It is, of course, entirely possible for those who support the conservative agenda to do so with a Christian heart—a heart that firmly believes the best way to love and support their neighbors is to oppose well-intentioned, but ultimately counterproductive, policies like welfare programs and open borders. But often, those who oppose government-mandated acts reveal that these talking points are less sincerely held convictions and more cheap excuses to manifest the hateful desires of their hearts.

“Private giving is a better way to help those in need,” many say, then sneer in condescension about lazy welfare recipients with too many kids instead of supporting charities meant to help them. “I’m not opposed to immigration, I’m opposed to illegal immigration” say many folks who then grumble about legal Hispanic immigrants who had the audacity to come to this country without perfect mastery of English—like virtually every other immigrant group in American history.

“It would be better for these people to fix their own countries than to try to make a new life here,” say some of the same people who immediately fled into the suburbs the second minorities moved into their old neighborhoods. In other words, sometimes people are conservatives because they embrace conservative political ideology. But other times, people are conservatives because they hate those who don’t share their skin color or their culture.

When this is the case, such hate-consumed conservative Christians need to have their fellow believers help them break free from their sin.