Affinity for Inequality

Usually, I can understand where people are coming from, or why they hold their ideas, even if I don't agree - and that's especially true of people I'm closely involved or affiliated with (evangelicals, men, nerds, you get the idea). But what I'm about to write about, I simply don't understand, even though I'm a lifelong evangelical who has been constantly surrounded by and interacting with other evangelicals. For some reason, evangelicals have an affection for inequality - they want to live in a society where a few have far more than some others. Why? I'm not sure, but I (genuinely; seriously) think the thinking goes like this: Communists deny God, and communism aims for economic equality for all, therefore economic equality is a bad thing, therefore economic inequality is a good thing.

Why do I say evangelicals are in favor of inequality? It's a feeling I get - I've never seen research done, or a study commissioned, but here's some evidence from my personal experience. 1) I've heard significantly more in sermons about the evil of high taxes than I have about government not doing enough to help the poor (Some might say, "But that's the church's job!" - I agree, it is! Cancel your youth ski trip, and give the homeless your winter coats! But, where in the Bible does it say that only churches, not governments, are allowed to help the poor? I'll give you a hint: It's in "Imadeituptations".) 2) When I put something on Facebook about helping those in need, it's my evangelical friends who disagree and come after me. My atheist/agnostic friends agree that we should help the poor (See, that communism reasoning was correct! Concern for the poor leads to godlessness!!! So, by the way, do my Christian friends who are theologically liberal). 3) I can count on the number "one" the number of times I've heard it said, from a pulpit, that those who have two houses should give to those who have none (Luke 3:11 - and those weren't the exact words that were used, but I did hear Chip Ingram say, "People who have two houses are going to have to do some explaining, when they get to heaven") and Jesus' advice to the rich young ruler to "sell his possessions, give to the poor, and come, follow me"... well, Jesus is just saying that to illustrate that being perfect is impossible. He doesn't actually expect anyone to do anything like that. And 4) I've heard, as most people have, a whole lot about what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah, and that it was because they practiced homosexuality (and I believe that played a role in their judgment). But I've heard very little - and I've never heard it in a church, about why God says they were judged: "She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy."

I have heard of some Christian leaders saying, however, that if God doesn't judge America soon, he's going to owe Sodom and Gomorrah an apology. That's absolutely right (Well, except that it's theologically wrong, because in Christ, we are forgiven for our shortcomings and not, generally, fire and brimestoned). But we are doing the same thing Sodom was judged for, even down to being overfed. Most of all, we "did not help the poor and needy". We've allowed cheered on our society's transformation from the land of opportunity, where anyone willing to study, work hard, and not waste their money could afford a decent life, to the land of inequality, with 93% of income growth in 2010 going to the top 1% of Americans, while the income of households making less than $101,000 annually (and that's 80% of us) fell by 1.7%. We've been slipping for years, so that now we are less equal than Uganda and Kazakhstan. Those aren't places I want my country competing with, on anything, and losing.

The inequality in our country is wrong. Immoral. Unjust. This isn't about "greedy, entitled poor people", it's not about "class warfare against the job creators", it's about whether the "American dream" will be a real thing anymore, or if we're going to become, for the steadily growing poor of our population, a land of nightmares. And that just doesn't match the message Jesus brought for them.

But whenever I try to bring this issue of inequality up, each time I try to discuss it with Christian people who should have a Christlike approach to helping the poor, I'm told that communism doesn't work (I agree, but it's dishonest to act as though anyone is suggesting that), that poor people are just looking for handouts (I'm sure some are, but what did Jesus say about handouts?), or that if we raise taxes, the economy will crash (all sorts of data prove that tax rates have little correlation with the health of the economy - there's no consistent correlation between the two). Yes, there are Christians who agree with me, but the trend I notice is Christians who somehow don't believe the rich have enough, while often suggesting we need to cut back on food stamps and aid to the poor. It's as though we've never read the book of James, and we really should. Or if we read Proverbs, we might come away with a better perspective.