I figured this would happen but I’m surprised with the swiftness. Right-wing Christians are already declaring Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg a fake Christian because he’s in a same-sex marriage, and (gasp) not ashamed of himself, and we all know that makes Baby Jesus cry.

For the record, Buttigieg is an Episcopalian and a devout believer. His faith teaches him to help the poor, care for strangers and immigrants, and remain humble. He’s called out the Religious Right for aligning with a president who does literally none of those things and criticized Vice President Mike Pence for his anti-LGBTQ history, saying, “If you got a problem with who I am, your problem is not with me — your quarrel, sir, is with my creator.”

The Right isn’t taking that well — especially because Buttigieg is pro-choice, something those conservatives treat as a litmus test of who’s a real Christian.

Conservative critic Erick Erickson has written stories titled “Pete Buttigieg Shows Why Progressive Christianity is a Hypocritical Farce” and “Mayor Pete Buttigieg Apparently Thinks Jesus Would Be Okay With Beastiality [sic].”

Ultimately, however, Christians can be Americans and Christians. They must put their faith first, which is something Buttigieg himself is unwilling to do except when it is convenient. Given the choices of a bunch of terribly flawed candidates, it really is understandable that Christians are willing to side with the one who will protect their right to exercise their religion in their daily lives rather than the ones who offer platitudes with persecution.

[Spoiler: Buttigieg isn’t out to persecute you.]

Erickson was more blunt on Twitter, saying that Episcopalians weren’t even a Christian denomination anymore.

Can you be in the Episcopalian Church and be a Christian? Absolutely. Is the Episcopal denomination a Christian denomination? Not anymore. It is also dying and statistically, it is very likely the last Episcopalian has been born already. — Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) April 8, 2019

I’m sorry to offend all the Episcopalians, but hope those of you who are still believers will consider moving to the Anglicans or another denomination that still believes in Christianity. Your leadership is filled with heretics. — Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) April 8, 2019

Episcopalianism is to Christianity what Rice Krispies are to rice. It may have once been the later, but now it's just a hollowed out puff prone to snapping, crackling, and popping. — Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) April 8, 2019

Radio host Dr. Michael Brown also dismissed Buttigieg for daring to call out this administration’s Christian hypocrisy:

My issue is with a pro-abortion, practicing homosexual who claims to be Christian calling out Trump’s alleged “hypocrisy.” That, indeed, is the height of hypocrisy, and there is nothing Christian about it.

Peter LaBarbera, of the hate-spewing group Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, straight-up called Buttigieg’s faith “fake”:

The simple truth is that homosexual behaviors are wrong, unnatural, and often unhealthy — yet can be overcome through the grace and power of Jesus Christ…, as testified by countless ex-“gays” and former “transgenders.” No faithful Christian proudly identifies by his or her besetting sins, nor seeks to justify them before a holy God. … Christians should pray that Pete Buttigieg repents of his proud homosexuality and dedicates himself to serving Christ in Truth — rather than mocking Him for political gain.

Peter Montgomery at Right Wing Watch also notes that the Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins has said in the past that anyone who supports reproductive freedom and LGBTQ rights are Christians with a giant asterisk:

The Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins has dismissed as “supposed Christians” those who support reproductive choice and argued that Christians who support allowing same-sex couples to get married don’t get the same legal protections as Christians like himself because “true religious freedom” applies only to those with “orthodox religious viewpoints.”

This is by no means a comprehensive list and it’s only going to get worse as his candidacy continues. Keep in mind every one of these people could easily say Buttigieg interprets the Bible a different way than they do, but they jump right to the extreme side of the spectrum. Rather than saying anyone is a Christian who accepts a divine Jesus, they attach to the label whatever culture war issues matter to them. Anyone who sways from their perspective is automatically a heretic. It’s what they did to Barack Obama and it’s going to happen to whichever Democrat runs against Trump in 2020.

It’s ironic that the people trying their best to act like Jesus are the ones dismissed as un-Christian while the president who supports tearing children from their parents and lies multiple times a day is the standard-bearer for their faith.

(via Right Wing Watch)

