The devout, God Fearing, spiritual, dedicated, reverent, dutiful, righteous preachers in this country are not tied to the BIG Business of religion. They are tied to their flocks. The self-righteous, those that spout their pious ways on TV are selling you something. Preaching is not a TV or radio show unless it is created to make someone rich or powerful. Selling religion to the poor and the elderly through fear mongering or the offer of eternal salvation is as bad as soliciting martyrs to another faith with the promise of harems of virgins for eternity. You can't buy eternal salvation in either of these ways.
Today organized religion is increasingly being used as a stepping stone to politics in the most right wing of circles. The Pope (undeniably a very Christian man) has denounced the holier than though attitude of most of these preachers as anti-christian. You can not look at the least fortunate among us and say (to someone working 40 to 80 hours a week who might be homeless or without health insurance), it's your own fault you are poor; society does not need to help you, while at the same time saying that the wealthiest among us should not give their fare share to support our society because they have earned their loopholes and then say you are following the teachings of Christ.
Conservatism in politics in the past more often than not was used to represent fiscal conservatism. Currently it is openly social and religious in it's message. You can not pick and choose which laws of the land you will obey and not based on your own particular religious beliefs and suggest that you should be the leader of the entire country and lead the free world.
We have separation of church and state for a reason. To protect the many from the few. This really is a not a left or right position. It is the only position that is acceptable. This country was created by people fleeing religious persecution and allowing it to creep back into the highest forms of our government is extremely dangerous. There have always been religious charlatans, but religion in the USA in 2015 is to be scrutinized more than ever before.
Christian America is an invention: Big business, right-wing politics and the religious lie that still divides us
