Camels at the eye of the needle

‘And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”– Matthew 19:24

The world woefully reels from an unexpectedly viscous blow as the United States truncated humanitarian funding established by a myriad of laws set by Congress, solely in Congress’s authority.Marauding cyber bandidos, initially led by an unelected, garish swashbuckler steeped in billions of government contracts, have bulldozed agencies and laws spilling forth private personal data, ceasing life sustaining research and services, terminating employment not in their jurisdiction.Charity, equity, legal are in 2025 the newly minted nasty words of the rising bashers of today’s federal government, following a presidential creed “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law”- Donald J. Trump.

It is predicted that since closing this year, 600,000 former recipients of U.S.A.I.D services worldwide – the majority children – have died from malnutrition and infection as food and medicines were withheld, often stored in regional warehouses – accessible yet unutilized.

Christian, Jewish, Islam, Hindi, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism- all formal religions agree charity, reaching out to others, helping others, is a key precept of religious living. Many Christian sects suggest a worshipper tithe at 10% or “in keeping with income” (1 Corinthians 16:2). According to Forbes’s annual publication of the richest US persons in 2025, 70% of the 400 richest Americans donated less than 5% to charity (charity, not to include political donations).The generosity of this cadre is dropping annually.

The richest of the rich, Elon Musk, Larry Ellison, Peter Thiel, have Forbes philanthropy scores of 1 on the 5 point scale indicating their total lifetime donations to be 1 % or less of their wealth (a 5 rating on the Forbes scale is gifting 20% or more of one’s wealth). Though only half way up the prestigious list of 400, Trump has doubled his wealth since taking office, moving in 11 months from 319 of 400 to 201, his personal increase of wealth over $3 billion.Trump’s philanthropic score remained at 1; in 2018, the Trump Foundation was closed for fraud.

Oddly, much of the rhetoric of the Trump second administration (with 12 billionaire appointees) is laden with references to Christian values, beliefs, behaviors.VP Vance and Paypal cofounder Peter Thiel, who bought Vance’s Ohio Senate race with a $15 million donation, rarely demonstrate recognizable deeds or words modelling Christianity. They with gusto have liberalized political spending that the Supreme Court made law in 2010, Citizens United vs the FEC decision.

Though seemly in an age of high religious fever, faceless, nameless ICE storm troopers stalk and invade schools, churches, apartments, homes, shopping malls exhibiting rough to ruthless behaviors – they can, they have been striped clean of accountability markers and are often personally encouraged by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be brutal.In opposition, led most rigorously by Catholic Cardinals and Bishops, religious leaders of all sects first sought Congressional disapproval of the Big Beautiful Bill in June, then recently sent letters to the White House condemning immigration deportation – behaviors and brutality.No impact.

Has the heart gone out of this nation, has regard and respect been smothered by not the elite but the outlandishly rich.Here is to 2026 – a new year, perhaps with renewed humanity.

Kathy Herald-Marlowe lives in Sharon.