Anne Slanders

The ninth iteration in the Mandate for Leadership series is The Conservative Promise (Project 2025). Critics have described it as an authoritarian, Christian Nationalist plan. They believe it would steer the U.S. toward autocracy.

Project 2025 (also known as the 2025 Presidential Transition Project) is a political initiative drafted by the Heritage Foundation. Its purpose is to reshape the landscape of the U.S. federal government and unify executive branch powers directly under the President. It mandates unheeded right wing policies, all under the guise of promoting christian values and morality.

And now that you have that recap, let’s discuss the hypocrisy of this mandate. We should also talk about why calling it Christian-based is downright blasphemy.

Before I go further, I want to admit that I am agnostic but I do believe that Jesus existed. If you are unclear what agnostic means, it refers to “someone who believes that nothing is known.” It also means nothing can be known when it comes to the existence or nature of God. That doesn’t mean that as an agnostic, I can’t live by the Christian values extolled by Jesus. The most important values that eulogized Jesus were:

• Love – This is the foundation of his Christian teachings. It emphasizes not only the love for God but also the love we should all have for each other. His example teaches us to love selflessly and extend that grace to others. Matthew 22:37-39
• Faith – I always held John 14:1 to be a profound verse. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.” I interpret the verse not as a demand for reverence. Instead, it is a call to reflect upon all he had done. We should live our lives by his example.
• Humility – Recognizing and serving others selflessly. Philippians 2:7
• Compassion – Showing kindness and care for others, especially those in need. Luke 7:13
• Honesty – Living truthfully and with integrity. James 3:17
• Forgiveness – Letting go of resentment and offering grace to others. Luke 6:37
• Generosity – Sharing time, resources, and kindness with others. Galatians 6:2
• Moral Living – Striving to live according to the Commandments, the anecdotal teachings of the Bible and avoiding sinful behavior. 1 Corinthians 15:33

Being a Christian is not a smooth sailing journey. It’s challenging and daunting. Christians endure various trials trying to follow the “Word of God.” Additionally, there is a constant demand for agnostics to adhere to Jesus’s character. As Christians, people expect perfection in our words, actions, and lifestyle. Nonetheless, human nature does not give ground to those who dwell on their sins.

For those that are true Christians, there is no smug complacency when measured against Jesus’s formidable example and sacrifice. His continual liturgy was to inspire and fuel our hearts to be what Jesus desired of us. Scripture aimed to teach fellow Christians. The New Testament directly and indirectly guided them in the values to live by. 

And this is where the Project 2025 manifest is a contradiction in terms of what Christians should be striving for.

Where is the Christianity? It seems absent when advocating for the abolishment of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. This is a program that invests $18 billion in federal funds for schools in low-income areas. To put that into perspective, our total U.S. government spending for 2025 is estimated to be $4.16 trillion. $18B would equate to 0.43%; not even a half percent.

How can the authors claim themselves to be Christian when their blueprint includes defunding programs like Head Start, a $12.3B service so vital that it provides free school meals to children of low-income families? Rationalizing the numbers, that equates to 0.30% of the total U.S. government spending in 2025.

Would a true Christian advocate for a larger United States nuclear weapons arsenal? Would a true Christian advocate for the resurrection of nuclear weapons testing in violation of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty?

If someone states they are Christian, they have the privilege of being called Christian. They also bear the responsibility attached to it. It’s an accountability that should resonate far beyond the moment that their Sunday service has ended.

We, as Americans, deserve better Christians than this.

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