Share
Commentary

Fauci Says He Doesn't Need Church Anymore, Claims His 'Personal Ethics on Life' Are 'Enough'

Share

Before he passed, my grandfather used to say that he didn’t need to go to church, because he could worship God in nature — in a sunset, for example, which was his favorite example.

All well and good, except, as my father used to point out, he never actually did.

Anthony Fauci, former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infection Diseases, seems to be deluding himself about his need for church in a similar, though obviously not identical, fashion.

During an interview with BBC News, Fauci pointed out Dahlgren Chapel of the Sacred Heart, where he and his wife were married in 1985. That gave rise to the question of whether he still attends church.

“No, I don’t,” he said, which natural led to the follow-up question from interviewer Katy Kay: “Why?”

“A number of complicated reasons,” he said, but Kay wasn’t satisfied with that, and encouraged him to go on.

“First of all, I think my own personal ethics on life are, I think, enough to keep me going on the right path,” he said, adding that the “organizational church” had “enough negative aspects,” though he didn’t clarify what “enough” meant in that context.

Enough for what? To keep him from going? Enough that they didn’t need to add one more negative aspect with his attendance?

I don’t think that’s what he meant; as the old saying goes: The church is full of hypocrites, but that shouldn’t keep you from going. There’s always room for one more.

“I’m not against it,” he said, almost apologetically. “I identify myself as a Catholic. I was raised, I was baptized, I was confirmed. I was married in the church. My children were baptized in the church.

“But as far as practicing it, it seems almost like a pro forma thing that I don’t really need to do.”

I’ll break that down a bit, but before I do, you can watch the entire interview below (we’ve queue up the video to the segment quoted above).



Responses to a clip of this section of the interview posted to X were often critical, including this one from Pierre Bayle (presumably not the Pierre Bayle, who died in 1706, but presumably an admirer of his).

Related:
Watch: Angel Reese Slammed After Bragging About COVID Vaccinations - 'Waiting for the Next One to Come Out'

Fauci seems to have fallen into an error similar to that of my grandfather’s, an ironic — and dangerous — mix of thinking that we only go to church for ourselves and that it’s possible to not need that community for ourselves. Both thoughts are wrong and, frankly, obviously so.

Hebrews 10 tells believers directly that we need to go to church — not necessarily the big white building on the corner, but some organized body of believers.

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24,25)

Each of us, as members of the body of Christ, is responsible for the other members of the body of Christ. Cain claimed not to have been his brother’s keeper, as you will remember — but I’m pretty sure Cain isn’t the example you want to be following. We are, in fact, our brothers’ keepers, and we will be held accountable on the Day mentioned in this passage for how much, or how little, we “stir[red] up one another to love and good works” and “encourag[ed] one another.”

My grandfather never did that with a sunset, and Fauci isn’t going to do it with his “personal ethics on life.”

But just as we are required to provide that encouragement, so we, if we are actually trying to follow Jesus, find ourselves in need of that encourage from others. Yes, sometimes you might find it in a sunset. Other times it will come directly from God’s Word and through individual prayer. But often — more often than I like to admit, honestly — we need it from other people.

Is church an important part of your life?

Fauci’s commitment to his own ethical code may be admirable, but when he faces the Father on that Day, he will be judged not in accordance with how well he lived up to his own standards, but by how well he lived up to God’s. (Just as we all will.)

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God,” the writer of Hebrews notes, only a few verses later (v. 31).

Indeed it is, unless we are covered by the blood of Christ. But if we make that claim, we must obey Him: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” Christ Himself once famously asked. (Luke 6:46)

If we don’t obey Him whom we call Lord, who are we like? James, the half-brother of Christ, compared such people to demons.

“You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe — and shudder!” he wrote in James 2:19, arguing that supposed faith without obedience isn’t really faith at all.

Of course, none of us obeys Jesus perfectly, even when we have the best of intentions. I have no idea what Fauci’s intentions are, having never spoken to the man, so I won’t attempt to judge him on that. Abiding by a personal code of ethics is another matter completely; it’s easy to tweak our own standards when we fail to live up to them. But we can’t adjust God’s standards — no matter how our culture might try.

Thus, we need other in the church — to point out our flaws, to pick up us when we stumble, to get us moving again in the right direction.

I know I need that. It’s apparent that Fauci needs it as well.

And so, my friend, do you.


A Note from Our Founder:

 

Every morning, we at The Western Journal wake up and pursue our mission of giving you the important information you need about what’s happening in America.

We can’t do that without your help.

 

America has been on the receiving end of false narratives. The purpose of these false narratives is to make you feel powerless. The Western Journal empowers you by breaking these false narratives.

But I wouldn’t be honest with you today if I didn’t let you know that the future of The Western Journal is in jeopardy without your help.

 

Silicon Valley and the Big Tech tyrants have done everything they can to put The Western Journal out of business. Our faithful donors and subscribers have kept us going.

If you’ve never chosen to donate, let me be honest: We need your help today.

Please don’t wait one minute. Donate right now – our situation in America is dire. If you would rather become a WJ member outright, we would welcome that too.  Our country hangs by a thread, and The Western Journal stands for truth in this difficult time.

 

Please stand with us by donating today.
Floyd G. Brown
Founder of The Western Journal

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
, , , , , , ,
Share
George Upper is the former Editor-in-Chief of The Western Journal and was a weekly co-host of "WJ Live," powered by The Western Journal. He is currently a contributing editor in the areas of faith, politics and culture. A former U.S. Army special operator, teacher and consultant, he is a lifetime member of the NRA and an active volunteer leader in his church. Born in Foxborough, Massachusetts, he has lived most of his life in central North Carolina.
George Upper, is the former editor-in-chief of The Western Journal and is now a contributing editor in the areas of faith, politics and culture. He currently serves as the connections pastor at Awestruck Church in Greensboro, North Carolina. He is a former U.S. Army special operator, teacher, manager and consultant. Born in Massachusetts, he graduated from Foxborough High School before joining the Army and spending most of the next three years at Fort Bragg. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in English as well as a Master's in Business Administration, all from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He and his wife life only a short drive from his three children, their spouses and his grandchildren. He is a lifetime member of the NRA and in his spare time he shoots, reads a lot of Lawrence Block and John D. MacDonald, and watches Bruce Campbell movies. He is a fan of individual freedom, Tommy Bahama, fine-point G-2 pens and the Oxford comma.
Birthplace
Foxborough, Massachusetts
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Beta Gamma Sigma
Education
B.A., English, UNCG; M.A., English, UNCG; MBA, UNCG
Location
North Carolina
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Faith, Business, Leadership and Management, Military, Politics




Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.

Conversation