Evangelical leader Jim Wallis, author of The Great Awakening and President of Sojourners, the largest network of progressive Christians in the United States, today outlined the "faith priorities" that will dictate his vote in the 2008 presidential election. This is in direct response to the list of "non-negotiables" issued in previous elections by conservative Catholic Bishops and megachurch pastors like Rick Warren. These non-negotiables were intended as a voter guide for their followers yet read like the official Republican Party Web sites focusing on wedge issues like abortion and gay marriage. The political connections and commitments of the religious non-negotiable writers were quite clear and failed to address biblical imperatives like poverty.
"Our choices should reflect the things we believe God cares about if we are people of faith, and our moral sensibilities if we are not people of faith," said Jim Wallis. "All of us should be 'values voters,' but vote all our values, not just a few that can be easily manipulated for the benefit of one party or another."
Jim Wallis' Faith Priorities:
- With more than two-thousand verses in the Bible about how we treat the poor, I will examine the record, plans, and promises made by candidates on what they will do to overcome the scandal of extreme global poverty and the shame of domestic poverty in the richest nation in the world. Any solution to the economic crisis that simply bails out the rich, and even the middle class, but ignores those at the bottom should be unacceptable to people of faith.
- From the biblical prophets to Jesus, there is, at least, a biblical presumption against war. So I will choose candidates who will be least likely to lead us into disastrous wars and find better ways to resolve the inevitable conflicts in the world. I will choose candidates who seem to best understand that our security depends upon other people's security (everyone having "their own vine and fig tree, so no one can make them afraid," as the prophets say), more than upon how high we can build walls or a stockpile of weapons.
- "Choosing life” is a constant biblical theme, so I will choose candidates who have the most consistent ethic of life, addressing all the threats to human life and dignity that we face. Thirty-thousand children dying globally each day of preventable hunger and disease is a life issue. The genocide in Darfur is a life issue. War is a life issue. The death penalty is a life issue. And on abortion, I will choose candidates who will pursue practical and proven policies which could dramatically reduce the number of abortions in America, rather than those who simply repeat the polarized legal debates and "pro-choice” and "pro-life" mantras from either side.
| Stacy |
October 28th, 2008 5:11 pm ET Well said. I especially like your point about addressing the issue of the breakdown of the heterosexual family without scapegoating gays. It's time Americans stop voting on fear and start addressing real problems. |
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| Surafel Melaku |
October 28th, 2008 5:19 pm ET What is that mean? – Don't vote for Obama – because he has a Muslim name?! I just wish we through this double meaning for a moment and talk for real on substance to improve the economy. He should be praying and hoping for world peace but he rather talk and fair voters in something he shouldn't be involve. |
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| roy - il |
October 28th, 2008 5:19 pm ET A self fulfilling prophecy is when you make a decision first, then find facts to seem to support it. Anyone who uses religion to bolster the Republican agenda enters a dangerous moral trap, using small pieces of issues such as the definition of 'right to life' to defend a voting decision, while ignoring other issues of the same magnitude such as the cries of the poor, the inequality of the rich, and the right of all mankind to desire a better life. The most dangerous decisions are then made to gloss over these noble aspirations, calling equality 'socialism' and putting wealth within the means of the poor as 'redistribution of wealth', and instantly rejecting the humanity in such positions. I reject any religion who tells me how to vote...that is between me and MY God. |
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| Annie Kate |
October 28th, 2008 5:24 pm ET Mr. Wallis's points to consider cover everything it seems from war to children to the environment. I don't think he's missed one important issue that is facing us today and following his points would certainly make us a better nation as well as a better people. Of all the guides I have seen thus far in the election on how to choose who to vote for, this guide is the most relevant and most principled one I have seen. Thank you Mr. Wallis for sharing this with us. Its a very positive note in a sea of negativity right now and a very welcome relief from all the attack comments and ads. Annie Kate |
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| Mari Fernandez, Salt Lake City, Utah |
October 28th, 2008 5:36 pm ET THANK YOU, JIM! I loved your article. Today I heard that Catholics support Sen. Obama 49% to 41%. I support Sen. Obama for many reasons, but I wont bore people with comments I have made over and over. I will tell Catholics on this blog that as a Pro-LIFE Catholic I agreed 100% with Mr. Waillis' #3 "Choosing life": How is lying about the reason to attack a sovereign nation, Iraq, and the deaths of 4400 young people, our Troops.........and the countless Iraqi civilians who have DIED or been maimed or terrorized PRO-LIFE? How is standing by while the horrors of the genocide in several countries in Africa occur PRO-LIFE? This summer at the Women of Faith conference I heard from the World Vision Mission that EVERY.......THREE......SECONDS.......A CHILDE DIES IN THIS WORLD.........FROM LACK OF CLEAN WATER! While OUR NATION stands by and ALLOWS IT! IS THIS PRO-LIFE? There are MANY PRO-LIFE ISSUES, NOT JUST THE BABY IN THE WOMB! DO YOU KNOW THAT OUR NATION, IS 29TH.......YES.......29TH IN INFANT MORTALITY RATE?? (look it up, the CDC reports this fact) THANK YOU AGAIN, JIM WALLIS! AND MAY WE, CATHOLICS WAKE UP ON THE ISSUE OF LIFE! |
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| Maureen / Newman, California |
October 28th, 2008 5:56 pm ET It is too bad that many religious people do not see the harm in mixing State with Church. Unless we want to end up like war-torn countries in the Middle East that have wars over religion, America must keep State and Church separate. It is fine to have personal beliefs. This is what America is based on. But to push religious ideas on the ENTIRE country is narrowminded and will only cause problems. |
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| Shelley |
October 28th, 2008 5:57 pm ET Finally, someone who addresses more than just the issue of gestational life. The Republican party seems only concerned with life until birth and then they no longer want to deal with any issues concerning that life. Healthcare, education, homelessness just doesn't factor into their equation. I've always believed that if you can prevent conception then abortion is a moot issue. But if the child is conceived, and carried to term then we need to be responsible to make sure that child is allowed to thrive and not just survive. |
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| C,CA |
October 28th, 2008 5:57 pm ET Or consider 'Separation of Church and State'.... just a thought. |
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