The poor you shall always have ... to use for political gain

I thought that mixing Christianity and politics was an unmitigated evil. Or so the secular media has always claimed. Apparently if your politics are acceptable to secular progressives, then mix away.

Jim Wallis believes that the trillions the US has already spent on so-called anti-poverty programs has not been enough. He is demanding more, as if the colossal failure of the modern welfare state never happened.

Like any other US citizen, Wallis is free to petition the government to enact policies he supports, although in the past he has shown undisguised hostility towards those whose politics disagrees with his. But he is not entitled to his own facts. For decades Wallis and other progressives have exploited the poor for political gain. When will they be held accountable for putting their greed over the needs of their brothers and sisters? When will they be required to explain why so much money only made the problem of poverty worse while poisoning the political debate in the process?

Wallis' attitude, I am sad to say, is a major sickness in Christianity today. The ELCA and other politically-minded denominations are quite willing to regard the poor as a kind of political cash cow to be invoked and used at will. On the issue of poverty these denominations take a harsh, uncompromising stance that allows no debate and tolerates no criticism. They also mix politics and religion to a degree they would immediately condemn if the so-called Religious Right tried it.

The irony is that if Wallis and other progressives stopped pushing failed government programs that only make poverty worse, if they merely sat on the sidelines and did absolutely nothing, it would be a far greater contribution to fighting poverty than they are presently making.

Do as they command, not as they do

Religious Left attempts to fight Federal budget cuts.

It was not that long ago that we were being told that any involvement by Christians in the political process was a prelude to a right-wing Christianist theocracy. It reminds me of the recent calls for more civility in political debate. Some of those calls that were made by those willing to engage in ugly and vile behavior if they thought it would help their political cause (see the recent fight over the budget in Wisconsin).

Jim Wallis and the rest of the Religious Left have a Constitutional right to engage in political debate - or make political prayers, for that matter. But I don't want to hear any more from him or others like him about how conservative Christians represent some sinister threat to democracy merely by voting and speaking out.

Social justice?

I missed this one when it happened:

ELCA drops out of Lutheran Malaria Initiative; Lutheran World Relief and LCMS to continue joint effort to combat malaria.

Interesting how when it comes to its obsession with secular politics the ELCA never seems to run out of cash. I understand that all denominations have budget priorities, but any organization that engages in race-baiting, funds Washington lobbyists, or issues political proclamations about everything under the sun has no business calling itself a Christian church.

I wish that all denominations - be they conservative or liberal - would take a decade-long break from secular politics of any kind. Stop yammering about "social justice" and instead work to feed the poor. Re-discover the Gospel of the Lord, and engage in some serious prayers. Stop "organizing the community" and actually live in it. If Mark Hanson, Pat Robertson, Jim Wallis, or any other Christian leader wants to be a politician, let him or her run for office and stop trying to hijack God for their own selfish purposes. Using church donations to help politically powerful groups while ignoring the cries of dying children - that is evil.

I suppose that this should not bother me, since I am no longer a Lutheran. Yet since the decision of August 2009 to reject the Gospel in favor of secular politics the ELCA has started giving voice to every filthy, dirty instinct the human spirit can vomit forth. How much longer will God let this go on?

At any rate, if you wish to donate and help to actually do something for social justice click here.

Leave God out of it

Over at RealClearPolitics.com, Tom Bevan has a plea: politicians should stop using God.

Amen to that! Maybe it is time for Christians to give up the notion that God wants prayer in public schools, or supports campaign finance reform, or supports immigration reform, or supports universal health care, or opposes the Iraq War, or wants the Ten Commandments displayed in public buildings, or opposes/supports tax cuts, or a host of other narrow partisan issues. Too many Christians have tried to forcibly enlist God on their side in political arguments (I am looking at you, Jim Wallis and Pat Robertson!).

Are you listening ELCA?