I'd Rather Have Jesus (and Your Tax Dollars)
Evangelicals preach self-denial—but practice privilege.
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“I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold...”
That line echoed through church camps, Sunday mornings, and youth group retreats. The message was clear: material wealth is worldly. Jesus is enough.
And yet, somehow, those same voices are always in the room when budgets are slashed for public schools. They’re in the front row when lawmakers defund libraries, gut healthcare programs, and divert public money to private religious schools.
It turns out, Jesus might be enough—but only after the check clears.
A Theology of Poverty, A Politics of Power
Evangelical culture teaches that money is corrupting. That riches distract from righteousness. That believers should store up treasure in heaven, not hoard wealth on Earth.
But in practice? The Christian Right is one of the most politically powerful lobbies when it comes to fighting for financial benefits:
Tax exemptions for churches, even when they function like businesses
Vouchers and public funding for private religious schools
Loopholes for clergy housing and parsonage allowances
Nonprofit status for megachurch empires with commercial revenue
It’s not about spiritual discipline. It’s about legal immunity.
Jesus Didn’t Get the Tax Break
Jesus, by all accounts, was homeless. He traveled with little more than the sandals on his feet and a message that routinely challenged wealth and empire.
He told the rich to give away their possessions. He flipped tables in the temple over economic exploitation. He said you can’t serve both God and money.
Meanwhile, today’s Christian power brokers demand government subsidies for faith-based businesses, use donations to fund multi-million-dollar buildings, and buy private jets while preaching humility.
They turned a poor Jewish preacher into the patron saint of prosperity—and convinced millions that protecting their wealth is protecting God.
Defunding the Public for the Private
This isn’t just hypocrisy. It’s policy.
According to Pew Research and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, over $1 billion annually in taxpayer money is now funneled into private religious schools through voucher programs and education savings accounts. That number has surged in recent years, thanks to coordinated lobbying by conservative Christian groups.
At the same time, public schools in low-income areas face staff shortages, deteriorating facilities, and outdated materials. Libraries are closing. Arts and science programs are disappearing.
All while churches—already tax-exempt—demand more.
When Jesus said “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s,” I doubt he meant "take Caesar’s money and fund your chapel."
A Gospel of Control, Not Charity
Let’s be honest: this isn’t about protecting faith. It’s about using faith to consolidate power.
Every dollar redirected from the public to the religious private sector is a dollar redirected from pluralism to control. It’s a system where parents who can’t afford Christian school are told to pray harder. Where LGBTQIA+ students are excluded with public money. Where non-Christian families fund institutions that actively oppose their values.
And it’s all done under the banner of religious freedom.
But freedom isn’t the goal.
Dominance is.
Conclusion: When Faith and Finance Collide
The next time you hear someone say, “I don’t need riches, I just need Jesus,” look at where their lobbying dollars go.
Because if they’re fighting for fewer taxes on churches, more funding for private religious schools, and less oversight on faith-based institutions, it’s not about gold.
It’s about power.
This space is for all of us who were handed fear and called it faith. Who were taught to sacrifice ourselves for the comfort of others. Who are finally learning to take it all back.
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