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“The False White Gospel” Exposed [1]
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Date: 2025-01-23
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord, and do not do what I tell you?” — (Luke: 6:46). “How did a man who lacks even the most basic knowledge of the Christian faith go on to win more than 80 percent of white, evangelicals votes in 2016 and again in 2020? And why have evangelicals become Donald Trump’s staunchest supporters? That is a question I am always asked… But I believe that central to the answer of why white evangelicals supported Trump, even after seeing what he would do as president, is the core issue of race. A white ethnicity and patriarchal culture-with the power to keep control-is more important to many or even most white evangelicals than any gospel they allege to proclaim” (Wallis, 2024).
Toward the end of her sermon on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde directly addressed Trump (surrounded by his family, Vice President Vance, and his wife) and asked him to have “mercy” on people who were “scared” about him taking office. She expressly referred to undocumented immigrants and LGBTQ children.
“Millions have put their trust in you,” Bishop Budde told the president. “In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.” “There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives,” she said.
“The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meatpacking plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants.” “They may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals,” she added. “They pay taxes and are good neighbors.”
Nothing Bishop Budde said was factually wrong. They also reflected the true spirit of the Gospel, not “The False White Gospel” that Trump and his white Christian nationalist supporters serve (Wallis, 2024).
Matthew 25:34-40 is very explicit:
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you took care of me; I was in prison, and you visited me.”
Matthew is not alone:
Leviticus 19:34: “The alien residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” Deuteronomy 10:18-19: “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the aliens residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.” Luke 10:30-37 (The Parable of the Good Samaritan):
In this parable, Jesus teaches that one’s neighbor is not just close or familiar but anyone in need, including those who might be considered outsiders or different. The Good Samaritan helps a wounded man, showing compassion regardless of their ethnic or cultural differences.
Jesus always stood with the weak and vulnerable. “In Matthew 25,” wrote Wallis (2024), a white theologian at Georgetown University and social justice advocate, “Jesus speaks of what we do or don’t do for the poorest and most vulnerable; is what we do or don’t do — for Him.” In The False White Gospel, poverty does not exist; when it does, it is because of the poor’s character flaw.
He argues that there is a significant cultural and political struggle in the United States between white Christian nationalists and those who envision a multiracial democracy.
Wallis provides a scathing critique of Christian nationalism. It is a movement that distorts Christianity to serve political power. It aligns with oligarchic interests and promotes a vision of America as primarily white, patriarchal, and Christian. He contrasts this with the vision of a more inclusive, multiracial democracy, which he asserts reflects the teachings of Jesus, who championed love, justice, and equality.
Wallis emphasizes that Jesus’ message opposes using faith to justify exclusion and oppression. He believes the Gospel calls upon Christians to work for justice, particularly for marginalized groups, aligning with the vision of a diverse and equitable society.
The remarks of Bishop Budde publicly exposed the “False White Gospel” embraced by Trump and his white Christian nationalist supporters. Unsurprisingly, Trump responded with fury. His post on “Truth Social” (which is nothing but not true) is self-explanatory:
“The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater. She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart. She failed to mention the large number of illegal migrants that came into our Country and killed people. Many were deposited from jails and mental institutions. It is a giant crime wave that is taking place in the USA. Apart from her inappropriate statements, the service was a very boring and uninspiring one. She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!”
Being incapable of having empathy or admitting wrongdoing, he resorted to what he could do: personal attacks and lies to preserve his image of perfection.
Claiming that immigrants contribute to higher crime rates is a lie. Findings from the economist Ran Abramitzky of Stanford University and his colleagues suggest that this has not been true in the United States over the past 140 years. The study shows that since 1880, first-generation immigrants have had lower incarceration rates compared to native-born Americans. Presently, immigrants are 30% less likely to be imprisoned than white U.S.-born individuals.
In 2006, Andrew Karmen, a criminologist at the City University of New York’s College of Criminal Justice (JJC), conducted a study revealing that not only newcomers did not increase crime rates. The substantial influx of diligent, law-abiding immigrants helped account for the significant decrease in crime, particularly murders, in New York City during the 1990s.
Many other studies and articles also refute the claim that immigrants contribute to crime:
Illegal Immigrants Have a Low Homicide Conviction Rate: Setting the Record Straight on Illegal Immigrant Crime | Cato ,
Immigrants less likely to commit crimes than U.S.-born: NPR ,
The Myth of the Criminal Immigrant — The New York Times ,
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