The lesson I take from Indiana’s inaptly-named new RFRA is a further demonstration of just how much American Christians seem to take the wrong lesson entirely from the New Testament. An important part of the plot (for lack of a better word) of the Gospels is the conflict between Jesus, who claims to be the Messiah, and the traditional Jewish religious authorities. The Pharisees and scribes, Jesus said, were self-righteous hypocrites who had failed to understand the Law, because of their own selfishness. They obsessed over tithing and purity, but “neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.”
What is so striking is how precisely contemporary Christianity prefers just such an approach. It’s tough to see denial of service as a loving decision, as springing from loving one’s neighbor as oneself. Jesus comes and says, You’re too focused on the Law, not love. Don’t criticize these people, help them. “I have not come to condemn the world, but to save it.” And Christians say, Right, the law! Sticking to the rules, that’s what’s important.
Again, this isn’t a recent thing. It takes in, well, the whole history of Christianity. In particular, American Christianity has picked wrong so many times, and not learned its lesson – slavery, civil rights, and more. The ethics of love are hard – it’s much easier to use religion as a weapon against those you disapprove of.
Charles Kenneth Roberts 