The Sins of JD Vance--one of them anyway...

A guest essay by Pastor John Keating Chrysostom...

Above is the small church where I learned my Sunday School lessons in “Dogpatch,” north of Des Moines, Iowa in the 1950s and 1960s. Perhaps my favorite part was Vacation Bible School in the summers when we were taught stories from the Bible, got to play outside with friends, do crafts, and have a mid-morning snack of Kool-Aid and a cookie.

This is also the church that hosted my Cub Scout and Boy Scout Troop, Pack 244, so lots of memories here. It’s here where I learned the Boy Scout Oath, which I can still recite:

On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

I’m still pretty good at most of it.

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Like many of you, I’ve been stunned by how far right-wing White “Christian” Nationalists have strayed from lessons I learned in Sunday School long ago. To me, there is no empathy in their messaging and actions, only cruelty. Lots of racism too. Did I mention fascism? And of course, no Jesus Christ. And I say this, as I have written before, as a backsliding Lutheran who only finds himself in church at funerals and occasional weddings, but who can’t forget his Sunday School and Bible School lessons.

Although I am certainly theologically challenged, I don’t understand how anyone who calls themselves a Christian can reject the Beatitudes, to me the most beautiful part of the Bible. You know, where we are told in Mathew 5:3–10:

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the Earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called the Sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you...

I also remember something from Sunday school about feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and welcoming the stranger.

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I don’t remember how the topic came up, but in a conversation with a small group of people the other day, a lefty pastor friend told us that he had written a short essay about something Vice President JD Vance had recently said. Here’s the context:

On January 30 on Fox News Vice President JD Vance said “You love your family, and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens in your own country. And then after that, you can focus and prioritize the rest of the world.” He claimed that the “far left” has inverted that.

The pastor wanted to challenge this interpretation and shared that he had been advised not to share his essay publicly. I didn’t ask why, but I know that my left-leaning pastor friends all try to be non-political and not preach from the pulpit. Something about their Church’s tax-exempt status, and not wanting to alienate some members of their congregations.

From the IRS: To be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, an organization must be organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes set forth in section 501(c)(3), and none of its earnings may inure to any private shareholder or individual. In addition, it may not be an action organization, i.e., it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.

But that doesn’t stop right-wing pastors around here who preach politics and endorse candidates regularly, despite the rules around maintaining their tax-exempt status. As some of the most privileged people in the history of the planet, they cast themselves as victims and are as interested in following the law as Donald Trump is. And just wait until you hear them howl “Onward Christian Soldiers” on Sunday mornings as they scowl and clench their fists. Be afraid. Be very afraid. They mean every word.

So, when my friend said he was told not to share his essay publicly with his name on it, I told him I would welcome an anonymous guest post. As I will for anyone who needs to remain anonymous during Trump’s oppressive regime of fear but has something important to say. My pastor friend chose his pseudonym, which I like. Here is his post:

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The Sin of Thinking Empathy and Mercy are Sins

By Pastor John Keating Chrysostom

GUEST COLUMNIST

In the gospel of Matthew (25:40-45), in the face of complacency, Jesus declares: “Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me.”

This is the word of our Lord, and it means our concern for the vulnerable and disenfranchised should be on the same level as our love for Jesus. The one who banished the religious goats in this story doesn’t give us any room for otherwise.

Not an inch of wiggle room for our “theological” excuses manufactured to protect our privilege and power.

When Jesus was asked what God expects from us, he did not mince words. Instead, he told the story of a person from a population maligned by his fellow country people, who showed compassion when the “religious” couldn’t be bothered (Luke 10:25-37).

Jesus said “Love your neighbors” with a story about a Samaritan, which was meant to convey a love that has no qualifiers. In fact, he actually wanted us to love the ones outside our comfort zones and beyond our ivory towers. He also had a global perspective of this endeavor that stands in contrast to human-contrived nationalism.

Also, those who make fun of “those who are weeping for those who are weeping” need to take a look in the mirror and ask who they are becoming because it is not the Jesus of the gospels (Romans 12:15). What are we enabling and protecting when the behavior and rhetoric we make excuses for stands in contrast to the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)?

Even in this post-modern era, our Biblical integrity for actual truth and justice shouldn’t be sidelined for narratives that sugarcoat the sins of violence and hate. So the next time someone says, “Your politics are showing,” remember the Jesus who advocated for mercy is supposed to be seen in you (2 Corinthians 3:18).

That good word comes from an apostle whose theology subverted the power-hungry narcissistic “Caesars” in his day. So in post-modern times like these, make sure your Jesus and your empathy and mercy are showing.

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If you are in the Trump/Musk administration and want to share your story of how this administration is hurting Americans or refugees, or here in Iowa, the Reynolds administration, I’ll let you tell your story anonymously if you need to be protected. Just email me at rdwleonard@gmail.com. I won’t give you up.

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