Photo courtesy of Armenia Weekly
Democrats and liberals, many of whom don’t even believe in God, are outraged that Christians in Congress could vote in favor of budget cuts. They’re accusing Mike Johnson and others of being fake Christians simply because they supported the Big Beautiful Bill. It’s a bizarre argument, and yet another example of liberals finding outrage in any action they disagree with while misinterpreting or misusing Scripture to criticize Christians.
Liberals and non-believers often accuse Christians of hypocrisy for opposing government welfare programs or voting in favor of tax cuts. According to this view, Christians are morally obligated to support state-run redistribution in the name of compassion. But this accusation has no foundation in Scripture or Christian theology. There is nothing in the Bible that commands the state to impose taxes on working people in order to fund government handouts to those who do not work.
Yes, Jesus taught us to care for the poor, and He commanded charity. But biblical charity must be voluntary to be a blessing. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:7, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or under compulsion—for God loves a cheerful giver.” Giving under government coercion is not biblical charity, it’s taxation. And while Jesus said, “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s” (Matthew 22:21), obligating Christians to pay their lawful taxes, it does not mean they are spiritually obligated to support every form or volume of government spending.
It’s also important to remember that tax money does not belong to Congress. It is taken from working individuals under the threat of penalty or imprisonment. Taking what belongs to one person and giving it to another is not charity in any biblical sense. The Bible does not command governments to run welfare programs, nor does it teach that Christians sin by opposing them. In fact, Scripture often warns against rulers who abuse power and impose unjust taxes. In 1 Samuel 8, God warned the Israelites that a king would “take the best of your fields and vineyards,” “a tenth of your grain,” and “make you his slaves.” However, God calls Christians to give voluntarily, and they do, contributing billions of dollars each year.
Catholic and Protestant organizations operate the largest and most active charitable networks in the world. As Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16), and James wrote, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:17). These verses affirm that genuine faith results in good deeds, including charity. In the United States, practicing Christians are among the most generous donors: they are 40% more likely to give to charity than non-Christians, and churchgoers are 75% more likely to give than non-attendees.
The Catholic Church is widely recognized as the largest charitable organization globally. With a presence in nearly every country, it operates thousands of hospitals, schools, orphanages, and relief agencies. Caritas Internationalis, the Church’s global aid network, coordinates humanitarian efforts worldwide.
In the United States, Catholic Charities is one of the nation’s largest charitable organizations, providing services such as food assistance, housing, and disaster relief. Additionally, the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization, donated $190 million and volunteered 47 million hours in charitable activities in 2024 alone.
Other Christian denominations also contribute significantly. The Salvation Army, rooted in Protestant Christianity, is the sixth-largest charity in the U.S., with a total revenue of $4.78 billion. Samaritan’s Purse, led by Franklin Graham, provides disaster relief and runs Operation Christmas Child, delivering aid and gospel materials to children worldwide. World Vision, one of the largest evangelical humanitarian groups, focuses on child sponsorship, education, clean water, and disaster relief. Compassion International works through local churches to help children escape poverty.
Food for the Hungry combats hunger and poverty through development and emergency aid. Lutheran World Relief provides sustainable development and disaster response in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Christian Aid Ministries, associated with conservative Anabaptists, delivers aid in crisis zones. MAP International supplies medicine and medical equipment to clinics in poor countries. Tearfund, a UK-based evangelical agency, addresses poverty and climate resilience through local churches. Finally, Free Burma Rangers, founded by a missionary and former U.S. Special Forces officer, named David Eubank, delivers frontline aid in war zones like Burma, Syria, and Iraq.
Christians are called by God, not by the government and not by liberals, to give. And in answering that call, faith-based groups provide an overwhelming share of food assistance in the United States: 63% of food pantries are run by Christian organizations, and nearly half of all congregations operate or support food distribution programs or soup kitchens. But it is not a sin to vote against a tax cut. And the people making these accusations, trying to shame Christians, should ask themselves what organization they belong to and how much aid they are personally giving.
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