As the stand off between workers and Governor Scott Walker continues in Wisconsin, religious leaders have weighed in on the dispute. Roman Catholic bishops came out on the side of the unions, urging the governor to protect worker's rights. Many mainline pastors, including Lutherans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Methodists, Congregationalists, and American Baptists have written letters, issued statements, and preached sermons supporting labor, unions, and collective bargaining. In Madison, interfaith prayers and proclamations have upheld and encouraged the teachers, police, firefighters, and other public employees in their resistance to the governor's plan to break their union.
This is an impressive religious group by any standards--particularly so in Wisconsin where traditional faith still plays an important role in the life of a large number of its citizens. Wisconsin is almost evenly split between the three largest American religious groups: 29% are Roman Catholics; 24% are evangelical Protestants; and 23% are mainline Protestants.
Yet none of these prayers or sermons has swayed Scott Walker. He has steadfastly stayed on his original course, unfazed by the full weight of Roman Catholic authority or the mainline social justice tradition pressing upon him and urging him toward compromise and change.
Scott Walker is neither Roman Catholic nor a mainline churchgoer. The son of a Baptist pastor, born in Colorado Springs, the heartland of the Religious Right, Walker is a member of Meadowbrook Church in Wauwatosa, a non-denominational evangelical church. Meadowbrook's statement of faith, a fairly typical boilerplate of conservative evangelical theology, includes beliefs in biblical inerrancy, sin, exclusive salvation through Christ, and eternal damnation.
In other words, Scott Walker does not give a rip about pronouncements by the Roman Catholic Church, any Lutheran, Episcopal, or Methodist bishop, or the Protestant social justice pastors. These religious authorities, steeped in centuries of theology and Christian ethics mean absolutely nothing in Scott Walker's world. His spiritual universe is that of 20th century fundamentalism, in its softer evangelical form, a vision that emphasizes "me and Jesus" and personal salvation.
Before he was elected governor, Walker shared his testimony with a group of Christian businessmen. In it, he said that his religious life was expressed in the words of an old hymn, "Trust and Obey." From childhood onward, Walker recounted how God specifically directed his life, how he had learned to trust that direction, and how he sought to obey Christ in all things and at all times. He related the biblical story of the apostle Peter in a boat, whom Jesus directed to walk on the water. At first, Peter followed Jesus and did, indeed, walk upon water. But Peter became fearful and sank. According to Walker, this is a parable of the whole Christian life. If you "fail to trust and obey," Walker said, "You sink." Doubt is not allowed. Only obedience.
This is the same sort of evangelical spirituality that shaped George W. Bush--and led to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Once you know God's direction, no change is allowed. Doubt opens the door to failure. Obeying Christ's plan is the only option. In this theological universe, hard-headedness is a virtue, compromise is the work of the Devil, and anything that works to accomplish God's plan is considered ethically justifiable.
In other words, the Catholic bishops and mainline pastors--as well as the Quakers, Jews, Buddhists, and others--who have been trying to convince the governor to shift course are pretty well preaching in the wind. Other than David Koch (fake or otherwise), Walker is listening to One Person and One Person only: Jesus speaking directly to him. God, evidently, has directed him on his current path. Scott's just trusting and obeying. He bears no responsibility other than that.
Unlike the Roman Catholics and traditional Protestants who have spoken on behalf of the laborers, Walker has no spiritual "check" on him, no authority other than the ones he hears in his own head, and no moral culpability in this situation. He's the good Christian soldier, just following God's lead.
And this is why Scott Walker's religion is actually dangerous in the public square. Because it lacks the ability to compromise, it is profoundly anti-democratic. Many faith traditions actually possess deep spiritual resources that allow them to participate in pluralistic, democratic, and creative political change. But those sort of traditions tend emphasize the love of God and neighbor over strict obedience to an unyielding Father God. Despite anything Scott Walker might say, the confident dictum of the old hymn, "Trust and Obey" is not the best way to govern a state.
Read more: http://blog.beliefnet.com/christianityfortherestofus/#ixzz1F0NKlm6K
Follow Diana Butler Bass on Twitter: www.twitter.com/dianabutlerbass
Certainly you have a right to your opinion and to propagate it, as do the clergy of the various sects you cite. You might want to go to one of the original sources of the instructions for Jews and Christians: the Hebrew or the Christian Bible. In both we are told to do unto others as we would have them do to us. Now this is open to interpretation, of course. What I don't understand is why your interpretation is better, more correct, conforms better with the intention of the law-giver than that of others.
It the person Christians accept as the Son of God and the Savior of humankind is reported to have said, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's" (AV) -- are you asserting that labor relations are a thing that belongs to God?
You evidently set yourself and those whose opinions you use to buttress your argument on a rather high pedestal.
We may be on the same side of the unionization of public service employees, but by bringing Gov. Walker's religion, or lack thereof, into the discussion, is IMHO off-topic, foolish and peverse.
Diane please don't put yourself into a place you know nothing about "Christian doctrine" when it comes to Jesus and whom he was speaking too in your choice scripture references. He spoke to Israel not the Church "Christians" remember he came for Israel not to establish a Christian church.
Governor Walker is accountable to his state and those who elected him not to God. His relationship with his savior is personal and you nor anyone can judge his position with his savior. He like yourself was found guilty of sin by birth and nature and he has been justified by the death and resurrection of Christ and the washing of his blood sacrifice and his belief of this referred act by Christ. It's as simple as that. God does not give a rip about social justice, the god of this world does but again please keep to what you know, socialism, marxist views but Christianity is not your strong point.
Voting is the way to handle the matter, not skipping work and picketing the capitol.
Unions have an almost insurmountable advantage: large memberships whose members can be turned out en bloc and who, like robots, will vote as their union has decided. This is based on the dictum of Benjamin Franklin: if we do not hang together, we shall all surely hang separately.
If you favor what the Republicans did, make a note on your calendar, pin one to your refrigerator door, or wherever you post important reminders: Vote in the 2012 election. If you stay home, you lose your right to complain as well as giving the election to the unions.
It's not even internally consistent in it's argument. She lambastes the Gov. for not "give a rip about pronouncements by the [RCC],... or the Protestant social justice pastors" and chastises him for having "no spiritual 'check' on him," but at the same time claims he's under the influence of "20th century fundamentalism." So though her argument, if it is to be even remotely impartial, depends on him being a lone ranger, a "me and Jesus" Christian, she spends her fourth paragraph painting him as influenced by the culture of the religious and political right. He can't be influenced by no humans and some humans at the same time!
On another note, she paints the RCC and mainline protestants as THE shining ethical light and force for good in the world. The RCC issue is a little more complex, but the honest truth is that mainline protestantism hasn't been relevant to anyone outside America since WWI. Unlike America, the rest of the world found it difficult to side with the theological streams and theologians who supported WWI and turned away from Christianity or sharply toward conservative branches of it.
There are issues like abortion and gay marriage where I simply cannot stand with my fellow Conservatives because when you get down to the very root of why they believe so strongly that abortion should be outlawed or that gay marriage should not be recognized---it is because that is what there religion demands of them. Religion and government should NEVER mix. For them to push these issues on the American citizenry is paramount to them foisting their religion on others. They have every right to not have an abortion, etc.----but they do not have a right to demand that me and my girlfriend cannot because it conflicts with THEIR religion.
I do not see Scott walker foisting his religion on the public with his current bill. And I support him in his efforts.
This line in the last paragraph tells me what I need to know. This article isn't really about unions or union workers. It's about demonizing the beliefs of conservative Christians. I'm sure Scott Walker's decisions don't come from hearing direct commands from God on union politics but his decisions are informed by his Christian moral compass. Everyone bases their decisions on what they believe is right or they think is best for the overall situation. Maybe he's just showing leadership.
Scott Walker showed his willingness to lie and deceive in order to get his way. That is not leadership, nor is it morality. Walker can put on it whatever spin he likes. There is nothing Christian about his crusade, his violations of the law, and his unwillingness to compromise or negotiate.
Even God is willing to reason with those who disagree with Him (read Isaiah 1). Walker refuses to pick up the phone.
If they quote from the old testament for guidance, don't take them seriously. Watch Religulous, and Zeitgeist.
Also, anyone who spends a lot of time telling the world how religious they are, is not following Christ.
Just because he has his own concept of religion makes him an out of control bad person, it is the specific beliefs he espouses that belie his claims of Christianity.
As someone who is the son of, the grandson of and the great grandson of Baptist ministers, missionaries and evangelical leader, I sure don't see any traces of Baptist ethics, values, polity and policy reflected in Governor Walker's career.
Unfortunately since Fallwell et al, many Baptists have become BINOs aka Baptists in Name Only or EINOs aka Evangelicals in Name Only.
I would have to say he is obeying the voting population of Wisconsin.
WALKER WAS ELECTED BY PEOPLE TO DO WHAT PEOPLE WANT!! If he was not an elected official, that question may be relevant.
If you want Walker to do what Jebus or god wants, take it up with them first.
No need to be angry, and it is not prejudice to want to be free of others to know yourself. In fact, it is written in the constitution. No need to take it personally, it just different strokes for different folks.
As I see it, the beauty of the Christian religion is that it is in full compliance with the USA constitution. It's not my business if others are or aren't, it is the business of the government (executive, legislative, judicial) to ensure that the constitution is being followed. When we all work in that harmony, doing our job, we will be at peace, though some may still stew in anger that they can't subjugate and oppress others.
Don't covet your neighbors good, cherish your own. Don't covet your neighbors thinking, cherish your own.
Vote the theocrats out? Hmm, maybe, but replace their oppression with who's? Vote good people in who understand, who get it.
As I see it, the Christian religion is not at all in compliance w/ the constitution. Lev 24:15-18 "15 Say to the Israelites: ‘Anyone who curses their God will be held responsible; 16 anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD is to be put to death. The entire assembly must stone them. Whether foreigner or native-born, when they blaspheme the Name they are to be put to death.
17 “‘Anyone who takes the life of a human being is to be put to death. 18 Anyone who takes the life of someone’s animal must make restitution—life for life. "
Is this the beauty you were talking about or is this another part you're going to tell me doesn't count. I hope you don't turn this onto me about subjugating and oppressing others, because this is your book, mine is opposing those that want to march backward toward this end!