Posted in Countdown to Christmas

Countdown to Christmas 2025: “Thou Shalt LOVE, Not Hate” — Day Seven 12/7/25

From December 1-25, I’ll be sharing a quote and its truth from John Fugelsang’s Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists and Flock-Fleecing Frauds, the book Robert and I are currently and fascinatingly reading.

An odd Advent Calendar, of sorts.

If you are interested, you can see the introduction to this new blog category here:

https://nealenjoy.com/2025/12/01/countdown-to-christmas-2025-thou-shalt-love-not-hate-introduction-12-1-25/

Today, Fugelsang reminds us that “Jesus tells his followers to feed the hungry and care for the sick—not to pray that someone else will do it. Offering ‘thoughts and prayers’ for the poor is … a convenient substitute for tangible help or systemic solutions. Prayer is supposed to be a way to seek guidance, not an excuse for inaction.” p. 199

Ouch!


Fugelsang goes on: “Jesus’s brother nails why faith without works doesn’t work in James 2:15-17: ‘Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead.” p. 199

… and food.

3 thoughts on “Countdown to Christmas 2025: “Thou Shalt LOVE, Not Hate” — Day Seven 12/7/25

  1. A thoughtful and timely reflection. This excerpt cuts straight to the heart of what genuine faith requires—compassion backed by action, not just comforting words. Your Advent series beautifully highlights the difference between passive piety and real, lived love. It’s a needed reminder, delivered with honesty and moral clarity.

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