Tag Archives: religion

February 28, 2011 · 7:44 pm

New Budget Campaign Asks ‘What Would Jesus Cut?’ — CNN.com

I don’t agree with Jim Wallis on everything, but he’s doing some great work here….

A coalition of progressive Christian leaders has taken out a full-page ad that asks “What would Jesus cut?” in Monday’s edition of Politico, the opening salvo in what the leaders say will be a broader campaign to prevent cuts for the poor and international aid programs amid the budget battle raging in Washington.

“They’re talking about cutting bed nets for malaria and leaving every piece of military spending untouched,” said the Rev. Jim Wallis, who leads the Christian group Sojourners, referring to Republican spending proposals for the rest of this year.

“Are we saying that every piece of military equipment is more important than bed nets, children’s health and nutrition for low-income families?” said Wallis, whose group paid for Monday’s ad. “If so they should be ashamed of themselves.”

The ad and the broader campaign are aimed mostly at a spending measure passed by the Republican-led House of Representatives that cuts $61 billion from current spending levels, including cuts to Head Start, the Women Infants and Children (WIC) program and international aid programs.

Senate Democrats consider those cuts draconian and won’t pass them.

The faith leaders behind the “What would Jesus cut” campaign are also lobbying the Obama administration to forego proposed cuts to programs like college grants and heating assistance to low-income Americans in the 2012 federal budget.

via New budget campaign asks ‘What would Jesus cut?’ – CNN Belief Blog – CNN.com Blogs.

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February 26, 2011 · 10:28 am

Richard T. Hughes: Revelation, Revolutions, and the Tyrannical New World Order

Very interesting article about alternative interpretations to Revelations and the way it is interpreted by Glenn Beck and the Radical Christian Evangelicals….

This is a brief excerpt but it’s really worth clicking the link and reading the entire article…

The truth is, rapture theology is not only unbiblical; it is anti-biblical. For rapture theologians focus on the hate and violence inspired by the “new world order,” all the while ignoring the biblical vision of “a new heaven and a new earth” that brings not hate, but self-giving love; not oppression, but comfort; and not violence, but enduring peace.

But we can also measure rapture theology by the biblical vision of the kingdom of God.

According to the Bible, the kingdom of God exalts the poor at the expense of the rich. But rapture theology exalts only Christians — and fundamental, born-again Christians at that — at the expense of everyone else.

According to the Bible, the kingdom of God promises justice for the oppressed. But rapture theology promises greater oppression for those who don’t conform to the prophetic timetable the rapture theologians have imposed on the biblical text.

According to the Bible, the kingdom of God resists imperial powers. But rapture theology exalts imperial powers as long as they conform to an imagined prophetic script.

And according to the Bible, the kingdom of God nurtures the paths of peace. But rapture theology celebrates apocalyptic violence.

If American Christians were committed to the biblical vision of “peace on earth, good will toward men,” they could contribute immeasurably to the growth of world peace.

But in order for that to happen, they must first abandon their fascination with the “new world order” — an idea that is alien to the biblical text — and work instead on behalf of two ideas that are central to the biblical message: “the kingdom of God” and the final realization of that kingdom in “a new heaven and a new earth.”

via Richard T. Hughes: Revelation, Revolutions, and the Tyrannical New World Order.

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February 25, 2011 · 6:30 pm

Ocracoke Island Journal: Jimmy Creech, the Methodist Church and Gays

It’s no secret Ocracoke Island is one of my favorite places.  We go every year.  It has the kind of tolerance and mutual respect for others that one generally sees in places that are either very big or very small.

This is an interesting article about one of its former citizens from Philip Howard’s blog.

Thanks to my friend Madonna for sending this to me…

Jimmy Creech was pastor of the Ocracoke United Methodist Church from 1973-1981. His impact on the church and community was profound and lasting. While Jimmy served his Ocracoke congregation he was also active in the volunteer fire department, promoted local musical gatherings, participated in variety shows and theater productions, organized an active youth group, helped sponsor cooking classes in the parsonage, and contributed to numerous other civic and community projects.

After leaving Ocracoke, Jimmy served other churches in North Carolina, and in Nebraska. In 1984, a member of Jimmy’s congregation came out to him as gay and announced he was leaving The United Methodist Church because of its policies toward lesbian, gay and bisexual members. Increased knowledge of these issues in the church and society transformed Jimmy’s life and ministry. He began to publicly challenge the church’s teachings and policies about homosexuality and to advocate for the full inclusion and acceptance of lesbian, gay and bisexual people in the church and society. Eventually Jimmy’s ordination was revoked in 1999 for performing same-sex unions.

In March, Duke University Press will be releasing Jimmy’s new book, Adam’s Gift, the story of his defiance of the church’s official position.

via Ocracoke Island Journal: Jimmy Creech.

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February 24, 2011 · 6:39 pm

This is Not Fiscal Conservatism. It’s Just Politics. – Jim Wallis – God’s Politics Blog

Another great article from Jim Wallis at Sojourners….

The Republican governors’ counter parts in the U.S. House of Representatives are also not cutting spending where the real money is, such as in military spending, corporate tax cuts and loop holes, and long term health-care costs. Instead, they are cutting programs for the poorest people at home and around the world. This is also just political and not genuine fiscal conservatism. It is a direct attack on programs that help the poor and an all-out defense of the largesse handed out to big corporations and military contractors. If a budget is a moral document, these budget-cutters show that their priorities are to protect the richest Americans and abandon the poorest — and this is an ideological and moral choice. The proposed House cuts, which were just sent to the Senate, are full of disproportionate cuts to initiatives that have proven to save children’s lives and overcome poverty, while leaving untouched the most corrupt and wasteful spending of all American tax dollars — the Pentagon entitlement program. This is not fiscal integrity; this is hypocrisy.

MORE:   This is Not Fiscal Conservatism. It’s Just Politics. – Jim Wallis – God’s Politics Blog.

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June 17, 2010 · 12:10 am

My Two Favorite Religious Songs

Not exactly conventional, but…

and…

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Filed under Entertainment, My Journey, Social Commentary

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