarded Christ's many injunctions about the dangers of wealth, and instead preached a philosophy that wedded capitalism to Christianity.
It sounds like a good book that has nuance and research and all that, but listening to the show yesterday it really seemed about as simple as atheist Communism is bad. Fight it with Jesus. That oversimplification said, I never liked Billy Graham, but I also never thought he was a dangerous idiot until yesterday
Gettysburg Address. Will read the article later. EDIT: I have a bit to say about this but not quite the time. So: yes and no.It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.