The Faith and Freedom Conference is being held right now in Washington, D.C. This event for conservative Christians was put together by Ralph Reed, the disgraced former head of the Christian Coalition who preached morality all the while taking gambling money from corrupt figures like Jack Abramoff, and has brought out most of the GOP's 2012 presidential field.
Thus far the candidates have used the forum to talk about their faith and understanding of morality. It has been a gross display where the candidates and activists gathered have confused the Christian faith with the GOP platform. One Faith and Freedom Conference fan sent me this "tweet" last night that summed up the mood:
That's a hard case to make. The GOP is proposing historic cuts to health care programs for seniors, food assistance for kids, and other efforts that help families lift themselves out of poverty. At the same time, they are proposing cuts to environmental protection programs and the "pro-life" party that cares so deeply for the unborn is trying hard to slash programs that protect children. As I've said, the GOP's budget proposals are theologically immoral.
U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann ended her speech before the gathering with a prayer. The Wasington Post reports:
In her closing prayer, Bachmann asked for God to forgive America for its sins, saying, “We ask that once again you turn your face towards us,” and closing her petition “in your son’s holy name.”
In Scripture, God always reserves harsh judgement for societies that abandon the poor - those Jesus called the least of these.
But unlike Backmann, I don't believe that God has turned away from America (or any part of the world). God's love for creation is steadfast. Yet God does warn there will be natural consequences when those who are in poverty and sick are left behind and abandoned.
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your doings
from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
17 learn to do good;
seek justice,
rescue the oppressed,
defend the orphan,
plead for the widow. (Isaiah 1:16-17 NRSV)
Republicans and Democrats should both remember that imporant teaching as they seek to govern our nation and set budget goals that reflect our deepest held moral beliefs.
