Nonetheless the charge stuck as a largely liberal-driven media ran the story around the world. The president was, once again, in hot water if not a minor tsunami of his own.

As the depth of the disaster became known the president pledged ten times that amount, offering not only US tax payer money but military aid with an aircraft carrier, helicopters, dispersing his Secretary of State Colin Powell and his own brother Jeb Bush to assess the damage and report back. By sending these two men he wanted to assure the devastated region of American support.

Not content with government support, the president then stepped up to the plate and sent two men - his father (a Republican president) and Bill Clinton (a Democratic president) to head a fund-raising relief effort among American corporations and individuals to raise even more money for those devastated by the Tsunami. Of course Bush could have also roped in born-again president Jimmy Carter, but one suspects that his age might have mitigated against that choice.

One can rightly point to the evangelical sitting president with a serious case of altruism. To date less than 40 Americans have known to perish in South East Asia though another 4,000 are unaccounted for. Clearly we are not doing it for us, we are doing it for them, that is, the tens of thousands of Asians, most of whom are not Christians, do not seriously help our economy, do not provide oil for our cars and from whom we will get little or nothing in return.

If one wanted a good biblical description for what 70 to 80 million evangelical Americans are doing it would be the story of the Good Samaritan who bound up a man's wounds, took him to a safe place and promised more if it was needed. That's America. And when it is all over it may turn out to be the single biggest relief effort in the history of the world, dwarfing the victims' families of 911.

And for the most part it is being done because a single solitary Galilean carpenter's son who said the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him because he had been anointed to bring Good News to the poor; proclaim freedom for prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, release for the oppressed, and who, at the end had nowhere to lay his head, said we should.

It was also the same Son of Man who said, "when I was in prison did you visit me, when I was hungry did you feed me…and now 2,000 years later a nation of men and women who mostly call themselves evangelical or born again Christians and driven by this same God/man are rising up and shelling out millions of dollars, sending hundreds of helpers to far off shores, praying in churches and blessing people who they will never see, never hear thank yous because Jesus said give and don't count the cost, give and don’t ask for any reward, leave that to your heavenly Father.

Let us look at the facts.

Of the top ten nations contributing to the Southeast Asian relief, eight of them are deeply rooted in the Christian Faith, even if somewhat time worn by postmodernism: The United States, (largely Protestant) France, (largely Roman Catholic) Britain, (Protestant - Anglican), Sweden, (Evangelical - Lutheran) Canada, (mixed Protestant and Catholic) Denmark, (Evangelical - Lutheran), Australia (Catholic and Protestant) and the Netherlands (Dutch Reformed - Protestant).

The other two top nations are Japan and China. While Japan is 98 percent Shinto/Buddhist it has been deeply affected since the end of World War II by the American Protestant work ethic and as a result it has built itself an economic machine second only to the US and they are the top percentage of 2004 G.D.P. with more than $500 million pledged to the survivors of tsunami. If the Emperor Hirohito was still running Japan, Americans would not be driving Hondas, Toyotas or Acuras and boosting the Japanese economy so they could give to tsunami survivors.

China, still officially communist, is moving towards free market capitalism and is the seventh largest giver. Their move towards capitalism is also inspired by the U.S. which itself is driven by the Enlightenment and Protestant Christianity.

What is decidedly missing in this list is any country with roots in Islam, Hinduism or driven by Buddhist teaching, Humanism, Affirming Catholicism or Spong's Gnostic religion. They give nothing because they have no basis to give. Islamic and Hindu fatalism is hardly an engine that drives love of neighbor. Karma and Dharma might make a good television mini series but don’t bank on those twin philosophies offering a cup of cold water to anybody in anybody's name.

Affirming Catholic archbishop Dr. Rowan Williams expressed his doubts about God's existence following the events of December 26 because he doesn't have a theology deep enough to cover horrendous evil, so who the blazes would want to give a red cent to a God doubter and his Affirming Catholic organization? It is his organization and US Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold who runs its American branch office that bashes "biblical fundamentalism", men and women who are, in truth, Evangelicals, who are keeping the Anglican Communion afloat and paying his bills…and paying for the tsunami clean-up!

Even liberal Protestant giving is a fraction of what evangelicals in America give. Why? Because they believe in giving other people's money, usually the American tax payers through pressure on the government and ballot box. But liberal Protestantism's slow 40-year sell out to the social gospel is bringing about its own demise even in the area of charitable giving because it is no longer driven by Jesus, but sociology, bad economics and a lifeless faith that appeals to a geriatric generation who are dying, many of whom lost their faith a long time ago.

Dispensationalism, with its weird End Times theology - a form of fundamentalist Christianity that believes the world is going to Hell in a hand basket and therefore any effort to save it would result in delaying the Second Coming, should also be discounted.

Even American Catholicism has been deeply affected by American Protestantism and its attendant work ethic with Catholic Charities now one of the biggest organizations collecting money for those surviving the tsunami. Would medieval Catholicism be so socially responsible? Give Martin Luther credit for starting the modern family, thriftiness and a work ethic that is making possible the enormous output of relief today.

So we must ask the question if the Christian Faith is what is driving this engine of relief, what sort of Christianity is it?

Of the top 43 non-profit agencies in the U.S. that have signed up to receive funds for the relief effort, the majority are driven by evangelical faith and fervor not only for gospel proclamation but doing good "unto the least of these."

World Vision International and the Salvation Army are among the biggest. Both organizations are running billion dollar budgets. Add to them evangelically driven organizations like World Concern, Project HOPE, Mercy Corp, Lutheran World Relief, Food for the Hungry, Relief International, World Concern, Baptist World Aid, Barnabas Ministries, Brothers Brother, Christian Children's Fund, a variety of medical sending agencies and many more, and you have your answer.

And one should not overlook the fact that President's Bush's two presidential emissaries sent off to round up personal monies for the relief aid are his own father, an evangelical Episcopalian who has been deeply influenced by Billy Graham, and Bill Clinton a morally-flawed Southern Baptist whose social action buttons are constantly being pushed by his personal chaplain, the evangelical activist Dr. Tony Campolo.

On the other hand Jewish relief is so small it is hardly worth mentioning, while Qatar and Saudi Arabia, two rich Islamic nations have given a measly $10 million. Even the Episcopal Church, now in decline, offers a pittance of its vast wealth through Episcopal Relief and Development. The newly formed Anglican Relief and Development Fund and Geneva Global, a recent startup funnel for their funds is in the process of raising millions to help evangelically driven Anglican archbishops and bishops in Southeast Asia. They will not stop till the task is done.

So the bottom line is this. A post-modernist society, secular humanism and liberal do-goodism has little or nothing to offer or compare to the mighty output of ordinary men and women driven by Jesus Christ who daily pray for those less fortunate than themselves, and with their Bibles in one hand and check books in the other, demonstrate a love which knows no end and asks nothing in return.

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