Christian Leaders Demand Social Justice on Capitol Hill

Christian (itching ear scratching) Post (online) ^ | 3-11-08 | Ethan Cole

[Terriergal]

Hundreds of Christian leaders marched to Capitol Hill to meet with their representatives and convey their message of social justice and peace to cap off a large annual ecumenical gathering Monday.

Tue, Mar. 11, 2008 Posted: 16:20:04 PM EST

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Hundreds of Christian leaders marched to Capitol Hill to meet with their representatives and convey their message of social justice and peace to cap off a large annual ecumenical gathering Monday.

The President of the National Council of Churches USA, Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, in preparation for Monday’s advocacy told participants of the Ecumenical Advocacy Days that Christians have a biblical responsibility to help the poor and ease suffering around the world, according to NCCUSA.

Aykazian gave the Sunday message standing on a platform surrounded with portraits of Iraqi refugees and the boots of American soldiers killed in Iraq – symbols of people who need Christian support.

"We must act together to bring justice and freedom to people all over the world," he urged, "Because it is the right thing to do."

Between 26,000 to 30,000 children die each day due to poverty, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

"Each day!" Aykazian said. "They (children) die in small villages far from the lenses of television cameras. We must help them, we simply must. Our faith must inspire us to act."

After the Sunday message, delegates to the ecumenical gathering anointed one another with oil to call on God’s blessing for each other when they take their message to Capitol Hill.

The theme of this year's Ecumenical Advocacy Days Conference was "2008: Claiming Vision of True Security," with Aykazian stressing the message of previous speakers that true security is not achieved through military intervention.

"We have come together these past few days to figure out what this should mean to us, perhaps generating a new collective understanding of what security means and how we can achieve it," he said. "Can we signify something other than the methods and means of defense? I believe we can, and we should. We must rely on our faith, where we will find our security."

Other issues discussed during the ecumenical gathering were U.S. involvement in Iraq, American dependence on oil, security issues, poverty, and the war on terror.

Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice is a movement of the ecumenical Christian community that originated in the National Council of Churches USA to strengthen the Christian voice and mobilize for advocacy on a wide range of U.S. domestic and international policy issues. It began in 2003 with some 400 religious advocates, and grew to more than 1,000 leaders in 2007.

Ethan Cole
Christian Post Reporter

[Terriergal]

Surprising that the heretic Jim Wallis and the apostate Sojourners/Call to Renewal isn't mentioned. Surely they were involved in something like this!

[mnehring]

...Christians have a biblical responsibility to help the poor and ease suffering around the world, according to NCCUSA.

Then they (NCCUSA) should do something themselves instead of taking the apathetic/liberal approach, demanding someone else (the Government) do this for them.

[svcw]

WRONG, it is the churches responsibility to take care of these issues, not the governments. Idiots.

[AppyPappy]

I thought liberals hated mixing politics and religion.

< gomer voice>
You did a U-turn
Separation of church and state
Separation of church and state
< /gomer >

[Just mythoughts]

So did this bunch walk or bicycle themselves to WDC to demonstrate their independence from that drug ‘oil’? Or are they getting their oil on the cheap from Chavez?

[John Leland 1789]

“WRONG, it is the churches responsibility to take care of these issues, not the governments. Idiots.”

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Correct. There is an awful lot of wealth floating around in thousands of member churchs of the NCCC. Let themn use their own money first.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

Here's my chance to post this list of apostates again. Freepers, get out NOW!!!

Note the United Church of Christ. If you belong to one of these churches, you have a lot in common with Obama and the Wrong Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

• African Methodist Episcopal Church
• The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
• Alliance of Baptists
• American Baptist Churches in the USA
• Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
• Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
• Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
• Church of the Brethren
• The Coptic Orthodox Church in North America
• The Episcopal Church
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
• Friends United Meeting
• Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
• Hungarian Reformed Church in America
• International Council of Community Churches
• Korean Presbyterian Church in America
• Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
• Mar Thoma Church
• Moravian Church in America Northern Province and Southern Province
• National Baptist Convention of America
• National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc.
• National Missionary Baptist Convention of America
• Orthodox Church in America
• Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the USA
• Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
• Polish National Catholic Church of America
• Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
• Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.
• Reformed Church in America
• Serbian Orthodox Church in the U.S.A. and Canada
• The Swedenborgian Church
• Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch
• Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America
• United Church of Christ
• The United Methodist Church •

[svcw]

That is the Biblical way.

[John Leland 1789]

“That is the Biblical way.”

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I guess we might as well say it: Biblical ways are not a priority in the NCCC.

[chs68]

""Each day!" Aykazian said. "They (children) die in small villages far from the lenses of television cameras. We must help them, we simply must. Our faith must inspire us to act.""

I wonder how many of these "Christian Leaders" march to the steps of the Supreme Court on January 22 each year.

Because, "each day! thousands of unborn children die in abortion clinic far from the lenses of television cameras"

I bet that there are precious few of these "Christian Leaders who would say about unborn children that "We must help them, we simply must. Our faith must ."inspire us to act

[chs68]

"If you belong to one of these churches, you have a lot in common with Obama and the Wrong Rev. Jeremiah Wrigt."

Please.

Some of us belong to churches within the denominations you list. And some of us are workikng -- quite vigorously -- for reform within those denominations, understanding the the denomination is in need of reform.

It is just not accurate to say that if people belong to one of the denominations you list, then it means that they "have a lot in common with Obama and Jeremiah Wright.

I belong to one of those denominations, and my beliefs are quite different from those of Obama and Wright.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

I am not sure it is the church's responsibility or the government's. It is a sign of decency to give to the poor and needy. Certainly the Christian should be decent. But the responsibility of government is not to redistribute wealth, though I do think good government puts a safety net in place for the most innocent and vulnerable, like homeless children. We do not want starving children begging in the streets do we?

The responsibility of the church is to preach the gospel. I have no problem with Christians grouping together to tackle temporal problems in a fallen world. Like I said, it is an attribute of decent, civilized people. We just need to remember that it is no sin to be rich or poor, and that very often the difference has a direct correlation to work ethic. You reap what you sow. Your offspring also reap what you sow as well as what they sow, and if they learned to be an illiterate, complaining, chump from you then they will reap the fruits of that. It is unjust to force productive people to aid others in their bad habits and sinful lifestyles. So there are many things to weigh.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

Sorry. If you do, you do not object to the United Church of Christ of which the Wrong Rev. Jeremiah Wright is pastor, strongly enough to get out.

I understand. I was there where you are once, too. Now, that I've left, I have nothing but contempt for this deadful bunch. They have no interest in saving your soul. They want you use you as a statistic for their liberal agenda.

You cannot deny that you have your membership in the NCC in common with the United Church of Christ. It is a fact.

[epow]

The President of the National Council of Churches USA, Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, in preparation for Monday’s advocacy told participants of the Ecumenical Advocacy Days that Christians

That was enough to stop me from reading any farther. The article started off with a false premise when it put the National Council of Churches and the word "Christian" in the same sentence. The NCC is part of the WCC (World Council of Churches) and neither is any more representative of the Church of Jesus Christ than a Hindu temple. The apostate mainline Protestant denominations both in the US and Europe began withdrawing from the true Church of Jesus Christ over a century ago and have gradually completed the withdrawal process over the last 50 years.

True Christian churches whether Protestant or not would not have any part in such an amalgamation of heretical "Christians" as the WCC, some of whose members still profess to believe in the God of the bible but in their own perverted interpretation of His and His Son's identity, and other more radical "Christians" who have completely severed ties between themselves and anything resembling the true Christian faith and have taken up with collectivist radicals who would nuke the US in a NY minute if they ever got the chance.

[svcw]

Wow. I profoundly disagree that it is not the churches responsibility.

We are commanded to take care of widows, orphans, feed the hungry and clothe the naked.

Let the government make interstate highways and defend the shores.

Let us as a church take care of the needy both physically and spiritually.

[chs68]

"Sorry. If you do, you do not object to the United Church of Christ of which the Wrong Rev. Jeremiah Wright is pastor, strongly enough to get out."

I do, in fact, object -- quite strongly -- to the things that Jeremiah Wright has said.

And, even though I am not a member of any church within the United Church of Christ denomination, I object to many of the things they teach.

But simply because my own denomination is a part of the NCC does not mean that I, or for that matter most of the members of the church I attend, agreed with everything the United Church of Christ says. Or with what Jeremian Wright says.

That would be sort of like saying, during the 1990's, that those of us in the USA agreed with everything Bill Clinton said or did.

I didn't agree with what Bill Clinton said and did during his presidency. But I did not leave the USA.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Anyone can take care of widows, orphans, feed the hungry and clothe the naked. There is nothing unique to being a Christian in that. Should Christians do these things? Sure, especially for those whom God has sovereignly placed in their path -- family, co-worthers, neighbors, friends. Ah, but there is usually little glory in helping that needy family member. Who is going to hear about it? No, people much prefer to blow a trumpet in the streets (so to speak) and announce their charity to orphans in Africa, victims of Katrina, or something else that might garner attention and praise. The thing about temporal needs is that they never end. Those hungry orphans are going to be nervy enough to want to keep being fed their entire lives. Let's at least recognize a first principle here. God designed every child to have a mother and a father whose responsiblity it is to care for the child. Then there is extended family. When cultures live according to that basic design, neither the government nor the church has much to do. When extended families take care of their own needy, isn't that even better than having strangers do it?

There are layers upon layers of principles to consider and prioritize. Charity, be it government or church sponsored, has become way too much about glorifying the givers and way too little about offering real solutions.

Truth is, death, poverty, disaster....are all here to stay in this sin sick world. The best solution for everyone suffering is to receive forgiveness for their sins through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and to submit their lives to the God who governs all. That is the unique Christian answer. That is what the church is responsible for. You, as an individual Christian, have God given responsibilities first to your own family and neighbors. Who is needy among them? Can you help them without praise?

[svcw]

Can you help them without praise? Yes.

The Glory belongs to the Kingdom, it is not mine.

[joebuck]

"..that Christians have a biblical responsibility to help the poor and ease suffering around the world,"

Most Christian Churches I know already do this themselves and have been for a long, long time. These guys just talk about it. Interesting that in the entire article I didn't see these guys say a thing about the importance of preaching the Gospel to all these poor, impoverished people around the world. This is the tip off their motivations aren't really Christian but political.

[Dogbert41]

They are from the church of the antichrist. Nothing more.