The Jacksonville Declaration - taking back Christianity

[realFedUp]

I just signed The Jacksonville Declaration -- and I think you should, too! There's been a hijacking of Christianity by the radical religious right and we have an unprecedented opportunity to stand up for values that are in danger across America.

http://www.christianalliance.org/declaration

Do you stand for the following?
Equality, working for peace, stewardship of the earth, care for the poor, and acceptance and inclusion for all.

One by one, starting right here in Northeast Florida, there's an historic effort taking place to stand up to the radical religious right. Fed up with the hatred, fear and division that these Christians have preached for many years, an open letter has been written to the religious right that calls on them to stop their hurtful words and actions.

In The Jacksonville Declaration, we tell representatives of this extreme
group: No more. You do not stand for us. We will no longer be silent. The Christian Alliance for Progress needs your help to become a powerful voice that rings so clear, strong and true that it is impossible to ignore us. Join with the Jacksonville community and local clergy who support this message of hope. Please, sign The Jacksonville Declaration, and help us collect 1,000 local signatures to build a movement that grows stronger and more vibrant every day. Stand up. Be counted....Now!

Visit here to sign: http://www.christianalliance.org/declaration

Please join me in the fight to reclaim Christianity and transform American politics, and sign the Jacksonville Declaration today!

Visit www.christianalliance.org to learn more about the Christian Alliance for Progress, and the Jacksonville Declaration.

[paineinthearse]

1. God bless Jesse Jackson

:kick: and nominated.

[realFedUp]

8. paine...I don't think Jesse is part of this one...

I could be wrong, but it comes out
of Jacksonville, Florida

but yeah, God bless Jesse Jackson too.
:-)

[paineinthearse]

9. OMG

So embarassed. I read Jacksonville as Jackson.

OOPS. I'll engage my brain now.

[Tux]

10. Think that is bad?

I thought you had to be a FL resident. Oops. Oh well. Checking out the site, seems cool. Sounds like UU Christianity to me.

[xchrom]

2. done

christians are going to have to have this out.

it won't stop -- so to speak -- the religous right.
but they can be set back.

and they can ponder what it means to be called out by other christians.

[oneold1-4u]

21. Some xtians ponder

And all need to ponder this! They will not be able to hide every truth forever!

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.
After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like Mother of Pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side. When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"
"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered, "Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.
Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up." The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
"Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in, too?" the traveler asked.
"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets."
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road, and continued the way he had been going with his dog. After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road which led through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.
"Excuse me!" he called to the reader. "Do you have any water?"
"Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there." The man pointed to a place that couldn't be seen from outside the gate. "Come on in."
"How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog.
"There should be a cup and bowl by the pump."
They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old fashioned hand pump with a cup and bowl beside it. The traveler filled the cup and bowl and they took a long drink. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree waiting for them."What do you call this place?" the traveler asked. "This is Heaven," he answered.
"Well, that's confusing," the traveler said. "The man down the road said that was Heaven, too."
"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's Hell." "Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?"
"No. I can see how some might think so, but we're kinda happy, they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind."

[Tux]

3. Think it'll work?

I doubt it. Fundies are so brainwashed, they can't vote without their ministers help.

[realFedUp]

5. Letting people know what Jesus really preached...

always works.

[Tux]

7. Yeah

I was raised Protestant. My family is a mix of Protestant and Baptist. Most are fundies. To them, any aid to help the poor and sick is communism. Anything that promotes diversity is anti-American. Attempts to learn and understand other religions and cultures is seen as elitist. Their ministers grabbed their minds and convinced them that Jesus would support such views. I was kicked out of church (yay!) for wearing a Metallica shirt to a youth group meeting yet other kids could fuck in the church, wear shirt with liquor ads on them, and make fun of my mom who had 3 strokes at the time. So much for following Jesus. The only thing they care about is money and power.

[villager]

4. Just sent a link to the Christian members of my family!

(We're a heterodox mix here -- the finest American tradition!)

[murray hill farm]

6. Signed and joined!!!!

Thanks for the information.

[Tux]

11. I signed it

Didn't know that all Christians weren't out for blood for Jesus.

[Jo March]

12. I signed it

I really do want my faith back from the fristians and pharisees. They pervert the very beautiful teachings of Christ.

[wryter2000]

13. Thank you!

What a great bunch of threads on the blog this morning. I'm off to sign.

[Gildor Inglorion]

14. Signed and forwarded, and "Thank You"

the "Christian" church of today bears no resemblance to the church I was brought up in. I detest the intolerance, exclusivity, smugness, and downright viciousness of today's church. I'd like to think this gesture will make at least a small difference. If even one brainwashed "conservative Christian" has a change of heart, it's worth the effort.

[CitySky]

15. bookmarked

thanks for the link.

[catbert836]

16. Thanks a ton.

We need to get people to understand that not all Christians are fundamentalists- and this is a big step, getting the fundamentalists to recognize they aren't the only kind of Christians.

[kb9vrg]

17. Well worth looking at!

Well worth looking at. Spent about 20 minutes on the site reading it before I signed the petition. Thanks!

[hippywife]

18. These folks here

have been working at this for the last 10 years:

http://www.interfaithalliance.org/site/pp.asp?c=8dJIIWMCE&b=447561

Everyone can look for a chapter in their area or start one! ;-)

[Maestro]

19. Kick

:kick: I'm so sick of the radical right. Glad to see some Christians trying to fight back. :applause:

[methinks2]

20. great idea

I just signed and sent to a few people.

[moobu2]

22. Christianity is to far gone to save, let em have it