"God's Politics

[Abelman]

Why the Right gets it wrong and why the left doesn't get it."

by Jim Wallis.

Has anyone else read this book? I just finished it and it was a very interesting read about the importance of faith in politics, but that it should never be co-opted by any one party. It was primarily a Christian perspective, and you can tell Wallis is not very reasonable when it comes to compromising his faith, but he more than willing to accept another person's right to worship the way they see fit.

I was wondering if anyone else who had read it had any interesting thoughts on it?

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Faith should be OUT of politics.

I can dream, can't I?

[Warpy]

2. I've read a lot of excerpts in various places

and Rev. Wallis raises some very interesting points.

However, he's got it wrong. The left actually does get it, to the extent that compassion, generosity to the poor, peace, and tolerance for all are core left values. What the left has failed to do is co-opt the language of religion as successfully as the antichristian right has done.

The people who really haven't gotten it are the mainstream relgious leaders who haven't spoken out on any of these dreadful things, from the skewing of the tax code to favor the rich and punish the poor to the illegal and immoral war in Iraq to the policies that are keeping the majority of people in the US artificially poor in a land of plenty, including the policy of keeping basic health care completely unaffordable.

It's an interesting read, either in excerpts of if you can afford to buy the book and read the whole thing.

[realFedUp]

3. The left gets it, they just didn't use it

a little too late after an election
but Dean gets it and so do many others
of us progressive Christians.

The Bush policies and budget are anti-Christian.

[CornField]

4. I just cracked the cover last night

It is interesting, although it isn't at all what I expected it to be. I've noticed that Wallis seems to be saying a lot of the things that I (former Christian) have said to my own family (fundamentalist & mainstream Christians).

I think it is time for us to back a person who is truly willing to stand up and call a liar a liar. I'm not sure about anyone else, but I'm sincerely tired of the pussy-footing.

[YankeyMCC]

5. I just started it a couple of days ago

Almost half-way through.

It's interesting. Particularly the case he is making about W's "bad-theology". Us Dems and us non-religious tend to just rail at the overt role of religion in W's decision making process when perhaps the better tact is to allow people like Mr Wallis to lead the attack on his bad theology.

There are good people of faith and if faith is what leads someone to good values and priorities then so be it as long as they are not doing as W is doing with is "God is on my side." theology as Wallis points out.

The other interesting thing is all the work of religious leaders in the US who tried to stop the war. At least all the work he talks about...I never heard or saw a word about these efforts he talks about.

Perhaps I am just out of the loop but that's concerning too. News of efforts like this should have reached me, and the millions of other non-religious/non-theist citizens, via main stream media. Or maybe it was somehow my own fault and the news was there. Am I alone in having missed this stuff?

[Abelman]

6. I don't think

the media really reported it much. But I'm more apt to believe Mr. Wallis.

I like his theory that we should ask if WE are on God's side, not if God is on Our side. Reminds of a Bob Dylan song.

[YankeyMCC]

7. Bio For Jim Wallis

Our local Dem Committee Book Club is going to discuss "God's Politics" this Sunday and I volunteered to put together a bio of the author.

I don't have much except what is on sojo.net. And the fact that he was born in Detroit in 1948.

My google searches aren't producing much.

Anyone have an idea of where I should look? Or have the info handy?

[kliljedahl]

8. Founded Sojourners

Good place to start


http://www.kliljedahl.net

[kliljedahl]

9. Excellent book

& this is coming from an agnostic. If more Xtians were like him this world would be a much nore tolerable place. Just starting "The End of Faith" by Sam Harris. Atheistic view of religions, not just Xtianity. Good read so far, about half way through.


http://www.kliljedahl.net