A brief visit to virtually any right-wing Facebook group quickly unveils a deeply unsettling reality: a level of open hatred that goes far beyond political disagreement. What’s often encountered isn’t merely dissent or passionate debate—it’s outright sadism, malice, and cruelty. These expressions are not just alarming; they are deeply un-Christian, diametrically opposed to everything Jesus stood for.
The irony is heartbreaking. Many of those spreading this vitriol do so while proudly displaying crosses in their bios, sharing Bible verses in their stories, and posting about “Christian values.” But if these individuals genuinely believe they are living in alignment with Christ’s teachings, then something has gone terribly awry. The words of Jesus were clear: love your neighbor, turn the other cheek, and have compassion for the least among us. Yet what we see in these spaces is the opposite—mockery, dehumanization, and in some cases, delight in the suffering of others.
This tweet isn’t an attempt at hyperbole, it is sincere. While the example provided here is relatively tame, I’ve witnessed rhetoric that rivals the vitriol of the Ku Klux Klan—raw, unapologetic hatred directed at immigrants, asylum seekers, people of color, and anyone deemed “other” than themselves despite Jesus advocating to treat others as you would want to be treated. Those rules go out the window for many Christians and it’s become the norm, rarely challenged or questioned. Often, those spewing this hatred are the same individuals who wrap themselves in religious symbolism, using Christian language to justify behavior that Jesus would have explicitly condemned.
Let’s be clear: acknowledging this contradiction is not an act of judgment towards these hateful individuals—it’s an observation rooted in reality. There’s a difference between condemnation and discernment. To say, “this is not what Jesus taught” is not to damn a person or judge them, but to compare their actions against what they’ve been taught, to hopefully inspire change.
To take pleasure in another person’s pain—especially someone fleeing war, poverty, or persecution—is morally indefensible. It shows not just a failure of empathy, but a spiritual disconnection from the core of Christ’s message. Jesus reserved his harshest criticisms not for the sinners, but for the hypocrites—for those who used religion to justify their hatred inspired by their egos and power rather than to serve others with humility and love.
So what can be done? First, we should put their behavior on public display, in the hopes of some self reflection via shame/embarrassment viewing their actions from the perspective of others rather than themselves. In our mind and thoughts we can call upon the Holy Spirit to soften hearts hardened by hatred, anger and fear, to open minds clouded by tribalism, and to rekindle the light of compassion that Jesus came to ignite in all of us. Being a Christian is not about slogans, symbols, or self-righteous certainty—it’s about how we treat the most vulnerable, how we love the unlovable, and how we respond to hatred with healing.
I pray that those who have strayed from a virtuous and righteous path find their way back even if it means a public shaming putting their actions up on a pedestal for everyone to see. Case in point:
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