It is healthy to confess one’s own sins and the mistakes of one’s elected officials. Did some Republican senators finally get a political conscience?

Last Thursday, rare events happened in both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. Republicans in both chambers opposed President Trump’s policies and cancelled their voting procedure rather than delivera public rebuke of the president with their congressional votes. After a year and a half of being Trump’s yes’men and yes’women in his second term in the White House, these elected officials finally found the courage to say “No!”. The Hebrew Scriptures might help us understand what happened and how it could be transformed into healing for our nation.

We frequently think of confession as the acknowledgement and repentance of one’s personal sins directly to God or to a representative of God (like a pastor or priest). This usually takes place within a religious context, and I think this can be a good way to begin dealing with our moral mistakes. Confession is much healthier than ignoring our sins or pretending we don’t make moral mistakes.

Nevertheless, it is also healthy to acknowledge and confess the sins of one’s culture and one’s national leaders when they stray from the truth. The Bible highlights examples of believers who expose the sins of their society and their national leaders and call for repentance. Let’s look at the example of Isaiah, a significant prophet in the Hebrew Scriptures. Isaiah had a vision of God, especially God’s holiness. Isaiah became convinced of his own sinfulness. He cried out, “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5) God forgave him and then sent him to speak the word of the Lord to Israel.

Sometimes it is not enough to critique one’s own culture. We frequently are so blind or so self-righteous we don’t want to admit our moral failures. We need someone to speak the hard truth into our lives and then lead us to repentance and confession. Nathan’s rebuke of “good” King David is an even clearer example. One evening David saw the beautiful Bathsheba bathing herself. He called for her to come to his palace and he forced her to have sex with him. As a result, she became pregnant. David tried many ways to hide his sin, but was not successful. Finally, he had her husband, Uriah the Hittite, killed by some soldiers. God sent Nathan to rebuke David. Nathan told him a parable about an evil man. When David recognized the horrible action as evil, Nathan told the King, “You are that evil man!”. (2 Samuel 12) David did repent and confessed his crime. He was forgiven by God and turned his life around.

Something similar happened on Capitol Hill last Thursday. The Senate was to vote on a sweeping immigration funding bill intended to bankroll Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol through 2029. The leadership then added two Trump-backed initiatives to the bill: up to $1 billion in Secret Service funding tied to security for his planned East Wing Ballroom, and a $1.8 billion to fund to compensate people who say they were victims of so-called political weaponization by the Biden administration. Because there were no safeguards on this weaponization bill, critics denounced it as Trump’s “slush fund”. What really riled up the Republican senators was the admission that some 1600 insurrectionists who attacked the capitol on January 6, 2021, were charged and convicted by juries of their peers, were later pardoned by Trump, but could be eligible to receive millions of dollars from the slush fund.

Senators who had been staunch allies of Trump in the past broke with him on this issue. Kentucky Republican Senator Mitch McConnell fumed, “_So the nation’s top law enforcement official (Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche) is asking for a slush fund to pay people who assault cops?” He continued, this funding bill is “utterly stupid, morally wrong – take your pick.”

Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, who had drawn Trump’s ire, has become a vocal critic of the President, joining together the problem of affordability with the “slushi-ness” of the funding bill. He complained, “People are concerned about paying their mortgage or rent, affording groceries and paying for gas, not about putting together a $1.8 billion fund for the President and his allies to pay whomever they wish with no legal precedent or accountability,”

Enough Republican senators expressed their disapproval of the slush fund proposal that voting on the bill had to be withdrawn until after the Memorial Day recess. Republican opposition to the president’s priorities goes way beyond this funding bill. Criticism is mounting against his war with Iran, the East Wing ballroom, his economic mistakes regarding inflation, his cover-up of the Epstein files, etc.

When faced with moral failure, confession and repentance are always healthier than trying to avoid the truth. May Republican and Democrat leaders rise to the occasion!

It is Healthy to Confess One’s Own Sins and the Political Mistakes of One’s Elected Officials. Did some Republican Senators Finally Get a Political Conscience?

When faced with moral failure, confession and repentance are always healthier than trying to avoid the truth. May Republican and Democrat leaders rise to the occasion!

Jesus Warned Against Public Displays of Religiosity: What Would He Think of “Rededicate 250”?

On Sunday the Trump administration joined forces with a certain sector of religious leaders to celebrate “Rededicate 250”, a gathering of “Christians” to remember the Christian roots of our country and to rededicate our nation to God.

The event was problematic on various fronts. Of greatest importance (for followers of Jesus), this event goes against the clear teaching of Jesus. Jesus hated the public display of religiosity for political, economic or personal gain. In his important Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned against praying in public in order to be seen be others:

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven…. And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:1, 6-7)

Unlike Jesus, I do not usually have the ability to look into people’s hearts and discern which are sincere and which are not. But it is obvious that the leaders of this event wanted to be seen by others (televised, on internet, etc.) If hypocrisy was a serious problem in the time of Jesus, it is just as prevalent and dangerous today. Therefore, the warning of Jesus is timely and necessary.

A second problem with the event was its emphasis on “Christian Nationalism”. Christian Nationalism is a heresy that conflates the goodness of a sector of Christianity with the fallen actions of a nation or political party. In this Church/State alliance, the church is the junior partner that sells its soul and receives the blame for the evil actions of the state. Historical examples include Constantinian Christianity which “blessed” the wars of the “Holy” Roman Empire, the Spanish Inquisition and its persecution of “heretics”, and Hitler’s National Church, together with its promotion of Nazi ideals. Within the U.S. experience, there are many examples of Christian Nationalism, including Manifest Destiny and the war against Mexico, which Illinois Congressman Abraham Lincoln correctly denounced as Polk’s evil imperialism.

Another problem with the event was its content. Justice is a central theme in the teaching of Jesus and in all of Scripture because it fights against interpersonal sin and seeks the wellbeing of all humanity. If I am not mistaken, justice was not mentioned even once in the plenary messages and sermons in Sunday’s event. Neither was love for the most vulnerable among us. According to the Holy Book, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1:27) In our better moments, we Christians have served the orphans, the widows, and other vulnerable people in our midst. At other times, we have not. We have not always been led by America’s best virtues, but by its worst vices: selfish greed, apathy, and indifference.

Just as Jesus transformed the hypocrisy of public religiosity into true love for our neighbors, may we do the same with Sunday’s event!

New Book. Protest Music in Latin America: Politics, Faith and Social Justice

I am excited to announce a new book in which I am one of the authors. The book is titled Protest Music in Latin America: Politics, Faith and Social Justice and has been published by Routledge. It analyzes the Biblical and Christian roots of several songs of protest music in Latin America primarily in the 1960s through the 1980s. This was a team effort of Latin American and music scholars led by Professor Nestor Quiroa and included Wilfredo Canales, Marcell Silva Steuernagel and yours truly. Enjoy!

Trump’s “Yes Men” and “Yes Women” Are Not Serving the President Well

The President of the United States, as well as many other persons in authority (presidents of organizations, CEOs, etc.) frequently choose people to surround them as advisors and members of their cabinets. These advisors are often selected because they will tell the president what he WANTS to hear, not what he NEEDS to hear. The Good Book offers some valuable, albeit unexpected, advice on the quality most needed in advisors: truth telling. We are to stop telling falsehoods and to start speaking the truth to each other (Ephesians 4:25) in all areas of life, including saying tough truths to elected officials of one’s own party. The Book of Proverbs in the Hebrew Scriptures tell us, “You can trust a friend who corrects you, but kisses from an enemy are nothing but lies.” (27:6) Being corrected is not fun. It hurts…our pride at least. But it can restore us to the right path. A good friend tells us what we NEED to hear, even when we don’t like it.

If President Trump has any good friends, surely they should be found within his closest advisors (Vice President Vance, Marco Rubio and the rest of his Cabinet, House Speaker Johnson, MAGA leaders, etc.). In this brief post, I ask where are Trump’s advisors regarding the war with Iran and regarding his arrogant actions of vanity. If he has any good friends, they seem to be AWOL.

The War with Iran

During his election campaign, candidate Trump made some important promises. He pledged to not take us into any new war, especially an “endless” war in the Middle East. Many voters agreed with this new kind of “peace” Republican candidate. Trump broke his promise. Three months ago, together with Israel, our junior partner, Trump launched a war against Iran. There was no imminent threat. It was a war of choice. A few MAGA celebrities (like Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene) tried to remind the president of his broken promise. World leaders, including the Pope and NATO allies, attempted to speak truth into the ears of the president, but he would not listen. It is reported that VP Vance tried to persuade Trump not to go to war with Iran, but it looks like he did not try hard enough. The voices of the “yes men” (like Hegseth) were too loud. Did any in his cabinet anticipate the Iranian closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz? If so, they didn’t speak up. Did anyone anticipate that NATO allies would pursue their own national interests? Did we consult with them before we went to war? No. Did anyone tell Trump that military superiority does not necessarily mean winning the war. No. Did anyone seek a declaration of war from Congress? No.

The war is not going well, in spite of the cheerleading Hegseth. It took years for the American people to finally disapprove of the wars in Viet Nam and Iraq. It has taken less than three months for Americans to come to the same realization about this war with Iran. Although Trump, as Commander-in-Chief, is ultimately responsible for taking us into a misguided war, he should have selected truth-tellers for his advisors, not lying sycophants.

Vanity of Vanities

A vast majority of Americans, including those who support Trump, acknowledge that the president is a very vain person. It is reported that he considers himself in the company of the greatest rulers of human history: Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Napoleon. It is no wonder that some of his presidential actions have nothing to do with national security or economic affordability and everything to do with his own vanity…and these actions are not popular with the U.S. people.

The president has proposed the construction of a 250-foot-tall arch to be located at Memorial Circle, near the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery, at the other end of the Arlington Memorial Bridge. The arch would be more than twice as tall as the Lincoln Memorial. Trump bragged, “I’d like it to be the biggest [arch] of all,” even larger than the 164-foot-tall Arc De Triomphe in Paris. Only 21% of Americans support the construction of the arch, whereas 52% oppose it, with the remainder being unsure.

Back in July 2025, Trump announced the construction of a 90,000-square-foot ballroom off the East Wing of the White House and promised “it won’t interfere with the current building.” By October, demolition started on the century old structure. The ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll finds that more than half of Americans, 56%, oppose tearing down the East Wing to make way for a ballroom, with 28% in support and 15% unsure.

Two months ago, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that President Trump’s infamous signature would appear on future U.S. currency. This would be a first for a sitting president, as no previous U.S. president’s name has ever appeared on money. North Americans oppose printing Trump’s signature on paper money instead of the treasury secretary’s by a wider margin than either the ballroom or the arch: 68% oppose it while just 12% support it. Another 19% say they aren’t sure.

If these initiatives are designed to contribute to the president’s lasting legacy, they are not working. They reveal the illusions of grandeur of a “little man” or worse, a person whose mental capacities are sliding off the rails.

Where are Trump’s true friends who should tell him such actions are not appropriate of a great statesman? Perhaps, he doesn’t have such friends who will speak the truth to him. At the very least, there are Republican pollsters who make their living by interpreting the polls. Where are they when Trump needs them?

Mr. President, remove the liars from your Cabinet and replace them with persons who will tell you the truth.

President Trump Is Reaping What He Has Sown: Gerrymandering Gone Wrong

The Bible uses many farming expressions to teach important truths. A familiar theme deals with us harvesting what we have planted. For example, in the Epistle to the Galatians, Paul wrote, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” (Gal. 6:7) Many people think they can cheat the system…and cheat God. They think that they can get away with their evil actions, that they will not be judged for their morally bad deeds. Believing that is wishful thinking. If there is a just God, justice must win out in the end.

Martin Luther King, Jr. popularized this truth in his speeches by affirming, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Evil actions might seem positive…in the short run, but sooner or later, they tend to boomerang back against us.

This is what has happened to Trump’s venture into gerrymandering. A year ago, Trump was urging Texas Governor Abbot and his Republican controlled state government to gerrymander the Federal Congress districts in their state. Essentially, this means to redraw the boundaries of the districts so that the voters of your opponents are heavily concentrated in a few districts, but that your voters are so placed that your party wins a larger number of districts, albeit with slim margins in each district. Gerrymandering is legal, but it is a risky business, based largely on estimates of how certain citizens will vote in upcoming elections or whether they will even vote at all. Texas fulfilled Trump’s wishes and redrew the boundaries. If the estimates hold true, Republicans will increase the congressional seats they will win in Texas by five (with a corresponding five seat loss by Democrats). This increase by Republicans via gerrymandering also took place in other states where the GOP controls the state legislature (Ohio, Missouri, North Carolina).

Democrats in some states decided to “fight fire with fire” with their own gerrymandering via a referendum placed before the voters. The most notable of these Democrat gerrymandering referendums took place in California, where it passed by a large margin. As a result, the new congressional maps drawn for that state will likely give five additional seats to Democrats. Virginia, a “purple” state, voted on a similar referendum on Tuesday. The “Yes” vote, which favors the Democrats won by a 51%-49% vote. If estimates hold up to form, the Democrats will increase their seats from 6 to 10 with a corresponding loss of four seats by Republicans. Without any basis in reality, President Trump denounced the Virginia vote as “rigged”. Mr. President, you began this gerrymandering craziness through your meddling in Texas. You have no one to blame but yourself. You started it. It worsened your approval rate with voters. Instead of responding to the legitimate concerns of voters, you chose to “tip the scales’ in favor of the GOP by changing boundaries. You are reaping what you have sown. When the dust settles on these boundary changing maneuvers, the gains and losses of the Republicans will be matched by the Democrats. It will be a political “wash”.

I am not a fan of gerrymandering. It is a tool that makes elected officials less responsive to the legitimate concerns of voters. Life would be better if congressional maps were drawn by independent, non/partisan commissions in each state.

Should Religious Leaders Criticize the Unjust Acts of an Authoritarian Ruler? Jesus did!

This has been an interesting week as President Trump has waded into the beyond-his-depth waters of religion. On Easter Sunday he posted the following on Truth Social:

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F***’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell — JUST WATCH!” He then added a strange conclusion, “Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

This post merits a few comments:

Although most U.S presidents have usually been fairly dignified in their public announcements, Trump’s vulgarity is quite apparent. It did not help his argument, but perhaps it reveals a certain desperation in the president’s emotional state.
The president’s message had nothing to do with traditional Easter themes: Christ’s resurrection or the forgiveness of sins.
His out of context phrase “praise be to Allah” probably insulted many Christians and Muslims alike. It surely raised more questions about his mental acuity.

This post occurred within the context of Pope Leo’s incursion into international politics, especially regarding the war in Iran. Although he subtly did not mention President Trump by name, the Pope had condemned the worship of mortals and money, the pitfalls of arrogance, and the “absurd and inhuman violence” unleashed by the U.S./Israeli war with Iran that further destabilized the Middle East.

Trump got the message in spite of the subtlety and has repeatedly posted messages in which he calls the pontiff a liberal who is “weak on crime”. Pope Leo did not back down. “Too many innocent people are being killed,” he said as he began a 10-day African tour. “Someone has to stand up and say there’s a better way.” More recently, Trump posted an A.I. image of himself as a Jesus-like figure, said, “I’m just responding to Pope Leo.” Trump was quite clear about the problem as he perceived it, “I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States.” It sure seems Trump wants to be not just above the law, but also above morality.

This is not new. Previous popes had criticized presidents and their politics: immigration, war, climate change, etc., but it does raise a serious question. Should religious leaders criticize the unjust acts of an authoritarian ruler? For many of us, the words and actions of Jesus provide a clear answer.

A dispute also arose among his disciples as to which one of them was considered to be the greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the nations lord it over their subjects; and those who oppress them call themselves Benefactors (doers of good). But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. (Luke 22:24-26)

Pope Leo is following in the footsteps of Jesus in providing a moral critique of an unjust ruler. Although Leo seems quite wise and moral to me, he is a mere human and might be wrong in his evaluation of the president. But at the very least we should listen carefully to his words and not give anyone (including the president) an automatic pass. The lives of too many innocent people are at stake.

Buyer’s Remorse Regarding Trump

Buyer’s remorse usually refers to when a person makes a significant purchase (house, car, refrigerator, etc.) and the object that was purchased turns out to be defective and/or does not measure up to what was promised in the sales pitch. In politics, buyer’s remorse refers to electing candidates or a political party into office that then does not fulfill their most important campaign promises. Sometimes this remorse shows up in the following election or mid-term elections. Given our desire to have more immediate information, we tend to rely on surveys or polls, especially when the polls are conducted by reliable researchers and when then line up with other polls.

Is there buyer’s remorse regarding Donald Trump? It is important to remember the 2024 presidential election. Trump won a clear majority in the Electoral College, but the popular vote was a different story. Trump received 77,302,580 votes compared with the 75,017,613 with the votes that Harris received. That means Trump obtained 49.8% of the total votes cast and Harris 48.3%. According to the opinion polls, Trump’s approval rate among the general population started slightly above 50% as he began his second term in the White House, but has dropped significantly over the past twelve months. The Fox News poll showed that Americans have 41% approval rate for the job Trump is doing with 59% disapproval. More recent polls are even worse for Trump (CNN’s poll showed a 36% approval rate and the Economist’s poll showed an approval rate of only 35%.) These same polls show an even lower approval rate for specific issues: inflation, ICE, tariffs, the war with Iran, the Epstein files, etc.

This remorse has shown up in elections in this past year. Across the country there have been quite a few elections (governor races, special elections to replace congressional representatives who have retired early or races for state legislatures. There have been thirty such elections in which the incumbent (or the incumbent’s political party) lost. In each case it was a Republican loss and a Democrat gain.

Trump briefly addressed (19 minutes) the nation last night about the war with Iran. His talk was filled with a litany of falsehoods.

Trump has brought inflation down to 0% (False – the latest numbers before the war revealed an inflation rate of above 3% which will certainly rise with gas, diesel price increases due to the war)
He never promised “regime change” in Iran (False – on the first night of the war he announced to the Iranian people, ”When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.”)
The rise in the price of gasoline had nothing to do with the war (False – of course this was due to the closing of the Strait of Hormuz which was Iran’s response in the war)

Given that these are clearly false, they were either deliberate lies OR they show that Trump is out of touch with reality.

Although this address was designed to calm the American public regarding the war and its possible ending, the 35% rise in gasoline prices, etc. it did not have its desired effect. Oil prices rose 10% overnight and stock market futures plummeted.

Can any good come out of this buyer’s political remorse? Sadly, it can produce more cynicism and apathy. But if it leads to a genuine change of heart, mind and behavior, it can result in renewal and growth. Here are my hopes and wishes:

That Republicans in Congress grow a backbone and a conscience and vote accordingly.
That Democrats don’t become arrogant as they see the Republicans fall out of favor.
That the president learns from his mistakes and gets the moral and psychological help he needs.

Pope Leo and Secretary Hegseth on Christianity and War: Which One is Closer to Jesus?

In the last several days, the Christian faith has been appealed to as a major motivation for the War with Iran. Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth sees the war against Iran as a conflict between Islam and Christianity. In a recent briefing at the Pentagon, Hegseth quoted a verse from Psalm 144: “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle.” This is in line with his Christian Nationalism, a defective version of Christianity. I believe that this nationalism is a distortion of the gospel message because it conflates the teaching of Jesus with the goals of national or international governments. It is a heresy. It began to permeate Christendom with the “conversion” of Constantine and has reappeared at various times in history (the Crusades,[i] the Spanish Inquisition, the conquest of the Americas, Manifest Destiny, Nazi Germany, and on and on). It is a betrayal of the message that Jesus taught and demonstrated. Jesus taught love for our enemies, not hatred. He told his disciples not to take revenge against their rivals, he told Peter to put away his sword, for those who live by the sword will die by the sword. He taught that “an eye for an eye” should give way to generous love. (Matthew 5:38-42).

Pope Leo XIV waded into the public debate in his Palm Sunday mass: “Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” Leo said. “He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.” In a special blessing at the end of Mass, Leo said he was praying especially for Christian believers in the Middle East who are “suffering the consequences of an atrocious conflict. In many cases, they cannot live fully the rites of these holy days.”

Although I strive to follow Jesus, I am not a Roman Catholic. Nevertheless, I think Leo XIV was right on in what he says about Jesus and war. Jesus never approved of war in the Gospels. Our Lord denounced the “rulers of this world” who committed great evil yet claimed it was good. We are NOT to follow their example. (Luke 22:25-26). Jesus showed his followers a better way. The early church sought to be peacemakers and denounced war as an expression of greed. For the first three centuries, up until the time of Constantine, the church was almost universally pacifistic. They affirmed they would die for their faith, but they would not kill for it.i

Some have tried to harmonize Christianity with war through Just War Theory, a series of criteria that must be met before a war is “justified”. The war against Iran utterly fails to meet these criteria: (1) freedom for the Iranian people could be a “Just Cause” but this goal was quickly abandoned; (2) “Formal Declaration” was not met because Congress never gave the legally required authorization nor did the United Nations; (3) “Civii[an Immunity” was not respected as shown by the bombing of the girls’ school in which over 150 little girls were killed; and (4) “last resort” was not followed as the United States broke off the diplomatic negotiations that Trump himself had labeled as fruitful.

Therefore, during this Holy Week, I invite those who claim the name of Jesus for war to reread the Gospels to see what it means to follow the Prince of Peace.

[i] Decades ago, Wheaton College (a conservative Christian academic institution) eliminated the Crusader as their mascot, rightfully deeming it a bad symbol for Christianity. Campus Crusade for Christ eliminated “Crusade” from their name for the same reason. Secretary Hegseth has two Crusade tattoos on his body.

Donald Trump Urges Republican Senators to Pass His “Save” Bill “for Jesus”. The Biblical Jesus Refuses to Be a Partisan Good Luck Charm.

On Monday, President Donald Trump invoked the name of Jesus Christ in a call for Republican senators to cancel their Easter break and to stay in Washington in order to try to pass his package of new voting restrictions. Speaking at a public safety roundtable in Memphis, Tennessee, Trump said the Republican-led Senate should only concentrate on passing his Save Act and shouldn’t leave the capital until they do so.

“Don’t worry about Easter, or going home. In fact, make this one for Jesus, OK?” Trump said with a chuckle. “Make this one for Jesus, that’s what I tell them. It would be a damn good thing.”

Why did Trump invoke the name of Jesus? He was not the first politician to do so, and certainly won’t be the last, but it does raise the question: Why did he do it?

Perhaps he thought it was a “cute” religious joke: senators could worship Jesus better by passing his “Save” legislation than by attending religious services back home with their families. Perhaps…but most Americans are not laughing.
Perhaps it was a nod to Christians in his MAGA base in which he tries to remind these voters of all the “good” he has done for them.
It is more likely that Trump tried to use a cheap Christian Nationalism tactic, similar to what politicians (both Republicans and Democrats) do when they end their speeches with the words, “May God bless America.” Although the phrase is a prayer, speakers frequently use it to suggest that God is already on “our side”, that we are the “good guys”, that God approves of our fallen and failing plans.

Although the Jesus of the Bible is passionate about humanity and the small things of our lives (like daily bread), Jesus does not approve of everything we do. His list of blessed people includes the poor, the hungry, those who weep and those who are hated and rejected as evil. (Luke 6:20-22). He pronounced woe upon people like me, the rich, the well fed, those who laugh and those who are well respected… (Luke 6:24-26). This makes me uncomfortable…and so it should. Apathy towards needy neighbors is really an offense against God.

Pieces of legislation in Congress should be debated and then either be approved or rejected on their own merits, not by cheap appeals to Jesus. The Jesus that I strive to serve, the Jesus of Scripture, refuses to be a good luck charm of politicians. That is taking his name in vain.