I just had a disturbing yet all too familiar conversation with someone over private messaging.

They were condemning me for the positions I’ve taken politically on my social media platforms and so I tried to at least gently reason with them to see if we could find some common ground.

I tried to bring up the harm that is being perpetrated against the poor, the immigrant, the elderly, the veterans, the homeless, the disabled, marginalized communities, our national parks, the planet, and all the federal workers who are losing their jobs and livelihoods, just to name a few things.

Their response was glib: “Everything happens for a reason” they said. “It’s all in God’s hands. You shouldn’t worry so much. Trust in God.”

I’m convinced that there isn’t any response quite as evil as saying about suffering people “everything happens for a reason“ or “it’s all in God’s plan.”

Especially when their suffering is being caused by a reality that you voted for.

This denies human free will and all the ways we shape the world around us that brings about a lot of the suffering we see.

This has nothing to do with Jesus, who embodied the prophetic witness of all the prophets of scripture who came before him, who raged against those who used their religion, political power, and wealth as tools of oppression and exploitation against the poor and the powerless.

This response is simply a selfish dismissal of people’s suffering masquerading as a theological belief.

It would be like telling the prophet Nathan to not rebuke King David for his horrid sins because “everything happens for a reason.”

It would be like telling John the Baptist “you worry too much” for calling out the injustice of King Herod.

It would be like telling Jesus to just “trust in God” instead of proclaiming good news to the poor and bringing liberation for the oppressed.

So to those who are tempted to respond this way in our time, especially if you voted for the current administration, let me give you some pastoral guidance:

Do not use God as your justification to ignore people’s suffering. That is not only deeply heartless but it is totally anti-Christ.

It displays that you have more loyalty to your own beliefs and preferred political ideology than you do to God or to your neighbors.

Jesus died out of love for the entire world, even for his enemies. The least you can do is move past your discomfort and take some responsibility for the suffering people are enduring right now and care for them the way Jesus would.

There’s nothing remotely Godly about spiritually bypassing people’s suffering.

“Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” -Proverbs 14:31

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.” -Proverbs 31:8-9