Ep 1136 | Christianity Today, Be the Bridge, & the Evangelical Underbelly of USAID Funds | Guest: Megan Basham
Feb 6, 2025
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Megan Basham, journalist and author of "Shepherds for Sale," discusses the troubling connections between Christian organizations and USAID funding. She questions the integrity of these organizations that accept government money to promote initiatives like overseas abortions. The conversation also touches on Trump's executive order protecting women’s sports and critiques the curriculum 'Be the Bridge' through a lens of critical race theory. Basham raises ethical concerns about the shifts in Christian values amidst political influences, prompting a broader dialogue on faith and funding.
Many Christian organizations, including Christianity Today, are scrutinized for accepting USAID funds, raising questions about their ideological integrity.
The podcast discusses Trump's executive order protecting women's sports, emphasizing concerns over fairness and safety in gender identity debates.
World Relief's promotion of contraceptive use despite its Christian identity highlights the ethical dilemmas faced by faith-based organizations accepting government funding.
Deep dives
Funding Controversies in Christian Organizations
Numerous Christian organizations, including Christianity Today and World Relief, have been implicated in receiving substantial funding from USAID, raising questions about their alignment with progressive ideological agendas. Investigations revealed that these organizations have ties to government grants, often linked to initiatives that do not necessarily relate to traditional charitable work but are instead politically motivated. For instance, the data indicates that Christianity Today reported receiving $1.8 million from the federal government in 2023, prompting scrutiny about the influences that might accompany such financial support. These revelations have spurred a debate about whether faith-based groups are compromising their values for government funding.
Trump Administration's Executive Order on Women's Sports
The recent signing of an executive order by the Trump administration aimed at protecting women's sports has generated significant discussion regarding the intersection of gender identity and competitive sports. This order formally opposes male participation in women’s sports, citing safety and fairness concerns, and rescinds funds from programs not complying with this directive. Such action has drawn attention to how governmental policies can directly impact the safeguarding of women's rights within athletics. Many believe the necessity for such an executive order reflects a broader cultural issue regarding gender identity debates within society.
World Relief's Controversial Programs
World Relief has faced criticism for its funding allocation and the titles of its programs, such as SCOPE, which promotes contraceptive use in various countries. Reports indicate that the organization has received substantial amounts of taxpayer money, approximately $29 million, to advance initiatives aimed at reproductive health. This philanthropic approach raised eyebrows given that World Relief is a professedly Christian organization that seems to embrace secular, leftist frameworks regarding family planning and women's health. The ethical implications of encouraging contraceptive use in traditionally religious societies highlight the tensions that arise when faith-based organizations accept government funds.
Shifting Ideological Landscapes in Christianity
The podcast explores the ideological shifts of significant evangelical organizations, suggesting they are increasingly aligning themselves with progressive values, possibly under financial duress. The conversation highlights how groups like Christianity Today employ rhetoric that echoes left-wing ideology, especially regarding immigration and social justice issues. This evolution raises alarms about the long-term implications for evangelical identity and the potential compromises these organizations make to retain funding. The merging of secular activism and Christian organizations emphasizes the need for discernment among congregants regarding their support and engagement with these entities.
Rhetoric and Realities of Immigration Policies
Discussion surrounding immigration policies reveals that organizations like World Relief play a role in shaping public narratives and practices related to asylum seekers. The podcast emphasizes the complexity of the immigration debate, where groups often promote a viewpoint that downplays the legal nuances of immigration status. For instance, there is a critique of the portrayal of undocumented immigrants as legal entities once they apply for asylum, which complicates the broader discussions around immigration law. This manipulation of language and policy enforcement indicates deeper ideological agendas at play among organizations receiving government funding.
Today, we sit down with our good friend Megan Basham to discuss everything going on with so-called "charitable" Christian organizations supposedly receiving government funding through USAID. We go over Christianity Today taking government grants and the left-leaning publications that followed as well as whether NGOs can truly call themselves Christian if they're taking secular funds to promote overseas abortions. And we also briefly go over Trump's most recent executive order banning men from competing in women's sports.
Buy Megan's book, "Shepherds for Sale: How Evangelical Leaders Traded the Truth for a Leftist Agenda": https://a.co/d/6oH2sz0
Buy Allie's new book, "Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion": https://a.co/d/4COtBxy
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Timecodes:
(02:10) Trump signs EO protecting women’s sports
(10:45) USAID funding for Christian organizations
(20:40) World Relief and charities promoting birth control overseas
(30:43) USAID enabling illegal immigration
(40:47) Other charities receiving government funding
(49:56) Trump rooting out anti-Christian bias
(53:40) How Megan’s doing after her diagnosis
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Related Episodes:
Ep 1134 | World Relief, USAID & the Nefarious Network of Humanitarian Aid
