Once again politically-progressive people of religious faith come under fire as a suspect class. This week Glenn Beck upped the ante on his persecutory stance toward churches that support a progressive socio-political agenda when he told his Fox News listeners
"I beg you, look for the words 'social justice' or 'economic justice' on your church web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. Now, the idea, hang on, am I advising people to leave their church... yes!... If you have a priest that is pushing social justice, go find another parish."
Beck, in his inflammatory rhetorical style, went on to compare folks pursuing social and economic justice not only to communists (the old familiar meme), but also to Nazis.
Now, I am not a Mormon, but I know a few, and I have read their bible. And I do know a central theological tenet to the faith for both Christians and Mormons is faith in Jesus Christ and his Great Command to love and serve God while loving and serving your neighbor as yourself. Social equality, social justice, economic justice, selfless giving: all pretty much main points of instruction in Jesus' teachings and ministry. Care for the less fortunate, the sick, the fatherless: very much God's thing. But don't trust me, take a look at some of the more than 300 verses which riddle the Bible with what Beck would consider dangerous pinko ideas:
Deut. 15:7. If there is a poor man among you, one of your brothers, in any of the towns of the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand to your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks
Lev. 19:19. Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am the LORD your God.
Prov. 31:8. [Commandment to kings.] Open your mouth for the dumb, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.
Luke 12:33. "Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys."
Luke 3:11. And [John the Baptist] would answer and say to them, "Let the man with two tunics share with him who has none, and let him who has food do likewise."
Mt. 5:42. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
I could go on and on, but you don't need a sermon and can read for yourself.
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