So, I grew up in the kind of poverty where the free lunch at school was sometimes the only meal I’d get each day.

My church hated it. They didn’t offer help with food, but they thought that the free lunches was keeping people from being desperate enough to fall for their shenanigans. Me passing out in Monday’s first period from hunger was a good thing, because they say suffering brings you closer to god. Fasting was a good thing, if you’re hungry enough you develop a sort of lightheaded swimmy euphoria that was said to be the holy spirit filling you with god’s love.

It’s why they were against all forms of safety net, it was seen as a sign of disbelief in god’s ability to provide. If god wants you to die homeless on the street, who are we to argue with him?