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19 May 2006 03:48 am

A reader writes:

I very much appreciated your article on the co-opting of Christianity by the right. While I tend to be conservative in my theology, my politics are far more libertarian than right-wing, so I am very sympathetic to your position.

However, one thing does bother me about your term "Christianism". Specifically, it uses Christ's name as a part of a label for a philosophy that I'm not sure he would approve of. I'm thinking that perhaps there's a historical, even biblical, term that might be more suitable. Christianists, as I suppose you would call them under your nomenclature, seek to apply their own narrow interpretation of God's law to society at large, punishing those who disagree, and emphasizing adherence to rules over grace and mercy. They might even invent new laws based on their understanding of scripture. Folks like that were called Pharisees back in Jesus' time. Maybe it's just as good a name for them today.

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