By Shewanda Riley
Every few years, it seems like I have to write a column asking for real Christians
to stand up against a social, racial, or political injustice. This time, I’m asking the same
question regarding recent US Supreme Court rulings regarding Affirmative Action,
student loan forgiveness and religious freedom. For those who have paid attention to
the Supreme Court adding more religiously conservative justices, it came as a
disappointment but not a complete surprise that these rulings were announced.
Evangelical and conservative Christians celebrated the court’s newest
appointees, the exception being the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first
African American female justice. These same conservatives enthusiastically praised the
court’s ideological shift to the right. The hope was that this meant that issues that were
most important to them like ending abortion and protection of “religious freedoms”
(not being forced to work on Sundays or to have to do business with people that your
“religion” is not in support of) could happen.
So, what does this mean? Well…after years of strategic judicial maneuvers and
strong voting turnout, those groups have gotten what they wanted. Roe vs. Wade was
struck down and many states have enacted such strict laws that abortion is essentially
outlawed. Moreover, Christians now have a legal example which supports them not
having to do things that are against their religious beliefs like work on Sundays or
provide business services to gays and lesbians. For some, these are answers to
prayers.
For others, these are extremely dangerous signs of a hypocritical Christianity
becoming the norm. There are now more “Christians” masquerading as men (and
women) of God continue to justify what is clearly racist, ungodly and UnChristlike
behavior using biblical scripture. In the case of the Colorado website business owner
who won her case that argued she should not be forced to make wedding websites for
gays and lesbians, it’s now been revealed that some of the details of the case may not
be true.
Among the many social media comments posted after these rulings, some said
that Christians who praised these rulings are the reasons they are atheists and avoid
church. Some Christians have rightfully criticized these rulings as being unChristlike. 2
Timothy 3:5 warns against having a form of godliness that denies the power of God. It’s
now gotten to the point that I don’t like telling people that I am a Christian. And when I
do, I whisper, “I’m not like the “other” ones you keep reading about in the news.”
In addition, Romans 13:9-10 states that “and if there is any other
commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.’ Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the
law.” It seems like these are more wasted opportunities to witness to others about the
transformative and loving nature of God. It looks as though God is continuing to expose
the hypocrisy of those who wrap themselves in Christianity but don’t appear to have the
heart or mind of Christ.