The Ultimate Contradiction-in-Terms: Right-wing Christianity

by: Mike Lux

Mon Mar 15, 2010 at 13:30

Glenn Beck and Jim Wallis got into this debate over the last few days, and because Jim actually knows something about the Bible, he easily won the debate. Beck's classic conspiracy-minded starting point- that because both Nazis and Communists have used the phrase "social justice", that any religion that uses the term must be bad too- has a similar logic to saying that if a really bad teacher said two plus two equals four, because he or she was a bad teacher it must be false. Or saying that if a politician you don't like says "God Bless America", then any politician who says that is terrible. But leaving aside Beck's incredibly stupid logic, the point he makes about "social justice" is in keeping with conservative ideology: it is all about a self-focused view of religion and politics that, like Beck's ideological hero Ayn Rand, proclaims selfishness as the ultimate virtue.

Conservative Christians manage to ignore the literally many hundreds of Biblical quotes about social justice by making Christianity a religion solely focused on one very selfish goal: whether they get into heaven or not. That's it, that is the entire goal and purpose and meaning of their faith. And because St. Paul argued that faith is more important than "works" (what you do good in the world), they think that believing a certain doctrine is the only thing that matters in terms of whether you make it into heaven or not. Since everything is about getting themselves to heaven, and the Earth will be destroyed soon in Armageddon anyway, nothing that happens here matters very much. The one thing that matters to their God is having more people worship Him, so they try to convert people, but all that other stuff Jesus and the Old Testament prophets and Moses and James and all those other folks in the Bible talked about in terms of kindness, mercy, forgiving debts, being your brother's keeper, helping the poor, and all that other liberal socialistic stuff just isn't much of a priority to them compared to: me getting to heaven, and (second most important) converting others to my God. These so-called "Christian" conservatives live in a state of paranoia that somewhere, somehow some dollar of their taxes might go to some undeserving poor person, ignoring the fact that Jesus' entire ministry was targeted to the "undeserving" poor.

Not all Christians think this way, of course. There is another kind of thinking about the Christian faith: one that actually takes what's written in the Bible (beyond the Book of Revelations) seriously. The Jewish Torah (for Christians, that's their Old Testament) and the Christian New Testament have a wide variety of ideas and voices in their pages. Written by scores of authors over a span of probably a couple thousand years, one of the things I love about the Bible is the wide range of beliefs and perspectives within it. A lot of fundamentalists are desperate to find ways to explain away the contradictions in the Bible, because they believe every word is inspired by God and it's all literally true, but in fact the authors of the Bible disagree on both the details of what actually happened and the interpretation and philosophy behind the events they write about. If you take the Bible seriously, you see the debates and differing perspectives. Some Biblical writers were more conservative in their thinking, and some were more progressive. But the most consistent and enduring theme that runs through virtually every book in the Bible is that we are expected to love and be kind to our neighbors, especially the poor, hurting, and oppressed of the earth.

From the God of Genesis punishing Cain for not being his brother's keeper to Nathan the prophet rebuking King David for taking from the poor; from the Psalms that over and over proclaim the need to help the poor, and condemn those who judges, government officials, and wealthy people who mistreat them, from the prophets like Isaiah and Amos who  deride those who engage in ritual sacrifice while refusing to help the oppressed (Isaiah I: "Cease to do evil. Learn to do good, search for justice, help the oppressed, be just to the orphan, plead for the widow.") to Jesus very first sermon proclaiming that he had come to "bring good news to the poor" and "liberty to the captives"- virtually every book of the Bible demands justice and mercy and community.

People who take the Bible seriously and respect its words, as opposed to being obsessed with whether they personally will get into heaven by following a certain kind of dogma, understand that community and compassion are in fact far more central to it than any specific metaphysical belief system. And that is what the Pat Robertsons, Glenn Becks, Sarah Palins, and the other false prophets of conservatism don't understand.

Live Blogging the ACORN National Convention

by: Jeffrey Buchanan

Sun Jun 22, 2008 at 09:07

This is why ACORN continues to be such an important movement for grassroots democracy and social change.  

9:00am:  Well I'm here again at the ACORN Convention for Day Two of the ACORN National Convention.  We're welcomed by Detroit City Councilman Cockrell urging strangely for those in attendance to hit the casinos in Detroit...  

---DAY TWO---

12:00pm: Rep. John Conyers, see the video here: here.

11:28 am:  Congressman Maxine Waters comes on the stage.

"Whenever we get together with ACORN, Maude Hurd (ACORN National President) and I reminisce about the time they put her in jail in DC and we laugh it was raining hard in Washington and I went to try and get them out of jail, because they had  been in our committee room raising hell!  That's what ACORN is supposed to do," said Chairwoman Waters.

Referencing the theme for the conference"Building Dreams Across America" Rep. Waters said, "A lot of folks expect you to walk away and not have those dreams" but we need to all wakeup and believe we can make the dreams happen.

"This organization [ACORN] doesn't just talk about doing things, they actually do things."

"Too often when it comes to taking people to the street, people come to Washington and can talk the talk but can't walk the walk."

Waters thanked ACORN members for helping to move progressive movement to reach goals like extending unemployment benefits in a veto proof majority.  "I don't think [the President] is fool enough to veto it. I dare him to veto it."

11:10 am: Olivia Dorsey from Philadelphia has been a member for ten years and watched ACORN grow to fight for economics justice.

"We don't let anyone rip up our community and we demand fair play."

She discussed recent actions against Jackson Hewitt, and H&R; Block to stop the rip off rapid payment and to stop the worse tax preparation."  Set up free community tax sites, delivered $44 million back to our communities.

"People who work hard deserve fair pay, and deserve pay sick days."  ACORN is currently leading in state fights for paid sick days and living wage campaigns around the country.

Also they have been on the frontlines of the payday loan fight.

"The people united will never be defeated."

10:30 am,:  Reverend Jim Wallis, author of the "Great Awakening", introduced.

"We have seen 40 years in the wilderness since 1968, its time to come out of the wildernesss."

Rev. Wallis, related a story on his recent book tour and a caller called in to say, "we need some good news" and the Rev. Wallis had some good news for the crowd, "the hold on politics of the religious right on faith and politics is over."

Not to say there is anything wrong with religious leaders but he went on to say you can't say God is on one side or another because "God is not Republican or Democrat" and religious people should stay an independent swing vote to make sure issues of justice are addressed by both parties.  According to the Rev. Wallis, we need a movement with a spiritual grounding, like the civil rights movement, harking back to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's last campaign in Memphis, and the passing for Robert Kennedy and the Poor People's Campaign 40 years ago.  

The number of people in poverty is unchanged in 40 years.  Working mothers have to take on multiple jobs, foreclosures, food crisis, education, 9 million have one or two jobs and still raise children in poverty, these are big mountains according the Rev. Wallis.

But the Rev. Wallis says, "The bible says if you have faith the size of a mustard seed what can we move?"

In his latest book (just finished it personally, recommended reading), Rev. Wallis outlines the biblical roots of the call to fight poverty and inequality at home and abroad and the growing movement within the mainline protestant churches, the Catholic Church and a new generation of evangelicals moving to fighting for social justice in the midst of immense challenges like Hurricane Katrina and genocide in Darfur.

According to church historians says Rev. Wallis, unless your spirituality changes something tin society it can't be called "revival" citing as an example William Wilberforce who put forth his bill nine times for at the time what was a radical idea, to end slavery in England.

"Hope means believing in spite of the evidence and watching the evidence change," said Rev. Wallis.

Breaking into electoral politics, Rev. Wallis said no matter who you support, there needs to be a strong outside force pushing the next administration for justice.

"Imagine if Robert F. Kennedy was president and Martin and Malcom were there pressing from the outside."

You can't change the politicians, you need to change the direction, and ACORN is an organization that can change the direction of the country by pressing from the outside and I have no doubt ACORN will be making their voices heard regardless of who occupies 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

9:25 am:  Maude Hurd, president of ACORN, welcomesthe crowd  "We need a government that will protect the common good."  She highlighted ACORN's platform on health care, foreclosures, living wages and the other common challenges now hitting low income communities and working families hard across this country.
"I ask anyone here, how many more cities will have to be destroyed before we find a Government that will be prepared and Act.  Three years after Katrina and the only thing that will help New Orleans is a regime change.  Its time for a regime change now."

"Once there was a place we could go to to do this all at once, it was called Congress.  Now its just us, ACORN and our allies fighting for justice, its time for a regime change."

In communities across the country with ACORN affiliates, people know about the organization, in their red shirts they've been known to descend on city council meetings, the steps of state capitals, the headquarters of predatory lenders making the voice of working families known.  

"Mark my words, we have big shoulders, we may not win all the battles, but they have to beat us first and they are going to have to whip us good, we're going to fight them until we win, living wages, our houses, urban renewal, stopping predatory lending, voting rights, ..we are on the move.. let's get to work!"

8:15 amI'm here in Detroit as 2,000 members of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now parade into the Grand Ballroom of COBO Center amidst chants of "We're fired up and we ain't taking it no more" or "We are the ACORN, the mighty mighty ACORN".  

ACORN is made up of 300,000+ member families made up of low and middle income residents organized in communities across the country fighting home foreclosures, organizing to rebuild the Gulf Coast, taking on living wage campaigns and working to bring about national healthcare and end poverty.  The theme for the Conference is "Building Dreams Across America" and setting an agenda for restoring the American Dream.

ACORN members can be viewed as the ground troops on the frontlines of the most pressing domestic issues in this country, driving locally and nationally for the type of just government all Americans deserve.  hey do this not only by organizing their neighbors on pressing issues and taking direct action but by running one of the largest and most effective voter registration programs this country has ever seen. Check out this video to find out more http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLCSnbN1lRI

Speakers at the event include Senator John Edwards; U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, (D-Calif.); Rev. Jim Wallis of Sojourners; U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks-Kilpatrick, (D-Mich.) and many others.
 

Detroit Calling: ACORN National Convention, Fighting for Working Families

by: Jeffrey Buchanan

Fri Jun 20, 2008 at 10:44

According to his latest Wall Street Journal article, its the group Karl Rove fears most this election cycle.

The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (http://www.acorn.org) is holding their annual convention in Detroit and is inviting all bloggers to join them at Cobo Arena Jun 22nd-23rd. Check out the email below:

   Dear Blogger:

   The ACORN 2008 National Convention is fast approaching and we are inviting bloggers to join us for two days to deliver the message of 38 years of victories for low and moderate income families. Nearly 2,000 ACORN members will convene in Detroit June 21-23 for the organization's National Convention in Detroit, Michigan.

   This year's convention will focus on stopping foreclosures, ending poverty, winning immigration reform, improving access to healthcare, and rebuilding New Orleans.

   Former U.S. Sen. John Edwards is scheduled to speak Monday, June 23.
   Edwards, ACORN, and other social justice organizations recently launched the "Half in Ten" campaign to cut poverty in the United States by half within 10 years.

   Help commnity activists fighting foreclosures, winning immigration reform, ending poverty and bring healthcare for america now!

   Meet U.S. Senator John Edwards

   And join ACORN members from across the country to rally for giving commnities a voice.

   The ACORN National Convention brings together thousands of ACORN members from across the nation to build support for ACORN campaigns, and discuss issues of concern with our members. Some of the nation's most influential progressive leaders will join us to share their vision for America. Past speakers have included Senator Hillary Clinton, Rev. Al Sharpton, author and activist Barbara Ehrenreich, Rev. Jesse Jackson, actress Roseanne Barr and many more.

   The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now is the nation's largest community organization with offices in more than 100 cities and 400,000 member families. ACORN has a long history of winning campaigns benefiting low and moderate income families nationwide, including higher wages, better schools, more affordable housing, and fair lending practices. To learn more about our work, visit http://www.acorn.org.

   If you are interested in attending, please email [email protected].

We Are Not All On The Same Team

by: Chris Bowers

Fri Nov 16, 2007 at 16:30

So now, if you're a Hillary supporter, you're not a real Democrat?

Fuck that noise. There are passionate, hard-working progressive Democrats who support every single one of our candidates, Hillary included.

And I'm sick of diaries that insinuate to the contrary.

Oh, I know, it's primary season. That's just how things are.

Bullshit. We're adults. Let's act like adults.

We're allies. Let's act like allies.

I don't in any way mean to pick on this diarist from Daily Kos that wrote these words. Also, I would state that of course it is possible to be a real Democrat and support Hillary Clinton, and it is also possible to be a "real" progressive and support Clinton. Instead, what I want to take issue with is the notion that all self-identified Democrats are "allies."

The simple fact is that not all self-identified Democrats, including all Democrats in Congress, are our allies. This was made repeatedly clear to me back in 2006, and I am tired of variations on the circular firing squad line being used to defend criticism of Democrats. For starters, the following five Senators are absolutely not our allies, and should not be considered such:

• Carper (D-DE)
  
• Pryor (D-AR)
  
• Salazar (D-CO)
  
• Nelson (D-NE)
  
• Landrieu (D-LA)

In no uncertain terms, these five Senators made it clear that they are not allies of the Democratic Party. This is because all five of them endorsed a candidate who was running against the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Connecticut in 2006. If they were our allies, if we were all on the same team, then they would have endorsed the Democratic nominee in Connecticut. Period. End of story. Since they did not, it is clear that whatever relationship they have with "us" is one of convenience that will be broken whenever it suits their personal interests. And the ten Senators who failed to endorse one way or the other in the primary general, including President Bill Clinton himself, are not much better:

• Baucus (D-MT)
  
• Bingaman (D-NM)
  
• Conrad (D-ND)
  
• Dorgan (D-ND)
  
• Johnson (D-SD)
  
• Levin (D-MI)
  
• Lincoln (D-AR)
  
• Mikulski (D-MD)
  
• Nelson  (D-FL)
  
• Sabarnes (D-MD)

This is very simple: if you don't endorse some Democratic nominees, you don't get to say that you are on the same team with those endorse all Democratic nominees. People who undertake those different actions are on different teams. Or, more accurately, those who endorse all Democratic nominees are on a team, while those who selectively endorse are on a team of one.

And it doesn't stop there, either. Even before the 2006 election, I was told by some Democrats that I had already lost:

Representative Ellen O. Tauscher of California, a co-chairwoman of the 47-member New Democrat Coalition, said that 27 of the top 40 contested House seats were being pursued by Democrats who have pledged to become members of the group, which says its chief issues are national security and fiscal responsibility.

"I think there's tremendous agreement and awareness that getting the majority and running over the left cliff is what our Republican opponents would dearly love," Ms. Tauscher said, adding that this was something "we've got to fight."

And after the election, I was told the same thing:

In this election, both the Religious Right and the secular Left were defeated, and the voice of the moral center was heard.

Don't tell me that I lost the election, and then try and tell me that we are all on the same team. Don't tell me that people who endorsed Lieberman are on the same team with me. We are not all on the same team. That much has been made clear.

Are most Democrats on the same team? Sure. In fact, I would estimate that about two-thirds of Democrats are on the same team (which is about the percentage of Democrats at both the leadership and rank and file level who supported Lamont by the end). But for the rest, it is simply a marriage of convenience. They will break off and form their own team if and when it becomes more politically convenient for them to do so.

And sure, there are people on the left who aren't on the team either. Many people consider themselves progressives before they consider themselves Democrats, and as such will sometimes endorse non-Democratic third-party candidates. However, what I am arguing here isn't a left-right division, but rather simply pointing out many of us do not consider ourselves to be on the "same team." We operate in a broad coalition, that for many people is an arrangement of convenience. That is fine. That is politics. Unless you live in an ideological one-party state, there is no way to successfully operate outside of a coalition. All I am asking is that before people start decrying the circular firing squad or internal debate, don't use the lame defense that we are all on the same team. We are not all on the same team, we are just all in the same coalition, which are two different things. This is especially the case in a primary, which is essentially a fight to lead the coalition. It is important we all keep that in mind, because I believe it helps put internal debate in a more accurate perspective.