Evangelical Family Values and the Gospel of Power, Control, and Hypocrisy

When faith becomes a brand and morality becomes a campaign slogan.

Every election season, American evangelicals dust off the same slogans about “family values.” They rail against “moral decay,” vow to defend the unborn, save marriage, and restore faith to the nation. Then, without missing a beat, they back politicians who cheat on their wives, steal from taxpayers, and bomb poor countries. If the consequences weren’t so dire, it would almost be funny.

The phrase “family values” once meant something—kindness, loyalty, love, community. Now it’s political branding for an ideology marketed as religion. It’s code for power, fear, and control. The irony is painful: the loudest voices about morality keep getting caught doing the opposite.

Of course, not all evangelicals are like this—but those who aren’t still bear responsibility for staying silent while their faith is hijacked and atrocities are committed in the name of evangelism.

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Holy Words, Dirty Deeds

If you ever wonder why evangelicals sound so obsessed with what happens in other people’s bedrooms, it’s because they’ve got no interest in cleaning up their own house. Every time one of their “family values” champions gets caught with hush money, secret mistresses, or criminal charges, the excuses start rolling in.

“It’s spiritual warfare.”
“God forgives.”
“He’s still chosen.”

Funny how forgiveness always flows one way—toward the powerful. Everyone else gets damnation.

You can find them standing arm-in-arm with crooked leaders, blessing them as “God’s anointed.” They’ll ignore bribes, racism, or warmongering if it means keeping their place at the table. But if a teenager says they’re gay, suddenly the moral outrage switches on like Christmas lights.

It’s not about righteousness. It’s about image. Evangelical morality is a costume you wear on stage, not a principle you live by.