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Progressive Evangelical Christianity and the Left, and Right
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- Dissident Heart
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Progressive Evangelical Christianity and the Left, and Right
I'm excited to see that Jim Wallis of Sojourners magazine has been able to get this editorial published in the New York Times. Wallis is the author of the recently published God's Politics: How the Right is Wrong, and the Left doesn't Get It.. Wallis is also a long time comrade and fellow traveller of Rabbi Michael Lerner and the Tikkun community. Wallis offers a Progressive Evangelical Christian witness- one that finds its roots in the Prophetic challenge to power and wealth, moral renewal, and the Christian hope in resurrected life in the midst of tragedy and terror. Quote:To be specific, I offer five areas in which the Democrats should change their message and then their messaging. First, somebody must lead on the issue of poverty, and right now neither party is doing so. The Democrats assume the poverty issue belongs to them, but with the exception of John Edwards in his 2004 campaign, they haven't mustered the gumption to oppose a government that habitually favors the wealthy over everyone else. Democrats need new policies to offer the 36 million Americans, including 13 million children, who live below the poverty line, as well as the 9.8 million families one recent study identified as "working hard but falling short." In fact, the Democrats should draw a line in the sand when it comes to wartime tax cuts for the wealthy, rising deficits, and the slashing of programs for low-income families and children. They need proposals that combine to create a "living family income" for wage-earners, as well as a platform of "fair trade," as opposed to just free trade, in the global economy. Such proposals would cause a break with many of the Democrats' powerful corporate sponsors, but they would open the way for a truly progressive economic agenda. Many Americans, including religious voters who see poverty as a compelling issue of conscience, desire such a platform. Similarly, a growing number of American Christians speak of the environment as a religious concern - one of stewardship of God's creation. The National Association of Evangelicals recently called global warming a faith issue. But Republicans consistently choose oil and gas interests over a cleaner world. The Democrats need to call for the reversal of these priorities. They must insist that private interests should never obstruct our country's path to a cleaner and more efficient energy future, let alone hold our foreign policy hostage to the dictates of repressive regimes in the Middle East. On the issues that Republicans have turned into election-winning "wedges," Democrats will win back "values voters" only with fresh ideas. Abortion is one such case. Democrats need to think past catchphrases, like "a woman's right to choose," or the alternative, "safe, legal and rare." More than 1 million abortions are performed every year in this country. The Democrats should set forth proposals that aim to reduce that number by at least half. Such a campaign could emphasize adoption reform, health care, and child care; combating teenage pregnancy and sexual abuse; improving poor and working women's incomes; and supporting reasonable restrictions on abortion, like parental notification for minors (with necessary legal protections against parental abuse). Such a program could help create some much-needed common ground. As for "family values," the Democrats can become the truly pro-family party by supporting parents in doing the most important and difficult job in America: raising children. They need to adopt serious pro-family policies, including some that defend children against Hollywood sleaze and Internet pornography. That's an issue that has come to be identified with the religious right. But when I say in public lectures that being a parent is now a countercultural activity, I've found that liberal and conservative parents agree. Rather than fighting over gay marriage, the Democrats must show that it is indeed possible to be "pro-family" and in favor of gay civil rights at the same time. Finally, on national security, Democrats should argue that the safety of the United States depends on the credibility of its international leadership. We can secure that credibility in Iraq only when we renounce any claim to oil or future military bases - something Democrats should advocate as the first step toward bringing other countries to our side. While Republicans have argued that international institutions are too weak to be relied upon in the age of terrorism, Democrats should suggest reforming them, creating a real International Criminal Court with an enforcement body, for example, as well as an international force capable of intervening in places like Darfur. Stronger American leadership in reducing global poverty would also go a long way toward improving the country's image around the world. Until Democrats are willing to be honest about the need for new social policy and compelling political vision, they will never get the message right. Find the vision first, and the language will follow.
- Chris OConnor
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Re: Progressive Evangelical Christianity and the Left, and R
This is spam Dissident. Please create threads for discussions.Chris
- Dissident Heart
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Re: Progressive Evangelical Christianity and the Left, and R
Chris,This isn't spam. It's sharing a piece of an editorial from the New York Times, one that I thought could be easily linked to, but discovered was unavailable unless registered to the NYT web site.Thus, I collected the last summarized points from Wallis' article for those unable to access the NYT site.I'd love to discuss these points with anyone.
Re: Progressive Evangelical Christianity and the Left, and R
Chris, I have to say this doesn't taste like Spam to me. Lots of people post references to things of interest they find. I remember once posting a link to an NYT article and Mr. P. cut and pasted the whole article into the thread because of the access issue that Dissident refers to.I think if someone frequently posts extracts from the same external source, or the same type of external source, then it gets annoyingly Spammish. But occasional quotes on different subjects from various sources seem to me to be totally acceptable.
Re: Progressive Evangelical Christianity and the Left, and R
P.S. The Wallis piece really is very much on target.
- Dissident Heart
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Re: Progressive Evangelical Christianity and the Left, and R
KH: The Wallis piece was really right on target.One thing I find right on target is Wallis' demand for a more progressive economic policy, one that starts by connecting poverty to an issue of moral conscience: and saying that it is immoral to have so many impoverished familes, communities in this nation (or anywhere). This is a radical challenge to those who say "Hey, poverty sucks, but we can't escape it...our economic prosperity requires that some do without...and, hey, if they were only smarter and worked harder, they wouldn't be impoverished anyway" Wallis demands we abandon such economic nihilism and embrace an agapic economy that will not accept that many go hungry while a few enjoy obscene opulence.I happen to feel Wallis doesn't go far enough here, and is not really willing to embrace the kind of prophetic radicality that finds its roots in an exodus revolution, jubillee redistribution, and individual ressurection: simply moving towards a more progressive capitalism is not the answer, but only delays the inevitable; i.e., severe ecological and social disintegration.What is required is a profound revaluation of every component of our economic life: production, consumption, allocation, renumeration for effort, and those supporting values that hold such a system in place: this is the kind of "Reign of God" analysis and implementation we find in the Gospels, and articulated by the Prophets. Wallis is right to highlight the current crises facing familes and the ecosystem as progressive issues that those of us who live within Faith communities can and should embrace. The corporate capitalist nihilistic economic system is no supporter of families or ecosystems, and those who abide by a covenant with the Creator of life must agree to be stewards to its fragile fecundity: be it human, animal, vegetal, or mineral. It is a profound disconnect from the love of God and Creation to get to the commidification of everything and everyone.
- Mr. P
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Re: Progressive Evangelical Christianity and the Left, and R
Dissident:Much of your last post reminds me of two books I am thinking of reading soon...they sound like doomsday books, but they are kinda the opposite. While they acknowledge pending doom, they are meant to offer some hope."Dark Age Ahead" by Jane Jacobs and "The Coming Anarchy" by Robert Kaplan.I agree with you on you take on poverty and how we deal with it. It is ignorance that says that 'it is what it is and is necessary to be what is is and as such should remain'.We are headed for troubled times. Will the world fall apart for humans? Probably not, but I see hardships increasing in severity.I will part with you in that the concern should not only be in the Faith Communities...but in all communities. We have to learn how to live together and work together, ignoring the minor details that shape our emotional responses.Mr. P. The one thing of which I am positive is that there is much of which to be negative - Mr. P.The pain in hell has two sides. The kind you can touch with your hand; the kind you can feel in your heart...Scorsese's "Mean Streets"I came to kick ass and chew Bubble Gum...and I am all out of Bubble Gum - They Live, Roddy Piper
- Dissident Heart
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Re: Progressive Evangelical Christianity and the Left, and R
Mr. P.,I'm interested in how Mr. Kaplan describes anarchism in his book, "The Coming Anarchy"...my suspicion is he colors it in hostile terms, or at least highlights the chaotic and uncontrollable elements within it. I would like to suggest that anyone seeking a coherent, constructive, and intelligent look at anarchy and anarchism, should read the latest Chomsky book Chomsky on Anarchism.Mr. P: I will part with you in that the concern should not only be in the Faith Communities...but in all communities.There is no parting here, as I see it, I would gladly walk shoulder to shoulder, side by side in solidarity with anyone working to embody the kind of activism needed to counter the tide of reactionary, fundamentalist, corporate tyranny, and militarist terrorism that threatens our common survival.
- Mr. P
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Re: Progressive Evangelical Christianity and the Left, and R
Thanks for the reference Dissident...I will post my thoughts on the book when it arrives at my library (I ordered it from another library).I will look into Chomsky as well, when I get the chance.Quote:There is no parting here, as I see it,So much the better then! This is the kind of 'rising above petty differences' I would like to see from everyone.Mr. P. The one thing of which I am positive is that there is much of which to be negative - Mr. P.The pain in hell has two sides. The kind you can touch with your hand; the kind you can feel in your heart...Scorsese's "Mean Streets"I came to kick ass and chew Bubble Gum...and I am all out of Bubble Gum - They Live, Roddy Piper