Clergy Group to Counter Conservatives

[Khephra]

In an effort to counter the influence of conservative Christian organizations, a coalition of moderate and liberal religious leaders is starting a political advocacy organization to mobilize voters in opposition to Bush administration policies.

The nonprofit organization, the Clergy Leadership Network, plans to formally announce its formation on Friday and will operate from an expressly religious, expressly partisan point of view. The group cannot, under Internal Revenue Service guidelines, endorse political candidates, and it will have no official ties to the Democratic Party.

But the driving purpose of the organization, according to its mission statement, is to bring about "sweeping changes — changes in our nation's political leadership and changes in failing public policies."

The Rev. Albert M. Pennybacker, of Lexington, Ky., chief executive officer for the organization and the chairman of its national committee, said: "The Christian Right has been very articulate, but they have been exclusive and very judgmental of anyone who doesn't agree with them. People may want to label us the Christian Left. But what we really are about is mainstream issues and truth, and if that makes us left then that shines even more light on the need for a shift in our society."

more............

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/17/politics/17CLER.html

[bluestateguy]

1. The Religious Left

It's about time. Where have you guys been for the last 25 years?

[sujan]

6. Not a big fan of religion myself

But I am willing to give credit to these guys. I wish they'd call themselves 'The Spiritual Left', the word 'Religion' just sounds too divisive to me.

Anyway, a good campaign.

[Teaser]

24. Why does religion sound devisive?

It just sounds like "religion" to me.

[el_gato]

8. getting gunned down in latin america

[GinaMaria]

17. Interfaith alliance

has been around a while. They stage protests, promote letter writing campaigns against extremist judicial nominees, and other things too. It's not the messangers' fault that the message isn't getting through. I think they need a little help becoming as vocal as the extremists and getting the media attention the wack jobs garner. The extremist seem to make better television than moderates. Sad but true. Freaky wins over common sense.

[TennesseeWalker]

2. Thank you. Please take your religion back from the right.

Supply Side Jesus is NOT to be trusted.

[janx]

11. Trickle-down God.

Not my idea of things, that's for sure.

[lfairban]

3. Looks like they are going to have a News Conference.

They are on the National Press Club Calender for Fri. the 21st.

http://press.org/calendar/calendar.cfm

[Khephra]

4. I hope NPC webcasts it or CSPAN airs it

I'm going to try get in touch with the contact listed. We need to get a link to them quickly, so they can get their press releases out to the public and organizations like Americans United.

[janx]

9. Good for you, Khep.

Although Americans United probably knows about them already, it would be best to make sure.

This is good news indeed. The radical right wing does not own the flag, and they don't own God either.

[Arcturus]

5. That reminds me...

Most people probably don't know that James E. Faust is a democrat - he's the second counselor in the first presidency of the Mormon church (basically the #3 guy in the church, and could potentially be the church's president in the future). He has served as a public servant as a member of the democratic party (in the Utah House of Representatives, district 8).

However, church leaders in as influential positions as Faust's do not get involved in politics anymore, nor do they endorse political parties or candidates, so I doubt he would get involved. In fact, even the local leaders aren't supposed to bring up politics in church meetings, but I'm sure there are many who don't heed that rule.

[Fridays Child]

7. Kick

:kick:

[janx]

10. By the way...freepers are having a great time of this news.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1023221/posts

[AntiCoup2K4]

21. Freeper line of the day nomination

They call it the Clergy Leadership Network??? I say that's just more Liberal trickery... cuz anyone with an ounce of brains understands that the real name of these creatures is the Communist Luciferian Network !!!

Well then, I guess me and Karl and :evilgrin: are gonna have to bring your deluded asses down, huh?

[Starpass]

12. Was just thinking about this yesterday

I can't bring myself to go to a church anymore (mainstream church) because no one is standing up against this right wing fundamentalists crap. It has infuriated me that these fundamentalists have re-written the Bible and there is no screaming coming from mainstream religion. They have preached for years now that Jesus really didn't want people to help the poor because it just enabled the poor; and that God wants us to be greedy and have it all because that's what is meant by rewarding his people, etc. (you don't have to wait for heaven, baby, when God wants you to suck it all down here). And, of course, make sure you send them lots of money because then God will make you even richer. That is what they have been preaching. The mainstream religion I grew up with and practiced all my life (Lutheran) was always involved in community projects to clothe and feed people and councils to bring about understanding between dominations and other religions, etc. How in the hell did they ever let these scum take over the dialogue??? Sadly, too many of their members are being sucked in by the fundamentalists from the stand point of also thinking that the Christian thing to do must be to vote repuke. This voice needs to be screaming loud and clear from the pulpits over the next year!!!

[lark]

23. Not all Lutherans have gone to the devil

My pastor is decidedly anti-war. We still have a very active community outreach program to feed the homeless etc.

lark

[54anickel]

27. When you can't bring yourself to go anymore, is just when the church

needs you the most. I am considered a bit of a rebel in our church, as was our former Pastor (he moved on to a position as a Theology Professor).
There are folks that attempt to bring the Fundamentalism, non-denominational, literal reading of the Bible ideas into other churches.
Then there are those who wanted to wrap the church in the flag.
The church needs level heads to stop the few vocal folks from hijacking their faith into a mirror of what those TV Evangelists spew forth.
No doubt the Christian Right and TV nuts will attempt to label this group as the false prophets that Revelations warns them about. In much the same way they came out with the their god is not the same as our God with regards to Islam.

[truth2power]

30. Exactly

"I can't bring myself to go to a church anymore (mainstream church) because no one is standing up against this right wing fundamentalists crap."

That's the same reason I left my church. Haven't been back since 9/11.

[54anickel]

31. Very sad. I will consider myself lucky to have been in a church

that was able to stand up this time. If it happens again, we too may cave in. Sad that the church can allow itself to be run by who puts how much in the collection plate. At least that was how the fundies gained their voice in ours.:-(

[drfemoe]

32. And it's sad

that a family member told me they support *u*h because he's a "christian" .. :cry:

[realFedUp]

13. A Progressive Christian site

http://www.mfhf.org/

[grannylib]

33. Another is Sojourners.com

[TheReligiousLeft]

14. You called?

Here I am. The Religious Left. I'm ready to fight for God and Party.

[pmbryant]

15. This is excellent news

I wish these guys the best of success.

:-)

--Peter

[wryter2000]

16. Thank heaven

I've waited for something like this for so long. I'm no longer a believer, but I remember Christianity as a loving faith -- a tremendous force for good. I've been appalled that mainstream Christians have allowed their religion to be hijacked by the Right.

[Terwilliger]

18. kick

[banana republican]

19. Been there done that

http://www.ucc.org/faith/barmen.htm

The link is to a copy of the Barman Decleration. This has been adopted by almost all mainstream denomations although nobody reads it or much less would pay any attention to it. Some of the churchs that have adopted it include: Lutherans (the writers), Presbyterians, Methodists, Bapthist(Not southern), Episcopalians and others.

The confession was written in Germany in 1934 by the Confessing Church(as opposed to the Reich Church). Some of the more salient points are:

1)"We reject the false doctrine that the Church could and should recognize as a source of its proclamation, beyond and besides this one Word of God, yet other events, powers, historic figures and truths as God's revelation." (any claim by any individual of divine revelation is heresy. e.g. God has not revealed anything to mr. bush)

2)"We reject the false doctrine that there could be areas of our life in which we would not belong to Jesus Christ but to other lords, areas in which we would not need justification and sanctification through him." (you don't belong to the government; you belong to God)

3) "We reject the false doctrine that the Church could have permission to hand over the form of its message and of its order to whatever it itself might wish or to the vicissitudes of the prevailing ideological and political convictions of the day

4)"We reject the false doctrine that, apart from this ministry, the Church could, and could have permission to, give itself or allow itself to be given special leaders vested with ruling authority." I didn't use the F word The Church did.

5) "We reject the false doctrine that beyond its special commission the Church should and could take on the nature, tasks and dignity which belong to the State and thus become itself an organ of the State."

6)"We reject the false doctrine that with human vainglory the Church could place the Word and work of the Lord in the service of self-chosen desires, purposes and plans." Speaks for itself and to Falwell et all.

[Malva Zebrina]

20. Interesting that it is out of Kentucky

my impression of Kentucky when I visited there on the blue and the black roads for a few weeks a couple of years ago, was that it was a staunchly Christian fundamentalist, politically conservative state-although I found the people of Kentucky are truly welcoming and friendly, down to earth people-I saw tent revivals all over the place, and was amused to see Christian music set up in the WalMart parking lot--two of them! and not only was it in the parking lot, but it was piped into the inside of the store so shoppers could enjoy Jesus while shopping.

This is quite astonishing to a Yankee far up north, such as myself , where displays such as this receive a one star rating at best--we are a little inclined to be more parochial and defensively private up heah when it comes to religion. Not to say we are not tolerant--some of the most bizarre religious sects have established themself in this state and have done so over time without any persecution.

Perhaps this is a backlash and kudos to Pennybacker--I am not a believer and have wondered why Christians are hollaring and complaining about Bush not being a "real" Christian, are so dismayed over the fact that he has taken it upon himself to define Christianity for the entire world, but have so far been reluctant or be able to do nothing about it to right it for themselves.

Would this not lead to some sort of inconsistency in beliefs I wonder ? I find it disconcerting that religion gets involved in politics at all, and fully support organisations such as People for the American Way, and Americans United. To venture a little into the waters, to test the waters--I wonder will Pennybacker accept faith based tax payer charity money , when push comes to shove.

[grannylib]

22. I am thrilled to see this movement build some momentum, at least I

hope it will. As a lifelong Christian I am so damn sick and tired of these right wing extremists claiming to speak for all Christians, or claiming that anyone who disagrees with them is not REALLY a Christian, and all that bulls*&t...
I am tired of faith, patriotism, God, flag, country, being co-opted as the exclusive property of the radical fundamentalists...
Gimme back my country, my faith, my flag...

[belle]

25. Fabulous. That needed to happen.

I hope they have a place for non-Christian and even non-monotheistic voices, though.

[grannylib]

34. I think they already include some non-Christians, but you are right

We need people of any faith/no particular denomination or creed as much as we need those whose faith has been hijacked just like the 2000 election...

[Liberator_Rev]

26. "Liberals Like Christ" have been pursuing this for six years.

Just imagine where we would be if only Liberals had gotten behind our efforts years ago! The times may be a changin, however.
In Alan Colmes new book, "Red, White and Liberal", he included a chapter he says was inspired in large part by our site.
In "Jesus was a Liberal" he refers to "Ray Dubuque's fabulous web site, http://www.LiberalsLikeChrist.Org"

Alan also had me as a guest on his radio show (minus Hannity) for about an hour. Anybody interested how it went can do so (commercial-free)at http://www.LiberalsLikeChrist.Org/AlanColmes.html .

[Malva Zebrina]

28. Someday Liberator Rev

I am going to challenge your assumption that Jesus was a liberal as we know that term to be today. There are several things that Jesus said and did, that go against that notion according to the bible. But for now, it appears we are both on the same side--and that is to get George Bush out of here.

[xxqqqzme]

29. why don't they just

use their energy in Interfaith Alliance. It is in place, been around awhile...why re-invent the wheel?

[Khephra]

35. From the article...this is why

"The organization seeks to counter groups like the Christian Coalition of America and newly influential groups like the Family Research Council and the Traditional Values Coalition.

There are other liberal religious-based advocacy groups in Washington, like the Interfaith Alliance, a nonprofit group that lobbies Congress on policy issues. But the Clergy Leadership Council will be the first national liberal religious group, its organizers say, whose primary focus is electoral politics and partisan political organizing."