Fighting DEI Is Unchristian

Let’s be clear: the United States has systematically failed its marginalized communities from the very beginning of its history. This isn’t up for debate—it’s a fundamental truth that must be confronted. I have no patience for people who think that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs are somehow unjust or represent reverse discrimination against straight, white, cis-gendered citizens. The country was founded on slavery and the oppression of indigenous people and that has created enormous systemic barriers that continue today and prevent many people from opportunity and advancement. Women face both a gender pay gap and underrepresentation in American board rooms. Our trans friends can’t even volunteer for military service under the current administration.

The Economic Policy Institute reports that racial and ethnic disparities in median household income have been largely persistent across time. Also, poverty rates are higher among AIAN, Black and Hispanic working-age adults. These populations have median household incomes below the national average, higher than average unemployment and are significantly overrepresented in low-paying jobs.

Only the most egregious bigots believe that these poor economic outcomes are the results of skin color or culture. Discriminatory policies and practices have historically marginalized these communities leading to persistent patterns of prejudice and disadvantage. Marginalized groups face occupational segregation that limits upward economic mobility, and they face limited access to education, healthcare and hiring compared to white counterparts.

This is simply unfair. But it’s also bad business and bad policy.

DEI programs help address these systemic barriers by improving access, mental wellbeing and civic engagement for more representation. Diversity simply reflects reality. Our communities have a kaleidoscope of people as workers, customers, artists, teachers and voters. To ignore this is unjust, but it is also impractical. Different perspectives lead to different ideas, better problem solving and creative solutions that reflect reality. Employees who feel represented are more likely to stay and make valuable contributions. Companies with strong DEI practices almost always outperform their peers financially and operationally. In fact, highly inclusive companies are more likely to hit their financial target goals by up to 120%.

DEI isn’t a restriction on US companies, it is a framework that builds better systems, stronger teams and better outcomes. It drives growth and innovation.

So why are MAGA-heads against DEI? The short answer is kneejerk bigotry. People tend to want to protect the power structures that keep them in power. Most people who benefit from wealth inequality like to keep it that way. DEI has become a talking point for conservatives that lands with some white voters and so they’ve turned opposition to DEI into a legal, political and strategic campaign. It’s cynical and damaging to the health of our society.

The backlash against DEI seems to be growing as more conservatives seek to dismantle DEI initiatives, affirmative action programs and really any effort that seeks to correct the many injustices faced by minorities, women and LGBTQ+ people in our country. MAGA is on a tear to abolish any sense of balance and fairness, because to them, America was great when we didn’t care about such things. Among the most glaring examples of this misguided backlash is the Defense Department’s recent removal of nearly 26,000 articles and images involving materials deemed too “woke” by critics such as Pete Hegseth. The overwhelming majority of these purged materials highlighted the achievements of women and minorities in the military, including significant milestones. Additionally, many of the deleted posts commemorated observances like Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Women’s History Month, further illustrating the breadth of the erasure. And if that sounds outrageous to you, it is, but it’s only the tip of a very racist agenda that tracks back to the Confederacy and beyond.

This is bad for the country, bad for business and bad for society. It is also profoundly disconnected from the teachings of Christianity and the example set by Jesus.

God’s love as shown to us through Jesus is quite radical in its inclusivity. Look around you in a world that has 9 billion species, and you’ll realize how much God loves diversity. Jesus tells us that we don’t just extend love to our friends and neighbors, we do it to everyone. Jesus healed outcasts, dined with tax collectors, and lifted people that society deemed to be unworthy. Jesus wasn’t making a joke when He said the last shall be first, he was demanding that we turn the social order upside down. DEI is about doing just that, taking the populations in our country that have faced systemic oppression and giving them a fighting chance.

A lot of Christians are ignoring this core part of Jesus’ teaching. Of course, few people seemed to understand, appreciate or applaud Jesus’ message in His day either. I don’t want to spoil the ending of the story, but it got him killed. Humans hate hearing that someone else, especially someone we regard as a “less than,” is in fact equal to us in the eyes of God.

So, when I say that these DEI haters can trace their path back to the Confederacy, I’m not telling the whole story. Outrage at equality and equity and inclusion is as old as history itself, just told in new forms in every generation. When we reject DEI, we are rejecting sincere attempts to correct generational wrongs. We are finding our own identity in the identity of those who wanted to run Jesus off a cliff. It’s the same human urge, the same human resistance, the same reluctance to see the divine image of God looking at us through people who are different than we are in some way. Rejection of DEI at its core is not just a rejection of justice, it is a rejection of the radical love at the heart of our Christian path.

What is the point of being a Jesus follower if you are not committed to justice. I’m not talking about justice in the sense of legal retribution, because God is not about retribution. I’m talking about restoration. It’s a justice that lifts the marginalized. God’s love is not a private possession that we can hoard. God’s love doesn’t go just to those we think are deserving because none of us are deserving if you ask my opinion. God’s love is a gift from the creator of all, and it is our Christian duty to share that with all, especially those who society has left behind. We are called to create the Kingdom right here, right now.

So please, if you’re serious about Christ, realize that DEI initiatives are not simple policy debates. It is a question of how serious we are about taking our professed faith into society, into the places where it can really make a difference. Our faith demands compassion, humility and a whole lot of courage to give everyone equal opportunity. Anything less doesn’t just put us on the wrong side of history, it’s puts us on the wrong side of the Gospel message.