The Jesus They Pretend to Follow
How evangelical nationalists twist timeless values into weapons — and why the hypocrisy threatens us all
By Dr. John Petrone
My Position, My Perspective
On paper, I am a Presbyterian. In truth, I lean toward a deist-agnostic worldview — convinced of conscience, reason, and perhaps a higher order, but unwilling to submit to human written dogma or narrow creeds. That position gives me a certain freedom: I can respect scripture as history and moral philosophy while also looking beyond it, weighing its wisdom against the broader human search for justice, humility, and compassion.
At heart, I am also a universalist. I find meaning not just in the words of the Bible but in the Qur’an’s insistence on justice, in Hinduism’s principle of ahimsa, in Buddhism’s call to compassion, in Judaism’s pursuit of righteousness, and in secular humanism’s defense of dignity. Different traditions, same truth: societies stand or fall on how they treat the vulnerable and restrain the arrogant.
Hypocrisy in Action
Evangelical nationalists claim to defend Christianity, but their actions betray it at every turn. They cite Leviticus to condemn LGBTQ people while ignoring Leviticus 19:34: “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself.” These are the same leaders who cheer policies that dehumanize immigrants and separate families at the border. Exodus 23:9 says it plainly: “Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners.” Yet they call for bans, walls, and deportations.
They rail against “sins of the flesh” but overlook Ezekiel’s reminder that Sodom’s real sin was arrogance and neglect of the poor: “She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy” (Ezekiel 16:49). They claim to guard morality while ignoring greed and cruelty — the very things the prophets thundered against.
They glorify billionaires and preach prosperity, though Jesus warned: “You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24). He added, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21). And yet, prosperity preachers and political operatives declare wealth the proof of blessing. The Bible calls it the opposite: “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).
They demand “law and order,” but excuse corruption, voter suppression, and even political violence. Isaiah condemned rulers who “make unjust laws… to deprive the poor of their rights” (Isaiah 10:1–2). Proverbs warned, “He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth… comes to poverty” (Proverbs 22:16). Yet today’s so-called defenders of morality push tax cuts for the rich while stripping aid from the poor.
And while Jesus taught nonviolence — “Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword” (Matthew 26:52) — these nationalists idolize guns, militias, and vengeance. They cheer wars abroad and political intimidation at home.
Even their religion is drenched in performance. Isaiah’s words fit them exactly: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Isaiah 29:13). Jesus sharpened the rebuke: “Woe to you… you have neglected the more important matters of the law — justice, mercy, and faithfulness” (Matthew 23:23). And still they rage against their enemies while ignoring Jesus’ own command: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
By their own book, the hypocrisy is undeniable.
A Pattern Across Civilizations
This is not unique to America. Constantine turned Christianity into the religion of empire. Franco wrapped fascism in Catholic piety. America’s Moral Majority blurred scripture into partisan platforms. In India today, some invoke Hindu ideals while fueling sectarian violence. In Russia, the Orthodox Church blesses invasions. In Turkey, appeals to Islam sanctify repression.
Everywhere, the same paradox: values meant to humble the powerful are twisted to entrench them.
Why Hypocrisy Matters for All
The damage spreads far beyond churches. When moral traditions are hollowed out, communities fracture. Neighbors become enemies. Institutions are undermined when they resist partisan demands. Truth dissolves into propaganda.
Younger generations see the double standard and walk away. Gallup reports U.S. church membership has fallen below 50% for the first time in history. They are not rejecting values — they are rejecting hypocrisy. And when hypocrisy replaces honesty, democracy itself begins to crumble.
How We Push Back
The first step is clarity. When “family values” excuse cruelty, we must say: that is not family. When Leviticus is quoted to condemn but ignored when it demands compassion, we must name the omission. When wealth is worshiped, we must recall every tradition’s warnings against greed.
But clarity must lead to action. Support independent journalism so truth survives propaganda. Build alliances across faiths and philosophies to show that justice is a shared human value. Teach civic literacy and critical thinking so the next generation cannot be easily manipulated. Defend voting rights so authoritarianism cannot silence conscience. And show up locally — where school boards, councils, and legislatures decide whether pluralism survives.
Finally, we must embody the values others only pretend to defend. Jesus said: “By their fruits you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:16). The Qur’an insists justice must be upheld even against oneself. Hinduism and Buddhism remind us that compassion is the measure of a good life. Humanism demands integrity between belief and practice. Hypocrites can wave scriptures and flags, but they cannot fake the fruits of justice, mercy, and compassion.
The Real Choice
This is not about left versus right. It is about truth versus hypocrisy, humility versus arrogance, justice versus corruption. Every tradition — Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Buddhist, secular — points us in the same direction: defend the vulnerable, confront the arrogant, treat others with dignity.
Evangelical nationalists claim to guard Christianity while betraying its essence. But this is bigger than one religion. It is a human problem. And it is one we must confront together.
The choice is urgent. The choice is ours.
Thank you for putting in print the scripture of Jesus‘s message. That’s what I follow.
I am responding as an ordained minister (UPCUS) and retired hospice chaplain (25 years).
Your message resonated with me, because I came to similar conclusions years ago - though in a much simpler form. In doing chaplaincy with patients and families, I very quickly came to realize that the bottom line in all the major faith systems - AND in the faith systems folks evolved for themselves - the bottom line is, and has been, and always will be, Love.
This is centered in the two Great Commandment: To love God, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Growing up in the pre-Vatican II Roman Catholic Church, I heard two messages. One, spoken clearly, was that it is in loving others that we love God.
The second, to love our neighbor, came clear in seminary, because even the priests of my childhood came close to whispering the final two words - “as yourself.”
It was only in seminary that I came to understand (for myself) the second commandment in a truly wholistic sense: That there are actually three commandments, and that it is only in coming to love ourselves that we can truly love others.