American Christians Deny Jesus: How Right-Wing Churches Reject Christ’s Teachings

Christianity in America has long been associated with morality, charity, and spiritual guidance. Yet, many American Christians—particularly within evangelical and megachurch circles—actively reject the core teachings of Jesus Christ. Instead of embracing his calls for compassion, humility, and care for the poor, they label these values as “woke” or “leftist” while continuing to market themselves as devout believers. Beneath their rhetoric of biblical literalism lies a reality that more closely resembles a cult of wealth, power, and exclusion than a faith rooted in the Gospel.

A Faith Built on Self-Interest, Not Christ

Many right-wing American churches do not serve Jesus or follow Christianity—they serve themselves. Their faith is not rooted in Christ’s teachings of love, humility, and service but in self-interest, power, and wealth. Rather than embodying the Gospel’s call to care for the poor, welcome the stranger, and practice selflessness, they twist scripture to justify greed, nationalism, and exclusion. Their version of Christianity is not about worshiping God but about elevating their own status, securing financial gain, and maintaining political dominance. In doing so, they betray the very figure they claim to follow, replacing Christ’s message of sacrifice and compassion with a gospel of selfishness and control.

Rejecting Christ’s Teachings as “Woke”

A striking contradiction within American Christianity is how many churches insist on a “literal” interpretation of the Bible yet ignore or distort the most direct teachings of Jesus. Christ preached love, radical generosity, and concern for society’s most vulnerable, yet in many American churches today, these values are dismissed as socialist propaganda. Teachings such as “Blessed are the poor” (Luke 6:20), “Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44), and “Sell what you own and give the money to the poor” (Mark 10:21) are seen as too progressive for a religious movement increasingly aligned with nationalism, corporate interests, and political conservatism.

Meanwhile, these same churches cherry-pick scriptures to justify right-wing policies, whether opposing LGBTQ+ rights, suppressing women’s autonomy, or defending extreme capitalism. Their version of Christianity has little to do with the teachings of Christ and everything to do with reinforcing social hierarchies and economic power structures.

The Prosperity Gospel: Worshiping Wealth, Not God

One of the clearest signs that many American churches have abandoned Christ’s teachings is the rise of the Prosperity Gospel—a doctrine that claims God rewards faith with financial success. Promoted by televangelists and megachurch pastors like Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, and Creflo Dollar, this movement preaches that giving money to the church will result in divine blessings. In practice, it functions as a pyramid scheme, where followers give endlessly while their leaders grow richer.

This ideology directly contradicts Jesus’ warning that “You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24). Yet, many American Christians eagerly embrace this distortion of faith, prioritizing personal wealth over community welfare. Instead of following Christ’s example of ministering to the sick and poor, these churches celebrate material success and demonize poverty as a personal failure rather than a systemic issue.

Biblical Warnings Against Greed

Throughout the New Testament, Jesus repeatedly warns against wealth and greed. He condemns the rich man who ignored Lazarus, the beggar at his gate (Luke 16:19-31), and tells his followers that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter heaven (Mark 10:25). Yet, in America’s right-wing churches, financial success is not just tolerated but glorified. Wealth is seen as proof of God’s favor, while the poor are blamed for their own struggles. This attitude turns Christianity into a prosperity cult rather than a faith centered on love and selflessness.

A Cult of Power and Nationalism

Beyond financial exploitation, many American churches have transformed into political machines, prioritizing power over morality. Christian nationalism—a movement that falsely claims the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation and must be governed by biblical law—has gained significant traction. This ideology merges faith with right-wing extremism, fostering intolerance, xenophobia, and anti-democratic sentiment.

Rather than advocating for the meek and the outcasts, as Jesus did, these churches promote exclusionary policies, demonizing immigrants, racial minorities, and the LGBTQ+ community. They support authoritarian leaders, excuse corruption, and justify policies that harm the poor—all while claiming to follow the Prince of Peace. The alignment between American Christianity and reactionary politics reveals that for many, faith is not about moral conviction but about maintaining dominance.

How Jesus Rejected Nationalism

Jesus himself rejected the kind of nationalism that many American churches now embrace. When confronted about paying taxes to the Roman Empire, he famously replied, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Mark 12:17), signaling a separation between earthly and divine authority. He refused to align himself with zealots who sought to overthrow Roman rule and instead preached a kingdom not of this world. Today’s Christian nationalists, however, twist Jesus’ message to justify a political ideology that seeks to enforce religious dominance over secular society.

American Churches as Corporate Empires

Many churches in the U.S. now function as tax-exempt corporations rather than spiritual institutions. Megachurches operate massive media empires, selling books, courses, and merchandise while their pastors enjoy private jets, luxury homes, and multi-million-dollar salaries. Under the guise of faith, they extract wealth from their congregations, using guilt and manipulation to demand tithes and donations.

Meanwhile, these same churches often refuse to use their vast resources to help the poor, despite the Bible’s explicit commands to do so. Instead, they invest in political campaigns, lobby against social safety nets, and protect their own financial interests. What they practice is not Christianity but a capitalist power structure wrapped in religious branding.

The Exploitation of Faithful Followers

For many believers, faith is deeply personal, rooted in love, family, and community. Yet, they are often manipulated by church leaders who weaponize fear—of hell, of social change, of “liberal agendas”—to maintain control. This keeps congregants obedient, ensuring a steady flow of donations and political allegiance. The tragedy is that millions of sincere Christians are led astray by leaders who prioritize profit and power over the true message of Christ.

Reclaiming Christianity from Hypocrisy

Despite the dominance of right-wing, corporate Christianity, many believers are working to reclaim their faith from those who have hijacked it. Progressive Christian movements, social justice ministries, and community churches focused on service and inclusion are challenging the notion that Christianity must be aligned with conservative politics. They emphasize Christ’s actual teachings—compassion, humility, and justice—rather than the pursuit of wealth and power.

Some churches are choosing to divest from mega-corporate structures, focusing instead on local outreach, homeless shelters, and advocacy for marginalized communities. Faith leaders like Rev. William Barber and organizations such as the Poor People’s Campaign are actively resisting the hijacking of Christianity for right-wing political gains. Their work reminds us that Christianity, at its core, is about love and justice, not nationalism and greed.

A Choice Between Jesus and Power

The question remains: Do American Christians truly follow Jesus, or have they replaced him with an ideology that serves their own interests? The evidence suggests that for many, faith has become a means of control, a tool of political manipulation, and a business empire rather than a path to spiritual enlightenment. For those who still seek to follow Christ’s message, the challenge is separating true faith from the financial and political machine that masquerades as Christianity in America today.

Jesus’ teachings were clear: Love your neighbor, care for the poor, and reject greed. American right-wing churches have done the opposite, aligning themselves with wealth, nationalism, and exclusion. If Christianity in the U.S. is to have any moral credibility, it must reckon with this hypocrisy and return to the values that Jesus actually preached.