Pastors are crashing out after a recent social experiment exposed their churches as unwilling to help a young mother in need of baby formula.
Featured VideoNikalie Monroe says she only had around 300 followers when she embarked on a social experiment that has left churches across the United States up in arms. Her idea was simple: call a church, tell them she’s a struggling mother who ran out of baby formula, and ask if they could help.
It’s not uncommon for American Christian conservatives to suggest we don’t need social welfare programs because churches will step up and help those in need. In the midst of a lengthy government shutdown that left tens of millions of Americans unsure when they would next receive SNAP benefits, this seemed like the perfect time to test that theory.
Turns out, the churches overwhelmingly weren’t so willing to help.
AdvertisementMonroe ultimately called over 40 religious establishments, but only nine offered any assistance, including a Buddhist temple, an Islamic center, several Catholic churches, and a historically Black church.
Among those who failed to come through were Joel Osteen’s Houston megachurch, Charlie Kirk’s church, and a Mormon church, along with plenty of other southern Christian churches.
AdvertisementThe social experiment was cut off when Monroe’s videos went wildly viral and churches became aware of—and often upset about—what she was doing.
Several pastors whose churches turned her down even preached against her in their Sunday sermon, with one going so far as to say she committed a “dirty deed” and has the “spirit of a witch” in between bragging about how they’ve helped others in the past.
@cait_apologist Pastor Raymond W. Johnson from Christian Center Baton Rouge LA that would not help feed a hungry baby in response to @Nikalie 🌈 #fyp #viral #trending #nikaliemonroe #hungrybabytest ♬ original sound – cait_apologist
Churches reaping what they sow
In the wake of her video series going viral, Monroe has admitted on several occasions that she’s struggled with the response and feels bad for the embarrassment the churches that declined to help have faced.
AdvertisementShe’s also expressed a hope that people will focus on the establishments that immediately jumped to offer assistance—and in a lot of ways, that has been the case.
Those organizations have apparently been reporting an increase in donations. One church in particular reported receiving over $75,000 since saying yes to Monroe, leaving their pastor in tears in yet another viral video.
People call out the hypocrisy
The way so many Christian churches have meddled in politics in the Trump era has already left people frustrated. To see them decline to help someone they believe to be in need in the midst of a Republican-led government shutdown, in a time where abortion rights have been cut left and right, just feels like the rotted cherry on top of a long-festering mess.
AdvertisementWhether people are delighting in the pastors of these churches getting angry at being exposed or just shaking their heads at the hypocrisy at play here, one thing remains fairly consistent—people aren’t surprised at the results of this experiment.
“Christian churches talking about there’s a war on Christianity in response to the baby formula social experiment lady.”
Advertisement“all these Christians are soooo mad that they’re being exposed for being unlike Christ this is why them church pews emptier and emptier”
“I hope all the people watching those videos of churches denying a mom a can of formula for a hungry baby keep that in mind when they tell a homeless person to just “reach out to a church and ask for help.””
Advertisement“My thing with the lady on TikTok calling the churches asking for baby formula is…. Lots of them are saying they have nothing for babies. No formula, no diapers, no baby clothes, nothing and aren’t willing to even buy the stuff to help her……… But yall anti abortion???????????”
“Not only that, but the Islamic Center she called didn’t even hesitate and asked her right away which brand she needs and where they can send it. What I like about her series is you can tell who has humanity and who treats religion like it’s a business.”
“That TikTok lady calling all those churches asking for baby formula and recording them telling her to go f**k herself destroyed pretty much every argument for American conservatism,” wrote @caitoz.
AdvertisementSome people are responding to Monroe’s TikToks by claiming the entire experiment is irrelevant because she was “lying” by claiming to have a baby in the first place.
Besides the fact that that position completely fails to grasp the concept of a social experiment, one comment on one of her recent videos sticks out:
“I tried my local church. For a real baby,” writes @altruistic_spiritist. “She just came home yesterday. And was straight up denied. And we actually need formula. I even posted a video. I was so sure they’d said yes. Bc I’ve served and tithed there. Was told no. I was shocked. And hurt.”
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