Grok imagines Jimmy Kimmel delivering his famous Sermon on the Mount.
A Critical Analysis of Celebrity
Moral Posturing and Scriptural Distortion
In a recent podcast appearance, late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel once again appointed himself as Christianity’s moral arbiter, questioning how anyone supporting immigration enforcement could “go to church on Sunday.” This breathtaking display of theological ignorance deserves thorough examination, not merely for its factual deficiencies, but for what it reveals about the secular elite’s attempt to weaponize Christianity while fundamentally misunderstanding it.
Newsbusters: Kimmel Wonders How Deportation Supporters Can Go To Church
ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel may have the week off on TV, but that didn’t stop him from repeating one of his favorite lines about supporters of President Trump’s agenda being bad Christians and wondering how they can go to church.
Actor and host Ted Danson gushed over his guest, “And then the courage you have to take on things that are just wrong and people, some of us, you know, are trying to look the other way. And you look directly at it, and you go after it, whether it’s this administration or what. And that courage is really admirable. I really admire you.”
Kimmel thanked Danson for the sentiment while adding, “It especially bothers me, you know, being brought up Catholic in a very positive Catholic environment that Christianity is — has been co-opted and perverted in such a way, and that I find especially upsetting, and that I think about what Jesus would think of this stuff, you know, and I mean, seems pretty plain that he wouldn’t think it’s great that he wouldn’t approve of nannies being yanked out of the park and thrust into a van to be returned to their home countries because their paperwork is not in order.”
Kimmel returned to the idea that supporting immigration enforcement makes you a bad Christian, “I know a lot of people who came to this country illegally, if you want to call it that, and who are great people and who not only are they not a drain on our society, they’re contributing a great deal to our society. Even if you look at this issue selfishly, which I think a lot of people do, you know, even if you look at it selfishly, it does not make sense to kick these people out. Besides the fact that it’s just, like, how can you go to church on Sunday and think this is okay to do to these families, to do to these people, and to be so cold about it.”
The Audacity of Selective Scripture
Kimmel’s central argument rests on a staggering logical fallacy: that supporting the rule of law is incompatible with Christian faith. He invokes Jesus Christ to defend illegal immigration, asking what Jesus would think about “nannies being yanked out of the park” for paperwork violations. Yet Kimmel conveniently ignores that the same Jesus he claims to channel explicitly instructed, “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s” (Matthew 22:21), establishing the legitimacy of governmental authority and law.
The Bible consistently upholds the concept of national sovereignty and lawful order. Romans 13:1-7 couldn’t be clearer: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” This isn’t a minor footnote—it’s foundational Christian teaching about civic responsibility and the God-ordained role of government in maintaining order and justice.
The False Equivalence Gambit
Perhaps most revealing is Kimmel’s comparison between illegal immigration and same-sex marriage, using Ellen DeGeneres as his bridge between the two issues. This analogy exposes the entire charade. Kimmel isn’t arguing from Christian principles at all—he’s attempting to pressure Christians into abandoning biblical teaching by painting adherence to Scripture as mere prejudice that can be overcome through familiarity.
This is theological manipulation dressed as compassion. The Bible’s teaching on sexuality is clear and consistent throughout both the Old and New Testaments. From Genesis’s establishment of marriage as between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24), through Leviticus and the repeated prohibitions in both testaments, to Jesus’s own affirmation of the Genesis model (Matthew 19:4-6), to Paul’s letters addressing sexual morality (Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11), Scripture maintains a unified position across cultures, covenants, and millennia. This isn’t obscure theology or cultural artifact—it’s foundational biblical anthropology that no honest reader can dismiss as ambiguous.
By equating immigration law enforcement with opposition to same-sex marriage, Kimmel reveals his actual goal: not defending Christianity, but deconstructing it to align with progressive ideology. He wants Christians to abandon biblical authority on all issues where it conflicts with contemporary secular values.
Compassion Without Borders—Or Boundaries?
Kimmel wraps his argument in the language of compassion, describing deportations as “heartless” and “cruel.” But this emotional appeal deliberately confuses Christian charity with the abolition of national sovereignty. The Bible is replete with instructions to care for “the stranger” and “the sojourner,” but these commands exist within the framework of recognized communities with boundaries and laws.
Ancient Israel—the very context of these biblical commands—maintained strict borders, required foreigners to respect Hebrew law, and had clear processes for those seeking to dwell among God’s people. The book of Exodus details extensive laws governing how foreigners should be treated, but nowhere does Scripture suggest that nations have no right to control their borders or that breaking immigration law is a victimless act.
The Hollywood Bubble Hypocrisy
Kimmel claims that opposition to illegal immigration comes from “places that don’t have a lot of them.” This statement would be laughable if it weren’t so insulting to border communities that have borne the brunt of failed immigration policy for decades. El Paso, McAllen, Laredo—these aren’t abstract talking points. They’re real communities dealing with real consequences.
Meanwhile, Kimmel pontificates from his Los Angeles perch, surrounded by gates, security, and the infrastructure that allows wealthy celebrities to enjoy the benefits of cheap labor while remaining insulated from any negative consequences. His world is one where illegal immigrants are exclusively nannies and gardeners—pleasant people who “contribute to society.” He doesn’t see the human trafficking, the drug cartels, the strain on public resources, or the American workers whose wages are suppressed by illegal labor competition.
Caesar’s Law, God’s Order
The Christian position on immigration isn’t complicated when approached honestly. Christians are called to:
- Love and show compassion to all people, regardless of immigration status
- Respect governmental authority and the rule of law as instituted by God
- Advocate for just and humane immigration policies through proper civic channels
- Assist those in genuine need through personal charity and church ministry
These principles are not contradictory. A Christian can simultaneously help an undocumented immigrant in their community while believing that nation-states have the right—and duty—to enforce their borders. A Christian can show Christ’s love to someone facing deportation while recognizing that consequences for breaking the law are just and necessary.
What Christians cannot do is what Kimmel demands: subordinate biblical teaching and the rule of law to feelings-based moral reasoning that changes with cultural winds.
The Real Perversion of Christianity
Kimmel complains that “Christianity has been co-opted and perverted.” He’s right, but not in the way he thinks. The perversion isn’t coming from Christians who believe nations have the right to enforce their laws. It’s coming from those who would remake Christianity into a vague philosophy of radical egalitarianism that has no room for justice, authority, or biblical fidelity.
This celebrity Christianity strips the faith of its transcendent claims, moral boundaries, and scriptural foundations. It’s a Christianity where Jesus becomes a social justice warrior who validates whatever progressive cause is trending. It’s a faith defined not by what God has revealed in Scripture, but by what makes secular elites feel morally superior.
The Questions Kimmel Won’t Answer
If Kimmel truly believes that supporting immigration enforcement disqualifies someone from church attendance, perhaps he should answer a few questions:
- Should churches abolish membership rolls, since distinguishing between members and non-members creates “borders”?
- Should Christian families leave their doors unlocked and allow anyone to enter and live in their homes?
- Should Kimmel himself remove the gates from his property and invite any stranger to move in?
- Does the Bible’s instruction to “obey governing authorities” mean nothing when those authorities enforce laws Kimmel dislikes?
The silence on these questions is deafening because they expose the fundamental incoherence of his position.
Conclusion: When Comedians Play Theologian
Jimmy Kimmel has every right to his political opinions. What he doesn’t have is the authority to redefine Christianity to suit those opinions. When a Hollywood comedian who openly rejects biblical teaching on sexuality, life, and marriage suddenly discovers deep theological concerns about immigration policy, the transparent hypocrisy should be obvious.
Christians don’t need Jimmy Kimmel’s permission to attend church. They don’t need his interpretation of Scripture. And they certainly don’t need lectures on compassion from someone whose only contact with illegal immigrants involves hiring them at below-market wages to maintain his mansion.
The real question isn’t “How can Christians support immigration enforcement?” The real question is: “How can Christians take seriously the theological pronouncements of someone who demonstrably doesn’t believe the Bible in the first place?”
The answer should be clear. We can listen respectfully to Kimmel’s political views. But when he presumes to define authentic Christianity while simultaneously rejecting its fundamental teachings, he forfeits all credibility as a moral authority.
Christians will continue going to church on Sunday—not because Jimmy Kimmel grants permission, but because they’re called by a higher authority than Hollywood’s late-night prophets. And they’ll continue believing that God’s Word, not celebrity opinion, is the final arbiter of truth.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” — Romans 12:2