Oregon's Religious Community A Winner In Measures 66 / 67 Election

The press is busy doing their “winners and losers” columns in the wake of the popular vote in favor of Oregon’s Measures 66 and 67. One group that keeps getting forgotten is Oregon’s religious community. The Archdiocese of Portland was joined by Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, the statewide association of Roman Catholic, Mainline and Orthodox Christians, in supporting the measures. Also working for passage of 66 and 67 was the evangelical Oregon Center for Christian Values. The Oregon Board of Rabbis joined the campaign and so did hundreds of individual clergy and other religious leaders, along with a number of individual congregations. Statements of support also came from denominational bodies, such as the Justice and Witness Ministries of the Central Pacific Conference of the United Church of Christ. In short, religious groups that sometimes disagree on important issues like abortion and gay marriage pulled together in this election for the common good of our Oregon. We did so because we know that budgets are moral documents and that well funded education, public safety and social service programs are essential for a society to be both moral and just.  The religious community isn't a "winner" in the election because our political clout has grown, of course.  We win when people are taken care of and last night the people of Oregon voted to try and take care of their own.  I'm proud that Oregon's religious community played such a significant role.