Dear Glenn,
You first urged Christians to leave churches that preached social justice. Today, you went further, saying that social justice "is a perversion of the gospel." Well, that says it all. Perhaps you don't realize that most Christians believe social, economic, and racial justice are at the heart of the gospel, not a perversion of it. You also engaged in a series of lies and distortions about me personally.
Glenn, could you please dispense with the personal attacks and get to the substance of what you and I are saying about social justice? I don't want to personally attack you, and I hope you will stop slandering me. Instead, let's have a conversation about whether social justice "is a perversion of the Gospel," as you say, or at the heart of the Gospel, as I say.
I know you are used to a monologue on your show and elsewhere, but let's have a dialogue -- civil, reasonable, respectful, moral, and, above all, biblical -- to discuss what you have charged. You asked people to leave their churches, a serious thing, so until we have a public dialogue about this, or until you apologize, I will keep asking people to stop watching your show.
And Glenn, we can't report our pastors to church authorities as you suggest, since our church authorities also believe that social justice is central to the gospel. Pope Benedict XVI and the National Association of Evangelicals would have to turn themselves in -- to themselves. So, because we can't do that, we will turn ourselves in to you, hoping our names will all be put on your backboard. Or, we could just talk about this in a civil manner.
Jim Wallis is the author of Rediscovering Values: On Wall Street, Main Street, and Your Street -- A Moral Compass for the New Economy, CEO of Sojourners and blogs at www.godspolitics.com.
Click here to tell Glenn Beck that you support social justice
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Jim Wallis: Glenn Beck Attacks Churches on Climate Change
I thought Glenn Beck must have moved on to other things, but the other night, he went back to his attack on social justice churches. This time the issue was climate change.
Glenn Beck - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
When the government extorts resources from Peter to pay Paul so Paul will vote for "progressive" candidates, true charity is not being displayed. Both Peter and Paul believe they're being used, and Paul considers the payment a "right".
When will the liberal, progressive clergy and Jim Wallis learn that when Jesus Christ said "render unto Caesar", He didn't mean "render unto Caesar, so that Caesar can keep folks under subjection via "social justice or income re-distribution, so they'll vote for Caesar".
We do not receive a dime in state, federal or local funds to do any of our work. It is 100% from the purses and strong backs of our parishioners that this social justice work is done. We ask nothing from government. So, exactly what have YOU done today to serve God?
When the government extorts resources from Peter to pay Paul so Paul will vote for "progressive" candidates, true charity is not being displayed. Both Peter and Paul believe they're being used, and Paul considers the payment a "right".
When will the liberal, progressive clergy learn that when Jesus Christ said "render unto Caesar", He didn't say "render unto Caesar, so that Caesar can keep folks under subjection via "social justice or income re-distribution", so they'll vote for Caesar".
They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied.
Then JESUS said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." (Mat 22:19-21)
Glenn Beck is surely against Jesus' teachings.
Well done Mr. Wallis.
We do not believe in judging our neighbor.
16 And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.
17 Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—
18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.
19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?
If you are robbed please don't call the Police because Social Justice pays for that.
Also remind yourself not to drive on the roads that were paid for by Social Justice.
1st Corinthians says, "If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal". That is Mr. Beck. He is a resounding gong. He is a noisemaker not a newsmaker.
Jesus told his disciples to "shake the dust off their feet" and move on. This is a case where I believe you should follow that very wise advise, Mr. Wallis. Your work is too important to get bogged down in the morass of Glenn Beck - it is a waste of your time and resources.
And Jesus said: "Love one another as I have loved you." Perhaps Rev. Wallis walks the talk.
Maybe we should thank Beck. If it wasn’t for him; we’d never known Jesus was a Nazi or Communist – or God forbid -- both. I am confused, though. Whom did Christians call upon for heavenly assistance to beat the Nazis during WWII and win the Cold War from the Commies? “Save the prayers to Jesus; pass the ammo!”
This proves the correlation; according to surveys, between few years of formal education and a conservative affiliation. There is something to be said for the benefits of a “liberal education” and the ability to discern fact from fiction.
Has the Palin Effect caused brains to become vestigial organs and rational thinking a sin against both God and man? (Yes, it has.) The proof is that few, if any, of his conservative family value Christian viewers will write Beck's sponsors or Fox Network seeking his removal. Rather, they’re going to demand Christ be removed from Christmas and the Nativity Scenes removed from public squares – leaving the sheep to graze aimlessly – a metaphor, indeed!