Inspire, don't require


If you have to "inject spirituality," that is a sure sign you don't have it. There is no silicone implant for faith, and it certainly can't be used to plaster over the holes in a social agenda.
This is going to come off as posing.

We're not taking the liberal agenda and sticking on some Bible quotes," Mr. Lerner said. "It's a whole rethinking on how to do liberal and progressive politics in a whole different language."

One element of this rethinking was to come up with a new term, "spiritual progressives" for the religious left. Next was to come up with some sort of document that expresses their values.
    
Thus Congress, the "spiritual covenant" says, should gear all its legislation, tax policies, budgets, and social programs towards being "loving and caring for others."
    
It supports a national health plan, suggests members of Congress "spend part of one day a week feeding hungry people at a shelter or other ... hands-on service activity," the public funding of all state and national elections and many other innovations.
    
"Have you ever heard a Democrat talk like that?" the rabbi asked. "They have down one dimension of the problem, and we're behind that. But we're trying to add a spiritual dimension."

Politics and religion are a dangerous combination, no less so when then politics are progressive or liberal in contrast to conservative.

This will look like a staged opportunity. Americans who believe that spirituality has a place in their lives also believe that spirituality has to be authentic.

I am a "person of faith." But I will tell you that shaping public policy so it makes the right noises is about as far from spirituality as you can get. That is posturing, not spirituality. People will see it as fake and reject it.

Don't tell me about about requiring Congress to do something. Tell me what you yourself have done.

Don't tell me about "suggested" service for Congressmen, tell me what you will do in the next year.

If it's worthwhile, people (and not just Congress) will support it.

If you have to make the choice for someone else, it is slavery not spirituality.

The only worthy faiths are those freely chosen.

Don't require. Inspire.

— NeoWayland

Posted: Wed - May 17, 2006 at 04:32 AM  Tag


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