Editing Christian right (section)

===Interpretation of Christianity===
{{See also|Christian left|Christian socialism|Christian communism}}
One argument which questions the legitimacy of the Christian right posits that [[Jesus in Christianity|Jesus Christ]] may be considered a leftist on the modern [[political spectrum]]. Jesus' and Catholics’ [[Works of mercy |concern with the poor and feeding the hungry, among other things]], are argued, by proponents of Christian leftism, to be core attributes of modern-day socialism and [[social justice]].<ref>{{cite web|work=A Political Glossary|url=http://www.auburn.edu/~johnspm/gloss/right-wing|publisher=Auburn University|last=Johnson|first=Paul|title=Right-wing, rightist|year=2005|access-date=October 23, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819232535/http://www.auburn.edu/~johnspm/gloss/right-wing|archive-date=August 19, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>Bobbio, Norberto and Allan Cameron, ''[[Left and Right: The Significance of a Political Distinction]]''. [[University of Chicago Press]], 1997, p. 51, 62. {{ISBN|978-0-226-06246-4}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated1">J. E. Goldthorpe. ''An Introduction to Sociology''. Cambridge, England, UK; Oakleigh, Melbourne, Australia; New York City, USA p. 156. {{ISBN|0-521-24545-1}}.</ref> However, others {{who|date=March 2021}} contend that while Jesus' concern for the poor and hungry is virtuous and that individuals have a moral obligation to help others, the relationship between charity and the state should not be construed in the same manner.<ref>Petersen, David L. (2005). "Genesis and Family Values". ''Journal of Biblical Literature''. '''124''' (1)</ref><ref>Paul Edward Gottfried, ''Conservatism in America: Making Sense of the American Right'', p. 13.</ref>

According to Frank Newport of [[Gallup (company)|Gallup]], "there are fewer Americans today who are both highly religious and liberal than there are Americans who are both highly religious and conservative." Newport also noted that 52% of white conservatives identify as "highly religious" while only 16% of white liberals identify as the same. However, [[African-Americans]], "the most religious of any major racial or ethnic group in the country", are "strongly oriented to voting Democratic". While observing that African-American Democrats are more religious than their white Democrat counterparts, Newport further noted, however, that African-American Democrats are "much more likely to be ideologically moderate or conservative."<ref>[https://news.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/258032/religious-left-numbers-problem.aspx The Religious Left Has a Numbers Problem by Frank Newport | Gallup, June 4, 2019] (retrieved May 5, 2020)</ref>

Some criticize what they see as a politicization of Christianity because they say Jesus transcends political concepts.<ref>Stephen J. Nichols: [https://books.google.com/books?id=mcP0olaD8j0C&pg=PA204 ''Jesus Made in America: A Cultural History from the Puritans to "The Passion of the Christ"''] pp. 204–209. Westmont, IL, 2008.</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Shermer |first=Michael |url=http://trueslant.com/michaelshermer/2010/07/29/was-jesus-a-conservative-or-a-liberal/ |title=Was Jesus a Conservative or a Liberal? – Michael Shermer – Skeptic |publisher=True/Slant |date=July 21, 2010 |access-date=December 26, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004104302/http://trueslant.com/michaelshermer/2010/07/29/was-jesus-a-conservative-or-a-liberal/ |archive-date=October 4, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Mikhail Gorbachev]] referred to Jesus as "the first Socialist".<ref name="Gorbachev">{{cite web |title=Biography of Mikhail Gorbachev|url=http://www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org/explore/biography.cfm?name=Gorbachev,%20Mikhail|work=National Cold War Exhibition|publisher=Trustees of the Royal Air Force Museum|access-date=August 10, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K6FOU-s0l0QC|title=The Tragedy of American Compassion|first=Marvin|last=Olasky|date=February 1, 1994|publisher=Regnery Publishing|isbn=9780895267252|access-date=March 3, 2019|via=Google Books}}</ref>