Several main Christian leaders have sent a letter to the National Association of Evangelicals that was published in the NY Times asking for Rev. Chizik, the vice president, to be fired because he is bringing up issues besides abortion and gay marriage – he *gasp* is talking about climate change and human rights!:
The letter underlines a struggle between established conservative Christian leaders, whose priority has long been sexual morality, and challengers who are pushing to expand the evangelical movement’s agenda to include issues like climate change and human rights.
“We have observed,” the letter says, “that Cizik and others are using the global warming controversy to shift the emphasis away from the great moral issues of our time.”
Those issues, the signers say, are a need to campaign against abortion and same-sex marriage and to promote “the teaching of sexual abstinence and morality to our children.”
The letter, dated Thursday, is signed by leaders like James C. Dobson, chairman of Focus on the Family; Gary L. Bauer, once a Republican presidential candidate and now president of Coalitions for America; Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council; and Paul Weyrich, a longtime political strategist who is chairman of American Values.
They acknowledge in the letter that none of their groups belong to the National Association of Evangelicals, a broad coalition that represents 30 million Christians in hundreds of denominations, organizations and academic institutions. But, they say, if Mr. Cizik “cannot be trusted to articulate the views of American evangelicals,” then he should be encouraged to resign.
(emphasis added by me, article tip via Evangelical Ecologist)
This really bothers me – that we shouldn’t care about the environment because we are Christians? Or human rights? This is why I struggle with many of these large Evangelical associations, and Republican groups – they are still stuck on “abortion, gay marriage, abstinence” issues – and don’t want to move forward. I don’t think it is realistic to try to ban abortion – it’s not going to happen.
While, I do think abortion is wrong, I believe what will make a difference is talking to someone who is actually trying to make the decision of whether or not to abort – or talking to someone who is in a homosexual relationship – or talk to your kids about sex.
Screaming in their faces isn’t convincing anyone. Making laws (or retracting them) isn’t convincing anyone. Whether it is in the law books or not, homosexual relationships, sex before marriage and abortion will happen. This is why we need to spend our time talking to the people around us and having a relationship with someone – there’s more to someone than “being gay” same as there’s more to me than “being straight” or “being married.”
I would rather be helping the poor and suffering and being Christ in the flesh – or helping taking care of the world God has entrusted to us – than screaming to others about their moral shortfalls.
I just feel it is time for the church to rethink how they see the world and try to take a different approach – and possibly look into other issues that may be of concern. Millions are dying in Africa, the Polar Bears are dying out – but we just want to scream about same-sex marriage.
dumbsheep said,
March 7, 2007 @ 5:08 pm
I could not agree with you more. I used to listen to Dobson and I appreciate some, not all, of his views. About one year ago I became disillusioned with his mix of faith and politics. He, in my estimation, has become like those in Jesus’ time that were looking for salvation from “Rome.” I think he is off track and does not represent evangelicals well. Dobson has let the lure of politics draw him away from the path that Jesus calls us to follow…..to love others and serve the poor in the name of Christ. Instead, he has become a screamer. Shame on him.
charliedean said,
March 7, 2007 @ 5:14 pm
great thoughts megan!
I’m totally with ya!
Don said,
March 7, 2007 @ 5:56 pm
Thanks for the link! I think you’re right; Evangelicals need to expand our definition of “pro-life.”
Grace and peace,
Don
abyssalleviathin said,
March 7, 2007 @ 6:50 pm
AMEN! Thank you for writing this. I get tired of seeing “pro-life” anti-gay and pro-Republican articles all the day long. It’s amazing how these so-called Christians have forgotten that there are actually multple issues with which we should concern ourselves with.
Who Would Jesus Dismiss… « Wandering with Reckless Abandon said,
March 7, 2007 @ 7:02 pm
[...] Who Would Jesus Dismiss… Posted by Snoop under reflection , church I saw this on Megan’s Blog… and am left shaking my [...]
tom said,
March 7, 2007 @ 9:41 pm
Megan,
I appreciated your thoughts and agreed with the vast majority of them. Yet i do have reservations and questions. While I whole-heartedly agree that as Christians we need to focus on way more than 1 or 2 issues and screaming and ranting and raving is dumb and doesn’t help, aren’t those of us who are concerned about these other issues just as guilty as those we are ‘condemning?’ Here is what I mean….you say that trying to ban abortion just isn’t going to happen (a sentiment to which I essentially agree) but yet we want government to get involved in the other issues and to make changes happen….do we really think much is going to happen on those issues? I guess my question revolves around this idea….on a couple of moral issues trying to enact (or retract) laws won’t work, it’s not the best option, on different moral issues we feel comfortable trying to enlist the government and enact legislation. But maybe you are saying that all of this revolves around us as individuals trying to change our ways, or us as faith communities changing our ways and supporting change at the grass roots level. I’m not disagreeing with what you have said, i guess i am just trying to piece all of the puzzle together….i hope this makes sense. love to hear your thoughts and insights. thanks
“Earthism” Worshippers Unite! « charlieDEAN’S Blog said,
March 13, 2007 @ 11:23 am
[...] “Earthism” Worshippers Unite! March 13th, 2007 James Dobson’s attempt to remove Rev. Richard Cizik from the National Association of Evangelicals due to his passion for environmental concerns is getting plenty of attention on various blogs. (Here’s one, and here’s another). [...]