The Blog | Jim Rigby: Christians Who Want Democracy Must Stop Bowing to a Dictator Christ | The Huffington Post: "Christians Who Want Democracy Must Stop Bowing to a Dictator Christ (131 comments )
Whereas American theology was born out of a hope for democracy, much of it is wedded to a picture of Christ as a benevolent dictator. Should we be surprised that a hierarchical cosmology would produce hierarchical churches and nations? Should we be surprised that religious nations that picture Christ as a loving dictator have produced conquistadors, inquisitors and crusaders?
What else could they produce? As the tree is, so shall be the fruit.
The word �Lord� was not in the original Bible. It is an English word from feudal times. Whereas the Greek word �kurios� had a range of meanings, from a title of respect, to a title of leadership, to a name for the sacred, the English translation �Lord� refers specifically to a male European land baron. Many people have softened that interpretation in their own minds, but in times of great stress, such nuance falls away and many Christians seek a white male king. He may be called �Pope�, he may be called �the decider President,� he may be called �televangelist,� but the title only masks what he is, a benevolent (or not so benevolent) dictator.
Neither Calvin nor Luther spoke English, but they helped the Popes lay the groundwork for the view of God as a cosmic dictator. From Popes, Luther and Calvin we have some of the ugliest slurs ever recorded against women, intellectuals, and those who refused the church�s message. How did Christians hold slaves, oppress women and slaughter nonbelievers? Perhaps they could not see Christ in non-male, non-European, and non-Christian people because they were limited by their theology. Their �Christ� was m"