Christian Coalition: Poverty is not Our Issue
Joel Hunter, recently elected president of the Christian Coalition, resigned his position after the Christian Coalition board made it clear that poverty and climate change, issues Hunter wanted to focus on, were not their cup of tea. As Hunter recalled, the Board replied 'These issues are fine, but they're not our issues, that's not our base."Base? Usually you have to turn into some political gabfest to hear that term used to describe a group that provides your primary support. So does this make congregations the "base" of their pastors?
Depressing.
posted by Zeke @ 10:10 PM
19 Comments:
Meh. The Christian Coalition is whacked anyway.
So does this make congregations the "base" of their pastors?
Unfortunately.
PS: I did mosey over to Out of Fellowship (I'd peeked over there a few times before you mentioned it). Good stuff. :)
I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said "The Christian right is neither"
How true...
(what a bunch of dumbasses)
But Zeke, weren't they already a "political gabfest"? Seriously, they were founded by Pat Robertson and the story you cited said that this dude, Hunter, was hoping to expand their agenda beyond that of opposing "abortion and gay-marriage".
Being founded by Robertson it certainly does make sense that their "base" would not want to expand to include other issues such as the environment.
And yes, the congregation is the "base" of their pastor... well, at least the "big givers" are.
yeah and they will be defeated like before. Jesus deliver me from your "so-called" followers. I'm sure Jesus is for war,tax cuts and free markets. NOT
Good for Hunter. Do I smell integrity?
Bye the way...hi Zeke. Tell Mrs. Zeke hi too.
Will do, Erik. And good to hear from you, brootha!
from the wikipedia entry for the Christian Coalition,
The Christian Coalition of America is a US Christian political advocacy group...
So why is a political organizations use of the word 'base' of note? Furthermore, how does this relate to the idea that, "congregation are the 'base' of their pastors,"? I'm not defending the CC or anything, I honestly don't know anything about them that I didnt read in the wiki article, but I'm not seeing the logic here.
(what a bunch of dumbasses)
Paul would be proud - such truth in love and passion for 'unity in the bonds of peace'...
So why is a political organizations use of the word 'base' of note? Furthermore, how does this relate to the idea that, "congregation are the 'base' of their pastors,"? I'm not defending the CC or anything, I honestly don't know anything about them that I didnt read in the wiki article, but I'm not seeing the logic here.
Note: it is a Christian political organization. Twirl that one around in your brain and see if you might agree that that is the very problem here.
"Bunch of dumbasses" is no more than a Petersonian (Eugene) version of "brood of vipers," so it's ok.
Note: it is a Christian political organization. Twirl that one around in your brain and see if you might agree that that is the very problem here.
I'm kind of slow sometimes, so you're going to have to help me out here if you don't mind. Are you trying to advocate for non-politically envolved christians? I mean, I thought we were supposed to participate in the political process for the glory of god (you know, defend the weak, feed the poor, promote peace among men, etc.).
Unless you mean to say that politics is a dirty, back-stabbing, lieing trade and therefore christians should have nothing to do with it? I mean, I understand that politics is nasty, but to say that should deter the church members from being involved seems like an over-reaction. Apparently you all have good reasons for disliking this particular organization, but its existence, in and of itself, just doesn't seem offensive to me.
If a group of believers wanted to form a PAC to promote their values concerning the environment, and then decided to fire their president for wanting to make fair global trade a priority because the participants weren't as united in their opinions on such, I would not be a bit surprised. American politics is all about building consensus among people with different opinions, and just because I agree with someone concerning abortion rights or patent law does not mean we are of the same mind when it comes to the economy or the extent of presidential powers. If you want to make head way in politics it is often most effective to choose the issues most important to you and band together with likeminded people on those issues and focus your energies there.
It would be like me coming on to your blog and posting in this thread that we need to talk about the direction Tony Romo's performance could take the Cowboys this season as QB - it could be a very interesting and worthwhile discussion, but this isn't really the place. Heck, you might not even watch football, let alone be concerned enough about the Cowboys to carry on a discussion about Romo.
I guess what I really am not seeing is how you think christians ought to function in politics. You say the idea of a 'christian political organization' should strike me as a problem, but, regrettably, I fail to make the connection.
"Bunch of dumbasses" is no more than a Petersonian (Eugene) version of "brood of vipers," so it's ok.
Hmm, I like this Petersonian tidbit:
Matthew 12:34 (The Message)
34-37"You have minds like a snake pit! How do you suppose what you say is worth anything when you are so foul-minded? It's your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation."
"You say the idea of a 'christian political organization' should strike me as a problem,"
The definition of "politics" requires the use of terms like power, power struggle, machinations, opportunism. Do you not see where some people might perceive some dissonance between "politics" and "Christian?"
That is not to say that believers should not exercise their voices in matters of public policy, but to organize under the name of Christ as a voting bloc whose purpose is to wield power is just bullshit.
... but to organize under the name of Christ as a voting bloc whose purpose is to wield power is just bullshit.
I'm starting to see your point...
... and yet I'm not convinced that a)christians should not wield power, or b)christians should not desire to wield power.
To me mankind is served best when men who know to do good lead by doing good. And who should know to do good better than men and women indwelt by the Holy Spirit? That is not to say all christians are naturally great politicians (look at the President), but it does mean that christians with a head for politics are more desirable as candidates and leaders than pagans who are also talented in that regard. I'd rather a competant woman walking with Jesus be my Senator than a competant woman who believes mankind is a race created by aliens who seeded our planet millenia ago. Moreover, see politics as being characterized by words like, "power," "power struggle," "machinations," and, "opportunism," but I think politics, while definately being rife with such ideas, can also be about 'peace', 'prosperity', 'freedom', and 'justice'. And that is definately something I think should be associated with the followers of my Lord. Who better to lead us than competant professionals who see humanity for how it really is?
And while I would normally agree that the pursuit of power general excludes all its participants from consideration on principle, democratic politics are such that good men ought to accept the burdens of leadership for the sake of society. For sure, many gravitate to politics for the wrong reasons, but we must consign ourselves to living under the tyranny of evil men if we forbid good men from seeking to represent society and lead it. Christians ought to be just as concerned with not only making their collective voices heard on political matters which are important to them, but they must also be concerned with taking office and leading humanity to a better way to be human. I might be alone on this one, but doesn't being a peacemaker require power to make peace?
I apologize for being so obtuse, but I just don't see what your beef with the mere existence of this organization is.
"...can also be about 'peace', 'prosperity', 'freedom', and 'justice'."
Power, power struggle, machinations and opportunism came directly from a dictionary definition of politics. Politics, down to its latin roots, means power and the struggle to gain it.
Still, I don't have a problem with Christians getting behind a political cause, but Christianity isn't a political cause.
... Christianity isn't a political cause.
Well, we definately agree on this point.
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