Faith and Politics (1/21/15)

Democracy should not be for sale. First, I must say this is about politics. Some of you have told me that you don’t like it when I discuss politics. For me, faith, values and beliefs are not separate from politics. In the Confederacy, people were able to separate their faith from their politics and slavery was perfectly fine for them. We cannot do that divided self-dance today. There is no honor. No truth.

It has been five years since The Supreme Court decided Citizens United, and what do we see? Sadly, money is corrupting the democratic process. The average American’s voice is being drowned out by floods of money from special interest mega-donors and by dark money groups.

The golden rule – the one with the money rules. Some say this is the greatest moral challenge in our lives – getting money out of politics. Wall Street is doing quite well while Main Street is suffering. Wasn’t it Main Street who in 2008, bailed out the “too big to fail” Wall Street?

Truthful words from a wise woman – Elizabeth Warren:

“Between the 1930s and the late 1970s, 90% of all workers shared 70% of all income growth.
Between 1980 and 2012, guess how much that 90% got?
ZERO!”

She continues: “I’d lay it right at the feet of trickle-down economics. Yes! We’ve tried that experiment for 35 years and it hasn’t worked!”

Even Republican Mike Huckabee, who may be running again for President, seems to agree with Warren in saying during his class-war treatise called God, Guns, Grits, and Gravy. “There were lots of folks who thought that if they worked hard, put a few extra bucks back, they would be making a climb or two up the ladder. As it turned out, that hasn’t happened.”

I believe most folks are in favor of peace, justice and equality for all. Sadly, unfettered capitalism serves those who know how to play the game and it really hurts the diminishing middle class, and of course, the poor, the oppressed, those Jesus called “the least of these my brothers and sisters”, who, of course, have no expensive lobbyists working for them.

Food stamps for the poor are cut by politicians making over $100k. Unfettered capitalism is not equality for all.

Friends! This is some thing to ponder in your hearts. It may be a test of our values and our beliefs. Our faith. Many of us, myself included, are doing quite well these days. But we cannot say like some do “I’ve got mine! You get yours!”

As always, I welcome your thoughtful responses.

Let us cultivate compassion and put our faith to work for peace, justice, and equality for all.