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Older Americans can be generous with their time and money, frequently contributing to charities and leaving some of their wealth to good causes when they’re gone. They lead the way in continuing a spirit of giving that passes from one generation to the next.
Americans have long been known as the most generous people in the world. Other nations have always looked to us for help in times of need. Today, they are looking elsewhere. Based on our actions this year, the U.S. is no longer considered the good guys in the eyes of the world - which is ironic, since at the same time we loudly boast how devoutly Christian we are as a nation.
Podcaster Rainn Wilson writes, “The metamorphosis of Jesus Christ from a humble servant of the abject poor to a symbol that stands for prosperity theology, gun rights, anti-science, government so limited it neglects the destitute, is likely the strangest transformation in human history.”
We’re even using Christianity as a call to war. The president has threatened military action against Nigeria to protect Christians who he says are being persecuted by radical Islamists. He declares, “Mass slaughter in Nigeria of Christians will be met with fast, vicious and sweet attacks to protect our cherished Christians.” While Christians are among those targeted in Nigeria, analysts say the majority of persecuted victims have been Muslims.
Publicly and loudly professing one’s Christian faith has become fashionable these days, especially in Washington. There are some members of the government who really like to make a point of how devout they are. They often boast about their faith and insist America is a Christian nation and Christianity should be our state-sponsored religion, despite those ideas having been soundly rejected by the founding fathers.
When megachurch leaders dramatically pray over the president it reminds us of the Pharisees, if we remember how Jesus criticized them for praying loudly in public. The Pharisees’ aim was to be seen praying, to pray for show, rather than to pray from the heart in a private, sincere way. Jesus exposed their hypocrisy as a lesson for his followers.
The way the poor are treated by our politicians while publicly professing their faith exposes their hypocrisy, as well. As Pope Leo XIV has stated, “One cannot love God without extending one’s love to the poor.” There was no love in appealing to the Supreme Court to stop SNAP recipients from getting food assistance, or destroying the USAID program that fed thousands of the poorest, hungriest children on earth. Emaciated babies and children, victims of wars and famine, are kept alive only with food supplied by private and public organizations.
After canceling $35 billion that was appropriated by Congress to support the entire budget for USAID, the administration then handed $40 billion to Argentina to prop up their government. One million pounds of food that was already in the pipeline for USAID was burned, and even more food was left to rot in unrefrigerated warehouses. The World Health Organization says thousands of children will die as a result of USAID being shut down.
The tragedy of the inequality between the haves and the have nots exists around the world, but it’s especially bad here in America. One percent of our nation’s population has more wealth than the rest of the population combined. Constant tax breaks benefit the rich far more than working class Americans, and never for the working poor. Rising stock markets only help those who have money to invest, and sure don’t help those standing in food lines.
The Bible says we are to welcome foreigners, but here in America, immigrants are hunted, arrested and deported. Judging by the way the poor and immigrants are being treated in America, it’s obvious many Christians don’t actually practice their faith; they only preach it.
Recently, Pope Leo XIV wrote, “You cannot follow both Christ and the cruelty of kings. A leader who mocks the weak, exalts himself and preys on the innocent is not sent by God. He is sent to test you. And many are failing.”
The November 4 election sent a strong message to this administration: Americans don’t like to see people mistreated. They want fairness and compassion for everyone. It’s not enough for someone to say they are a Christian; they have to act like one.