Christians from political left and right sign 'Civility Covenant'

CNN ^ | March 25, 2010 | Dan Gilgoff

[Colofornian]

A group of more than 100 prominent Christians ranging from evangelical minister Jim Wallis on the political left to...Chuck Colson on the right released a document Thursday calling for an end to the fight club tone of the national political discourse.

...the "Civility Covenant"...says...churches have too often "reflected the political divisions of our culture rather than the unity we have in the body of Christ."

SNIP

...the covenant...has 114 signatories from a broad swath of Christian traditions, including the president of the National Association of Evangelicals, the head of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and the general superintendent of the Assemblies of God...

The list...includes...conservative Christian leaders like Harry Jackson -- who led the unsuccessful fight against gay marriage in Washington -- to Morna Murray, president of the progressive Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, which is close to the Obama White House.

SNIP

Quoting the New Testament, the new covenant urges Christians to "put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you."

"We owe a certain responsibility to each other as believers," said Colson, an influential evangelical Christian voice. "This doesn't mean I haven't challenged some people's theology. But the document says we're not going to challenge each other's motives or engage in ad hominem attacks."

SNIP

...Wallis organized a boycott of Beck's show but says the timing of the covenant's release is incidental.

Colson said the document "wouldn't apply to Glenn Beck because we're talking about the conversation in the family of believers ... Glenn Beck is a Mormon."

Many Christians don't consider Mormons...to be Christians, though Mormons consider themselves Christian...

[SoConPubbie]

the "Civility Covenant"...says...churches have too often "reflected the political divisions of our culture rather than the unity we have in the body of Christ."

Colson starts off wrong. Instead of falsely including them in the Body of Christ, he should have called them to Repentence.

Given he gets this wrong, I have a hard time believing he is accurately discerning the problem.

[marron]

Leftists who masquerade as religious hate being called on it. Wallis is passing this thing around trying to preempt any criticism of the marxists who are infiltrating churches.

Beck is right. If your church is promoting marxist “social justice” you need to get down the road. If your church is promoting gay marriage and elevating unrepentant homosexuals into positions of authority, you need to get down the road.

If you don’t like that a mormon is saying it, fine. It doesn’t make it less true. This applies to catholics and evangelicals and high-church protestants as well. If your priest or minister is promoting marxism disguised as gospel, find another church or parish. If you can get him replaced, great, but if you can’t, move on.

[SoConPubbie]

the "Civility Covenant"...says...churches have too often "reflected the political divisions of our culture rather than the unity we have in the body of Christ."

Sorry, but you're getting it wrong.

A Christian is only a Christian if he is born-again. A person can call themselves a Christian all day long, but if their life does not reflect the Love of God, and they are not living above sin in their own life, it is a false title.

[El Cid]

From what I’ve seen and heard from this guy Jim Wallis, he has perverted the Gospel and isn’t a true Christian.

Agreed. I don't pretend to know anyone's heart (that's God's domain) - but this fellow Wallis, who postures as a 'Christian' of some sorts, is not preaching Christ crucified, Risen, and Reigning. He's preaching some kind of marxist, Big Government is 'god', blasphemy...

Galatians 1:7b-8
... but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

I certainly wouldn't be signing anything with Wallis' name on it...

[svcw]

bitttt

[cripplecreek]

I suspect there’s an attempt to infect the traditional churches with the whole marxist liberation theology thing.

There was a “white pride” rally near me last weekend that consisted of 10 people. Now the local churches both left and right have joined up to hold a “unity” march. All over 10 morons claiming to be racist in a town that doesn’t have a history of racism.

There is something very suspect going on in America.

[hoagy62]

So, what then? Do we shoot to kill everyone who disagrees with us? If we’re not supposed to be civil, then what?

Remember something: The Christians that were persecuted by the Roman Empire were burned at the stake, crucified, fed to lions, attacked, ridiculed, and so forth. In no instance I can ever remember did I ever hear of them fighting back.

Meek is not weak. It is power under control. We can rationally argue our case without being ‘in your face’. We can be civil. Commies, libs, and Marxists cannot. They attack us, who looks better?

Yes...we turn the other cheek. If you’re a Christian, even if you are KILLED, it matters not. WE know where we GO when we’re done on this Earth. And we know where THEY go as well.

[Junior_G]

Leftist Christians is like virgin prostitutes.

Leftist Christians are more like Jewish Nazis. They do understand that the Democratic party hates Christians, right?

[bfree]

I wouldn’t sign anything with the devil democraps. Screw them.

I HATE every liberal out there and am proud to say it. If they all die tonight, I would celebrate tomorrow, especially if our gay muslim communist pig prez goes first.

I guess I’m not a good Christian, but I am a good American. LOL

[marron]

Meek is not weak. It is power under control.

Yes, you are right. We are civil because we are civil. We are civil generally even when our opponents are not. We generally treat everyone with respect, even our opponents, because that is the way we are, or at least, that is how we aspire to be.

But if a communist asks you to sign an agreement promising to be civil, when you are civil anyway by nature, you should probably check the fine print. Or better yet, keep your pen in your pocket.

[Melas]

Don’t pay the mortgage. This WILL collapse the system.

This has to be the single most ignorant piece of advice I've ever seen on Free Republic in my 9 years here. Don't pay the mortgage, the bank forecloses, Sheriff's deputies escort you from the premises and good luck finding someone willing to sell/rent you something decent with that on your credit report.

[ought-six]

I have no idea who Jim Wallis is. In any event, I am not bound by any agreement I have not signed or accepted, so I don’t give a damn about this so-called document.

[cripplecreek]

Jim Wallis is Obama’s spiritual advisor.

[hoagy62]

True. I don’t need to sign my name to a document to ask me to be civil. I’ve already got a Book that tells me to.

[Jemian]

It is disingenuous for those on the left to sign this and it is totally naive for those on the right to go along.

[Melas]

Well said. Kudos.

[ought-six]

I thought Jeremiah Wright was his guru. Where did this Wallis guy come from?

[Jemian]

It is disingenuous for those on the left to sign this and it is totally naive for those on the right to go along.

[cripplecreek]

Wright was too controversial so Obozo slipped Wallis in and hoped no one would notice.

From Wiki

The Reverend Jim Wallis (b. June 4, 1948, Detroit, Michigan) is an evangelical Christian writer and political activist, best known as the founder and editor of Sojourners magazine, and of the Washington, D.C.-based Christian community of the same name.

Wallis actively eschews political labels, but his advocacy tends to focus on issues of peace and social justice, earning him his primary support from the religious left. Wallis is also known for his opposition to the religious right's fiscal and foreign policies.[1]

Speaking to a conference of clergy from the Anglican Diocese of Liverpool (The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire, UK, 23 June 2009) Wallis said, "The press don't get it - they say, 'Have you replaced the religious right with the religious left?'" Rather, he says that his Christian commitment does not allow him to align with any political wing - on some issues, his views would be counted as coming from the left, on others, from the right. "Don't go left, don't go right: go deeper."

[sport]

No big deal for me.

I parted company with Sarah Palin when she campaigned for John Mc Cain.

I used to listen to him on the radio, but I will change that.

Colson can go his way and I will go mine. I will have no part or parcel with left.