In a story by washingtonpost.com today prominant Evangelicals, both liberal (relatively speaking of course) and conservatives joined in announcing a broader agenda including the environment, poverty, and even taking action to intervene in Darfur. First, I think this is great news. It's nice that even conservatives are finally admitting that there are more issues in the Bible than Homosexualtiy and Abortion. I'd love to see them go further and drop all political action on those two issues, but still, it's a welcome change.
The move hasn't been without it's opponents however. Just read this piece of the article, quoting the Rev. Michael Haseltine.
"I definitely don't like the widening of the agenda, because it muddies the water. Be good stewards of the environment? Sure, but how? These tree-huggers and anti-hunters think it's terrible to kill animals. Oppose poverty? Sure, but what's the best way to do it? We can't solve everybody's problems for them," he said. "Family and life issues -- abortion, sexuality -- they're much more clear from the biblical standpoint."
I think, Reverend, that if you read the Bible, nothing comes across quite as clear as the need to care for the poor. There's no muddying there. Not to mention the fact that, yes, as christians we should do everything we possibly can to solve other people's problems for them. Why not? It's what I believe Jesus did for me, and what you claim to believe. I'm not saying it's easy and I'm not even saying it's possible in this world, I'm just saying it's a noble goal. Far nobler a task for a Christian to undertake than thinly disguised gay bashing. It's positive rather than negative. Helping people rather than trying to force legislation that restricts them.
Fighting for legislation to "protect" traditional family values isn't the hard thing, it's the easy thing. It's getting off the hard road onto the grass in Pilgrim's Progress because they seem to go side by side. As Christians we're called to do the hard thing, because the hard thing was done for us.
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I agree, Ben. I think about when Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment; and that he replied that there were two: Loving God with all of our strength, soul, mind, and hearts, and loving each other as we do ourselves. My nature is to love myself, usually in shallow narcissm. Usually that means Cheetos for dinner. But Jesus already knew we "had that figured out," how to love ourselves. But placing the needs and desires of others before your own isn't just noble, it's what Christ did for us, and asks of us; not out of duty, but in remembrance of Him.
-Rob
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