Texas Isn’t as Christian as You Think

Texas wears its Christianity like a badge of honor. Crosses line our highways. Church marquees proclaim judgment and salvation in bold capital letters. Politicians begin speeches with “God bless Texas” and end them invoking the Almighty. Sunday services overflow, and prayers echo from megachurches that could rival professional sports arenas in size.

But is this really Christianity? Or is it something else dressed up in religious language?

Because when you take a closer look—when you listen carefully to what Jesus actually taught—it starts to feel like the version of Christianity preached by many Texas politicians and power brokers has less to do with Christ and more to do with control.

The Christianity of Power vs. the Christianity of Christ

Jesus didn’t come for the powerful. He didn’t roll with the rich or the righteous. He spent time with outcasts: the poor, the sick, the forgotten. His message was radical in its simplicity—love God, and love your neighbor. Turn the other cheek. Forgive your enemies. Care for the stranger, the orphan, and the widow.

That’s not what we hear in the halls of the Texas Capitol.

Instead, we get something else. A version of religion used like a crowbar to pry open the doors of power—and to keep certain people locked out. We see Christianity used not as a guidepost for life but as a political slogan. It’s less about compassion and more about control. Less about truth and more about fear. Less about love and more about loyalty.

What would Jesus say about that?

Religious Zealotry Then—and Now

Let’s be clear: Jesus didn’t mince words when it came to religious hypocrisy. He called out the Pharisees—religious elites of the day—over and over. These were people who prayed loud in public, wore holy robes, and demanded obedience to the letter of the law. But Jesus saw through the show. He called them “whitewashed tombs”—pretty on the outside, but dead inside.

Sound familiar?

Many of our own leaders claim to follow Christ, but they lie openly, twist the truth, and stoke division. They pass laws that hurt the poor and protect the wealthy. They scapegoat immigrants and demonize the vulnerable. They go to church on Sunday and then vote on Monday to cut food programs, restrict voting rights, or deny healthcare to the uninsured.

You can’t preach Jesus and practice cruelty.

You can’t quote Scripture and ignore the very people Jesus came to help.

Lies, Misinformation, and the Devil’s Tools

The Bible is uncomfortably clear about lies. Jesus says in John 8:44:

“You belong to your father, the devil... He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

Let’s sit with that for a moment.

When politicians lie—when they spread misinformation, twist facts, and manipulate people’s fears—are they acting as children of God, or as tools of the enemy?

That’s a heavy question, I know. But if we’re going to invoke Christianity in public life, we’d better be ready to live up to it.

We can’t just cherry-pick verses to justify our side while ignoring the uncomfortable parts—the parts about humility, sacrifice, and truth-telling. The parts that call us to admit when we’re wrong.

One-Trick Ponies of Political Religion

Lately, Christianity in Texas politics has become a one-trick pony. It’s boiled down to a handful of issues—abortion, guns, and anti-LGBTQ+ policies. That's the whole show. Everything else—poverty, healthcare, education, racial injustice—is treated as secondary, or worse, not “Christian issues” at all.

But again, what did Jesus actually focus on?

He healed the sick. He fed the hungry. He touched the untouchable. He stopped a woman from being stoned and told the angry mob, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” He taught that the two greatest commandments are to love God and love your neighbor.

If we believe that, then loving our neighbor—no matter who they are—should guide every law we write, every budget we pass, every vote we cast.

Instead, we’ve got leaders more interested in owning the libs than serving the people. More focused on scoring points on cable news than washing feet, which, by the way, Jesus did willingly.

What Are We Really Worshipping?

Maybe that’s the problem: too many of us have confused cultural Christianity with actual Christianity. We’ve made faith into a brand, a tribe, a team to root for. But Jesus didn’t come to start a political movement. He came to start a revolution of the heart.

He never said, “Blessed are the strong.” He said, “Blessed are the meek.”

He never said, “Blessed are the lawmakers.” He said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”

So let’s ask ourselves: if Jesus walked into a Texas statehouse today, would He be welcomed—or would He be arrested?

Would He be invited to speak—or silenced as a radical?

Would the politicians who claim to follow Him recognize Him at all?

A Call to Self-Reflection

If you claim Christ, you claim responsibility.

Not just to attend church or quote Scripture—but to live it out. To tell the truth, even when it costs you. To care for others, even when it’s inconvenient. To stand up for the marginalized, even when it’s unpopular.

And yes—to hold leaders accountable when they use Jesus’ name to justify policies that harm His people.

So here’s my challenge, both to myself and to anyone reading:

Let’s look past the slogans.

Let’s measure faith not by how loudly it’s proclaimed, but how deeply it’s lived.

Let’s remember that the true Christian life isn’t about gaining power—it’s about giving it away.

Because the real question isn’t whether Texas is Christian.

The real question is: what kind of Christianity are we practicing?

And would Jesus recognize it as His own?

Want to go deeper into these ideas? Keep following along at mattpierceblog.com for more honest conversations about faith, politics, and the future of American life.