Their concern is massive ad blitz on Christian and country-music stations across 10 states. The ads, funded by a left-leaning coalition, urge support for congressional legislation to curb greenhouse-gas emissions -- by framing the issue as an urgent matter of Biblical morality.
"As our seas rise, crops wither and rivers run dry, God's creation cries out for relief," begins one ad, narrated by an evangelical megachurch pastor. Another opens with a reference to the Gospel of John, slams energy interests for fighting the bill, and concludes: "Please join the faithful in speaking out against the powerful."
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Another left-leaning religious coalition will begin airing scripture-citing radio ads in key congressional districts this weekend, calling for legislation to make health insurance more affordable. The coalition -- which includes Faith in Public Life, Sojourners and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good -- also is distributing an eight-page guide, full of Biblical quotes and health-care statistics, to encourage pastors to raise the issue in sermons.
What an excellent development! Moderates and progressives ceded faith-based policy arguments to the right about 30 years ago. Look at the mess that made: the poor are poorer, the rich are richer and the planet is on an unstable path to a new climate condition, possibly unfriendly to life as we live it. Letting the right own religion has been especially disastrous for moderate and progressive voices in the South where church based social networks are hugely influential. A few unchallenged -- and loud -- voices from the right can and do sway entire congregations on election day.
As Congress begins work on climate legislation to protect God’s creation, a great assembley of church leaders are backing a bill that supports working families and the poor and provides rebates directly to consumers to offset rising energy costs.
But Southern Company, the energy conglomerate that owns Alabama and Georgia Power, has unleashed an army of lobbyists to fight the faith community and threaten law makers working to provide resources to American families.
Why? Because Southern Company wants all the money instead.
As tough as that is on the greedy, the health care ads are even worse, touting the "limitless value" of every person's life. Introduced by a local pastor, these ads are targeted to specific states and intended to put pressure on waffling "moderate" Senators from those states. This one is airing in Arkansas, where Sen. Blanche Lincoln is on the ballot next year.
Arkansans are working harder than ever, but health care is becoming less and less affordable. It's just not right. Every person, created in the image of God, is of limitless value.
Limitless value of every person, with its implied charge to treat every life as a precious commodity, is a bitter pill for fat cats whose preferred strategy is to use people up, throw them away and maximize profits. There is also a push to "hold a health care Sabbath/Sunday" this spring and summer to "to pray and teach about health care and its impact on families, create an opportunity for people to share their health care stories, and provide concrete steps that people can take to make their voices heard in the national health care reform debate." If your place of worship hasn't held one, why not suggest it? The moral and ethical implications of access to health care are huge and impact virtually everyone. You can also see if your clergy member has signed a letter to Congress outlining health care priorities of the faith community.
It's high time for progressives to return moral and ethical arguments to our quiver of political weapons -- we have the moral high ground on most issues and the business interests know it. That's why they're increasingly anxious at the awakening of the religious left.
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