"they used pietistic posturing to foster a political point"
Like what? :)) Perhaps something like: "If anyone causes one of these little ones--those who believe in me--to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea."

Your indignation about their supposed false piety, is it really pious, or politically correct anger, masquerading as piety?