Sojourners : Election 2004
Here’s a great video! A a satirical look at the actual quotes made by the Religious Right, with appearances by Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, this flash presentation by Sojourners is terrific. While you’re there, sign the petition. Thanks to Gentle Breezes for blogging it!
Those on the Religious Right claim God for their side. It’s a common tactic repeated ad nauseum throughout history, and in my view the less likely for being claimed. When a group goes to the trouble to say that God is with them – and with no-one else – we have extremism of all kinds and usually violence as well. Since the Christian message in my view doesn’t have much to do with demonizing others, oppressing the poor and the worker, entering into violence with greed as a motivation, using the legal system to enforce injustice and language to hide lies with euphemisms it’s hard for me to understand this alliance between the new republicans and what they call christianity. It just seems more likely to me that it’s all about how to leverage power and control the masses.
At the very least, such an alliance misrepresents those who take their religion seriously, faithfully, with kindness and compassion – aspiring to greater truths and trying their very best to follow their spiritual path.Social justice can (and I think should) be part of spiritual renewal. Love grows when it is given.
The petition aims to send a message that God is not the property of a political party in the USA.
The whole situation reminds me of a song by The The called "Armageddon Days are Here (Again)" – it saddens me so much to realize how very many kinds of terrorists there really are. Here are the lyrics:
They’re 5 miles high as the crow flies
Leavin’ vapour trails against a blood red sky
Movin’ in from the east toward the west
With balaclava helmets over their heads … yes
But if you think that Jesus Christ is coming
Honey you’ve got another thing coming
If he ever finds out who’s hijacked his name
He’ll cut out his heart and turn in his grave
Islam is rising
The Christians mobilising
The world is on its elbows and knees
It’s forgotten the message
And worships the creeds
It’s war, she cried,
It’s war, she cried,
this is war
Drop your possessions, all you simple folk
You’ll fight them on the beaches in your underclothes
You’ll thank the good lord for raising the union jack
You’ll watch the ships sail out of harbour
And the bodies come floating back
Watch the ships sail out of harbour
And the bodies come floating back
If the real Jesus Christ were to stand up today
He’d be gunned down by the CIA
Oh, the lights that now burn brightest behind stained glass
Will cast the darkest shadows upon the human heart
But God didn’t build himself that throne
God doesn’t live in Israel or Rome
God doesn’t belong to the yankee dollar
And God doesn’t plant the bombs for Hezbollah
God doesn’t even go to church
And God won’t send us down to Allah to burn
No, God will remind us what we already know
That the human race is about to reap what its sown
Islam is rising
The Christians mobilising
The world is on its elbows and knees
It’s forgotten the message
And worships the creeds
The world is on its elbows and knees
It’s forgotten the message
And worships the creeds
Armageddon days are here again
Armageddon days are here again
Armageddon days are here again