'Circle Of Protection' Declared By Christian Leaders In Face Of Budget Cuts

A broad coalition of Christian leaders has announced a new "Circle of Protection" to formalize their opposition to governmental budget cuts that would slash the funding for or completely eliminate programs that provide essential services for poor and vulnerable populations in the United States and abroad.

The newly minted initiative is supported by a number of high-profile Christian leaders from across a wide spectrum of denominations and aid organizations.

According to the Rev. Jim Wallis, the coalition has come together to send a message to political leaders: "If you're going to come after the poor, you have to go through us first."

The group has outlined eight core principles that guide its stance on the federal budget. Leading these principles is an acknowledgment that the government has an obligation to substantially reduce spending deficits. At the same time, the list outlines the group's position that budget decisions are moral decisions, and Christian morality emphasizes the importance of protecting those in need.

Speaking on a conference call Tuesday morning, Wallis said, "Budgets are not just about scarcity. They are about choices, and those are moral choices."

The Christian leaders believe that these budget choices are tied to an issue that is central to the Christian faith -- how to protect the "least of these" as described by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.

Also speaking on Tuesday, Ambassador Tony Hall, Executive Director of the Alliance to End Hunger, emphasized, "There are over 2,000 verses in the Bible that speak to this issue."

In the face of a fierce and ongoing political battle, the Christian leaders formed the "Circle of Protection" in order to advocate for those who have no voice in the debate. Their statement outlines:

We look at every budget proposal from the bottom up -- how it treats those Jesus called "the least of these" (Matthew 25:45). They do not have powerful lobbies, but they have the most compelling claim on our consciences and common resources. The Christian community has an obligation to help them be heard.

Bishop Jaime Soto of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops added on Tuesday:

The moral measure of this budget debate is not which party wins ... but how those who are poor and vulnerable are treated. We are speaking on their behalf.

The group's information includes a list of federal programs that provide aid to poor and hungry people. While they stop short of fully endorsing the protection of any specific programs, the group believes that is important to maintain or increase the collective effort to help those in need.

Ambassador Hall offered David Cameron's program of government austerity measures in the U.K. as a model for reducing spending while refusing to cut programs that provide life-saving aid to those in need. He also offered praise to the Simpson-Bowles proposals for upholding the same standards in the U.S. budget debate.

The "Circle of Protection" comes in the wake of a period when many faith leaders protested potential budget cuts to poverty programs by fasting during the Christian season of Lent. As Congress and the White House continue in their protracted battle, the Christian leaders behind the initiative emphasize that they will remain passionate and faithful to the cause.

Rev. Peg Chemberlin, President of the National Council of Churches, concluded her thoughts by asking other people of faith to join in solidarity with the signatories:

"Today we stand together to call on all Christians ... and we pray today for those that will lead us to a moral budget."

Comments

[bobbertino]

06:12 PM on 06/21/2011

You should have had A Circle of Not Voting Republican. Duh.

[bkerensa]

01:16 AM on 05/09/2011

The Christian leaders mentioned hold very little weight in politics.... The Evangelists on the other hand which run with this ultra-radical Christian message (See a sample of it in Jesus Camp) those are the ones that are helping fund the war on the poor and middle class and on abortion.

A large majority of Republican voters are or have ties to the Evangelist movement which has a stranglehold on the mid-west and southern states.

[scottyknows]

02:21 PM on 05/03/2011

No politician is a hero; they simply spend money that is not theirs. Tough job. Take the job with no salary and I'll put you in the running for hero status.

All of us living within our means is a great way to ensure the poor getting help, as we will have more than enough to meet our own needs and that of others.

Being in debt--no matter how "holy" the cause--is not a godly principle. Saving up stores of food or money, ala Joseph in Egypt, is more wise than spending that which you do not have.

[DTree]

02:38 PM on 05/03/2011

I'd love to see a conservative for once be consistent on this principle of "living within our means."

For example not expending the Earth's limited resources, and not destroying the environment that gives us food, and life itself. That is a conservative notion, too, you know.

Too many conservatives give lip service to this notion that is we simply live within our means, everything will magically work out - and that might be true if conservatives were consistent on the matter.

The problem is that they are only interested in limiting spending and use of resources if such an action supports their personal ideology - when it comes to being fair about such things (like conserving the environment, or cutting taxes for the rich), such rhetoric about not "spending what we don't have" ends up being nothing more than hollow platitudes.

Just an excuse not to spend resources on something you personally don't value, regardless of the long term expenses to our society.

[Choicelady320]

03:00 PM on 05/04/2011

The government is not a 'family" and the budget is not a 'family budget'. Living within your means is nice, but the government has resources that are essential for us all. Government exists to help hold us together while WE tighten our belts. Only an illegitimate government props up the rich at the expense of everyone else. And even making the analogy with a 'family budget' - no family saves itself by throwing out its fragile members: you don't toss your kids into the gutter to eat from dumpsters, and you don't wheel granny into a parking lot to die. Any family that did that would find the cops at the door. If you MUST make the analogy to a family, do NOT pick a DYSFUNCTIONAL family as the model. Our strength lies in "stone soup" - the empty pot of water that fills with a little here, little there from each of us until we all get what we need - soup. Failing to share our resources is not a holy principle at all, and we need to be mindful of our faith AND democratic commitments to assuring the well being of everyone, not just the rich.

[blue53]

09:15 AM on 05/03/2011

If this is important to the Catholic Bishops--where is their parade into the Congress of the United States of American--demanding that the bill be changed--as they did for the HC bill--where is the phone call from the Vatican to the current Speaker of the House--Johnny is a Catholic too---where are the second collections to lobby against the Ryan plan like what done in Maine, and is currently being done to fight gay marriage--

We know the Evangelicals and Mormon leaders have been working for decades to eliminate the safety net--whether the sheep know it or not--but the Catholics consider themselves separate from the C Streeters, Reconstructionist/Revisionist Dominionist--but they got in bed with them years ago--and when you lay down with fleas...

[whosaidweshould]

12:12 AM on 05/03/2011

I thought church and state were supposed to be separate entities. I apologize for my confusion, but is the support for the little guy just through prayer that our government does the right thing, or is there a political push with funding (or something of the sort)?

[been2there]

11:17 PM on 05/02/2011

Work on getting the poor to vote for those who treat the poor as human beings.

[scottyknows]

02:16 PM on 05/03/2011

Translation: Buy off the poor (and illegal immigrants) with promises of government entitlements and in essence you'll buy their votes.

Very spiritual. Keep them on the Li.be.ral plantation. Beat them if they escape.

[Choicelady320]

03:03 PM on 05/04/2011

Buy off? How freaking arrogant! Because people are poor it does not follow that they are stupid. Seems to me the rich have bought the majority of GOP votes - and they know exactly what they're doing. Poor people believe their votes don't count, but they do. All citizens are entitled to be heard at the polls. Remember that constitutional principle? The conservative principle of embedded INequality - of elites and subjects - is simply not constitutionally protected nor Biblically permitted. Sorry Scotty - you don't seem to know.

[curiousdwk]

01:45 PM on 05/02/2011

I think it's great that these religious leaders stood up and defended the vulnerables in our society. But what I don't understand is why they didn't voice an objection to the ridiculous Defense budget and insist that lower budgets and deficits could be accomplished through Defense cuts?

Why is the Defense budget so sacred, that Democrats, Republicans, and now even sacred religious people are afraid to even suggest that?

[Choicelady320]

03:04 PM on 05/04/2011

We are. They are. You just try to get a word in MSM about progressive or thoughtful work of the sane and rational faith community.

[thereisonlyoneparty]

01:55 PM on 05/01/2011

I will be more accepting of advise from religious leaders regarding federal and state budgets when they actually start paying taxes.

[thereisonlyoneparty]

02:00 PM on 05/01/2011

Taking care of the poor is actually a duty of most religions.   It is nice to see that they are doing so well in foisting it upon the state.

Religious people disgust me.  As do liberals.  And conservatives.

[Richard Bartholomew]

01:34 AM on 05/03/2011

That's a good point. It's religious communities' members' responsibility to aid the poor through voluntary donations, not that of our dear elected representatives through coerced tax funds. By inciting government representatives to extort money from those who've earned it and give (some of) it to those who have not, these devout folks are simultaneously shirking their duties and promoting the crime of grand larceny. That's two big hits to the ol' moral authority.

And who is it who has no voice in the debate? Poor people vote too the last time I looked. In fact, taken collectively, the poor in contemporary America seem to be doing mighty well for themselves at the public's expense:

Medicaid: $300 bn
Children's entitlement programs (incl. CHIP): $27.33 bn
TANF: $2.95 bn
-- http://dhhs.gov/asfr/ob/docbudget/2011budgetinbrief.pdf

So I ask you: who's exploiting whom here? It looks to me as though the poor have had plenty to say about sticking their hands into other people's pockets without permission. I suggest that the Christian leaders passionate in the cause hop off their moral high horses and do a little soul searching before they swing into action.

[sallysees]

08:30 AM on 04/29/2011

(Smile!!) I must be getting cynical in my old age because I just find it hard to believe a group of liberal Christian ministers, and, most of them, obviously quite wealthy coming out in droves in favor of the poor.

And its such a sorrowful shame too, to see them hiding their daggers beneath the folds of the garment of poverty, and aimed directly at this President's now exposed back.
If one wants to sink a ship he really has no crying need to go up to the helm and wrestle the steerage from the captain's hand. Much easier to cut holes in the bottom of the ship by stealth and just claim that the sounds you're making are for the safety of the passengers.
Where is there an once of practical distinction between the political agenda of the Christian Right, and the Republican party?
Whenever was it any concern of Christian leaders of whatever denominational persuasion that the US government was spending too much money until this black President was elected?

So, I'll stand on what my grandfather used to say: " I believe you...but, I believe, you a lie!"

[Choicelady320]

03:11 PM on 05/04/2011

Where do you get the "obviously quite wealthy" idea??????? You are conflating liberal social justice orientations with conservative ones, modest people to poor people with those who have lavish incomes and lifestyles. Apples and oranges, and you are making NO sense saying they are the same.

This is the kind of nonsense that would make your grandfather blush. Did you even READ the article? If this passes for analysis, heaven help you.

[SilentSolidarity]

04:21 AM on 04/29/2011

The National Council of Churches has often been on the better side.

Most right-wingers don't attend their congregations. You'll find these folks in independent denominations. The most famous is The Southern Baptist Convention (you know, the church that split form the National baptist Church so that it can support war).

[Choicelady320]

03:15 PM on 05/04/2011

Absolutely. There are two basic strands of Christian faith in America, one that focuses entirely on personal salvation and thus individualism and the other on following Christ's teachings about bringing a better world here and now. That is the social justice and social gospel tradition. The latter is of centuries-old standing which the former is actually quite recent and evolved during the 19th century in part to justify some few people becoming wealthy at the expense of others. The Social Gospel is coming back since it is obvious that for the last 40 years we have destroyed the fabric of a society once built on fulfilling the general welfare and not just making a few people stinking rich. The NCC and its allied members DO believe that the purpose of faith includes justice at the governmental level where we all, in a democracy, have equal value.

[ZENNEPHI]

03:32 AM on 04/29/2011

..."Who are these Children coming down, coming down like ancient rain from silver
skys...Strangers from a realm of light who had forgotten love, the memory of there
former lives, the future of there call...And so they must learn why there here and who
they really are, they must learn why there here and who the are..." {tm}
Intellectial Reserves-"Saturdays Warrior"
[Lex DeAzevedo Soundtrack, Don Williams Director]
Embreyo Records/Deseret Book

The termination of a pregnancy should be Legal, Safe and Rare.
Regardless of term/tri-mester.
A Clarion Call to control Our Numbers!!!
Opting for Adoption. "It's About Love".

[Talismancer]

01:40 AM on 04/29/2011

Incredible that the very people who voted for the Republicans over issues like abor.tion and gay marriage now have the gall to exploit the very budget cuts they voted for to look holier-than-thou! The hypocrisy is too hard to bear...

[sansainte]

05:13 PM on 04/29/2011

I don't think we can blame all Christian leaders for the exploits that have been taken by the Tea Party and the Fundies because not all Christian leaders participated. We have no way of knowing who these people voted for and should be careful not to paint everyone who professes to be a Christian with one brush. I am a Christian. I am a Roman Catholic. I did not vote for any Republicans. Let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater. I know it's easy because the "christians" who support these crackpot measures think they speak for the entire Christian Community. They do not. Not anymore than a handful of idiots that took down the twin towers spoke for the entire Muslim Community. I don't buy your premise for a second.

[Choicelady320]

03:18 PM on 05/04/2011

Honey - HALF of American Christians are moderate to very progressive. We get NO attention from the MSM because we are reasonable and non-violent. We were one of the main voices FOR health care reform, and we surely did NOT back the GOP/Baggers at the polls. Took a LOT of secular folks swallowing the RW Kool Aid to get that done - AND a lot of sniffy progressives NOT voting to make sure the RW won. We in the progressive faith community did our part to move us to a compassionate policy arena - now the rest of you - do yours.

[flinthfp]

07:35 PM on 04/28/2011

In contrast the "Circle Of OPPRESSION" is being imposed by one of the major players in causing this mess AKA the S&P ..
They issued an ultimatum to the White House and Congress after lowering the USA outlook from "stable" to "negative" demanding an agreement on savage austerity measures ahead of the 2012 elections so that the elections would in NO WAY become a referendum on austerity measures and to avoid the electorate having any SAY in the matter.

[flinthfp]

07:12 PM on 04/28/2011

Isaiah 10:1-2
Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless.

[bearchao]

09:19 PM on 04/28/2011

"Isaiah 10:1-2
Woe to those who make unjust laws,..."

barechao 6:10pm
Woe to those who put these people in power in order to deny homosexuals equal protection under the law and deny women the right to choose, for they shall pay for their ignorance and hatred. And the homosexuals and women so oppressed shall shed not a single tear on their behalf.

[Choicelady320]

03:21 PM on 05/04/2011

bearchao - do you not see that flinthfp is supporting you? No? How sad. We in the faith community worked long and hard to support GLBT rights, marriage equality, etc. and in the mainline Protestant denominations, the MAJORITY support these issues. So don't go all snark - you kill off your friends then whom do you have left?

[ruth pearl]

04:05 PM on 04/28/2011

I really wish the Religious Left would take a hard look at itself.. If it cares about "Peace"
than protest the Hamas-Muslim Brotherhood rally tomorrow in California. Show those of us who doubt your motive that you care about the raging anti-Semitism infecting this country.
http://wwwtwosetsofbooks.blogspot.com/2011/04/arnold-schwarzeneggers-muslim.html

[Choicelady320]

03:23 PM on 05/04/2011

No raging anti-Semitism (Arabs being Semitic people as well, BTW) but yes a very strong anti-ZIONISM which has become imperialistic, violent, and unsustainable. We love Israel and want the best for her - and the best, not the worst, FROM her. Israeli actions bring this condemnation, not anti-Semitism. NO to Zionism. YES to Israel as a peaceful nation. Simple as that.