ARE YOU CHRIST LIKE?

The Perversion of Christianity: From Empathy to Empire

Christianity in America is no longer recognizable. Whatever its origins, whether the man called Jesus actually lived, or whether the stories attributed to him are mythology, the concept that grew around him was clear and profound: selfless empathy.

Jesus, as described in the Gospels, stood not for wealth or power, but for compassion. He fed the hungry, healed the sick, lifted up the poor, and defied the rich and powerful. He lived among outcasts, welcomed strangers, and challenged hypocrisy wherever he saw it. If nothing else, Jesus represented a radical moral stance: put others first.

This simple, selfless ethic, core to true Christianity, has been abandoned.

Today, Christianity in America is a business, a branding opportunity, a political weapon. Mega-churches preach prosperity, not humility. Ministers act more like CEOs or influencers than servants of the people. Christian nationalism, a toxic blend of religious fervor and authoritarian politics, has hijacked the faith entirely. It speaks the name of Christ, but it serves only greed, power, and control.

There is no empathy in this new Christianity. There is only entitlement. Its leaders boast of moral superiority while backing policies that crush the poor, cage children, deny healthcare, and dismantle the very social fabric Christ urged us to protect. The pulpit now echoes the boardroom. Sermons are sales pitches. Jesus is repackaged as a rugged individualist, not a sacrificial servant.

And the consequences spill into every corner of American life. Our politics are poisoned. Our empathy has withered. The guiding principle of putting others first, so central to moral leadership, even in places like the Marine Corps, is dismissed as weakness. We are told to take what we can, keep what we take, and praise God for our success, no matter who suffers for it.

This perverted version of Christianity is not merely hypocritical. It is dangerous. It is laying the foundation for a modern theocracy, where dissent is heresy and obedience is enforced through fear. The “fear of God” is no longer a spiritual metaphor. It is a political tool used to keep people silent, loyal, and subservient.

Let us be honest: we are witnessing the rise of a Christ-less Christianity. One that uses the language of faith to justify the abandonment of its most sacred commandment: to love your neighbor as yourself.

If Christianity is to mean anything in this century, anything at all, it must return to its roots. It must reclaim the radical empathy at its heart. It must preach humility, not pride. Service, not domination. It must once again teach that leadership means putting others before yourself, not glorifying your own wealth, status, or supposed righteousness.

Until then, what calls itself Christianity today is not faith. It is marketing. It is manipulation. It is a counterfeit gospel that betrays the very man it claims to follow.

I am a believer and practitioner of Jesus Christ's principles and practices.  And you?

William James Spriggs