title:  The Very Scary Reason Trump’s Evangelicals Don’t Care About Cuts To Programs For Those In Need
text: As our current administration continues to prove that it has no actual concern for the working class, it s hard to image why Trump is supported by anyone other than the rich. The White House s current budget proposals put support for the poor, sick, and elderly on the chopping block in favor of tax breaks for the wealthy. Besides being economically unjust, wouldn t these slashes in services be against the Christian obligation to charity? Why do evangelicals stand strong in their support for Trump?The fact that Trump is a seemingly odd choice for political leadership among evangelicals has been debated since he first announced his bid to run. The prevailing explanation for their support is that evangelicals merely tolerate Trump because they care about fighting abortion/LGBTQ and therefore the preservation of their religious freedom.But why the support for tax cuts over the assistance for those in need? According to an article by Religion Dispatches, it s about more than just toleration. The huge budget cuts are part of the religious right keeping up their understanding of a  biblical worldview  and are an important part of its agenda.According to  sphere sovereignty    a theory of how the Bible rules every aspect of life   God has given authority to men in government, but this authority has very limited roles. This view holds that man s role in civil government only allows for property protection and criminal punishment. According to this view, it is the families job to help the poor, with some secondary help from the church. If tax money is used to help the poor it is seen as  tyrannically exceeding  the biblical authority of the government and is considered stealing.This arcane position is held and popularized in some mainstream evangelical circles and articulated by radio host David Barton. It s also taught in Christian school curricula and promoted in books and conferences.This view is the basis for many new administration policies, and the reason many of Trump s appointees are trying to shut down the agencies they are in charge of. Even the Department of Education is being led by a person who strongly believes that it s the families responsibility to educate children and that civil government should stay out of it.Trump himself probably doesn t hold these theoretical views, but Mike Pence sure does, and he s already making sure the  biblical worldview  is the basis for Trump s policies.Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images