A couple of days ago I stated in no uncertain terms that I'm a political liberal. I am, unabashedly so.
Here's why:
First and foremost, it is a response to the Christian faith that underlies and ultimately informs everything about me. I know! I can't help it! I've tried and tried to rebel against this, but it keeps popping back up in my life. There is generally a Christian spiritual reason for the values I hold, whether the food I eat or the way I raise my kids, or any number of things.
I blame the following verse, primarily, but all of Scripture is ultimately about God's steadfast love for God's people. ALL of the people. Jesus' words in Matthew 25, NRSV:
“Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
You can argue with the words all you want, but to me they are as simple as you get, and I take them literally and figuratively. I don't take much of the Bible literally and instead believe it must be studied and critiqued and prayed over, but Jesus' words I do take to heart literally.
I believe strongly in the separation of Church and State put forth in our amazing United States Constitution, but I also believe that we can wrestle with these words in terms of public policy. We must constantly hold ourselves up to moral and ethical standards, and I don't know that there can be any higher standard than treating the "least of these"--any of us--with high regard, as we would like ourselves to be treated.
That said, here are some specific reasons I am a liberal. I support:
--the social safety net
--the right of employees to join together and ask for fair wages and working conditions (what we currently call unions, for better or worse)
--the public sphere and the Common Good (public schools, parks, transit, roads, safety officers, etc.)
--health care as a human right not a measure of wealth or an employer obligation. We have the technology; how can any Christian in good conscience deny it to the "least of these"? Or anyone?
I could get into a lot more issues, but they are smaller to me in comparison to the above.
I'm not the biggest fan of President Obama. Do you know his administration has deported more immigrants--including those here legally--than any other recent administration? My Pastor told me this last night, for reasons as small as a traffic ticket some of our African parishioners have been deported back to Sudan now that Sudan has a functioning government again. I am saddened by this.
I also despise the President's extensive use of drone warfare. However, the GOP is even more trigger-happy when it comes to war with Iran, and President Obama at least talks a slower and more cautious game.
My kids will come of age under the next administration, and I pray without ceasing that they do not enter as adults into a world at war. President Obama will have my vote, because of that.
I am indeed a Liberal and a member of the Christian Left. I'd like one of those "Jesus was a Liberal" bumper stickers, in fact, except that I don't need to be so divisive when I drive down the road. Like most liberals, I live a pretty darn traditional, even conservative lifestyle but I still vote for the common good, the public sphere, the rights of all to live our lives as we see fit, and last but not least, the least among us.
Here's why:
First and foremost, it is a response to the Christian faith that underlies and ultimately informs everything about me. I know! I can't help it! I've tried and tried to rebel against this, but it keeps popping back up in my life. There is generally a Christian spiritual reason for the values I hold, whether the food I eat or the way I raise my kids, or any number of things.
I blame the following verse, primarily, but all of Scripture is ultimately about God's steadfast love for God's people. ALL of the people. Jesus' words in Matthew 25, NRSV:
“Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
You can argue with the words all you want, but to me they are as simple as you get, and I take them literally and figuratively. I don't take much of the Bible literally and instead believe it must be studied and critiqued and prayed over, but Jesus' words I do take to heart literally.
I believe strongly in the separation of Church and State put forth in our amazing United States Constitution, but I also believe that we can wrestle with these words in terms of public policy. We must constantly hold ourselves up to moral and ethical standards, and I don't know that there can be any higher standard than treating the "least of these"--any of us--with high regard, as we would like ourselves to be treated.
That said, here are some specific reasons I am a liberal. I support:
--the social safety net
--the right of employees to join together and ask for fair wages and working conditions (what we currently call unions, for better or worse)
--the public sphere and the Common Good (public schools, parks, transit, roads, safety officers, etc.)
--health care as a human right not a measure of wealth or an employer obligation. We have the technology; how can any Christian in good conscience deny it to the "least of these"? Or anyone?
I could get into a lot more issues, but they are smaller to me in comparison to the above.
I'm not the biggest fan of President Obama. Do you know his administration has deported more immigrants--including those here legally--than any other recent administration? My Pastor told me this last night, for reasons as small as a traffic ticket some of our African parishioners have been deported back to Sudan now that Sudan has a functioning government again. I am saddened by this.
I also despise the President's extensive use of drone warfare. However, the GOP is even more trigger-happy when it comes to war with Iran, and President Obama at least talks a slower and more cautious game.
My kids will come of age under the next administration, and I pray without ceasing that they do not enter as adults into a world at war. President Obama will have my vote, because of that.
I am indeed a Liberal and a member of the Christian Left. I'd like one of those "Jesus was a Liberal" bumper stickers, in fact, except that I don't need to be so divisive when I drive down the road. Like most liberals, I live a pretty darn traditional, even conservative lifestyle but I still vote for the common good, the public sphere, the rights of all to live our lives as we see fit, and last but not least, the least among us.
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