Our Moral Choice

Our Moral Choice
by Jim Wallis

On Tuesday, March 7, Jim Wallis spoke on Capitol Hill at a "Rally to
Protect America's Priorities" on the proposed 2007 budget, sponsored by
the Emergency Campaign for America's Priorities, ACORN, and the U.S.
Student Association. Following are his remarks.


I want to begin with what the Religious Community said all last year: A
budget is a moral document! That was our clarion cry in the 2006 budget
debate. If some political leaders haven't got the message yet - just wait
until this year.


You see, we believe that fiscal choices, economic choices are also moral
choices and, for us, even religious choices. Who is important? And who is
not? What is important? And what is not? Who do we most value? And who
don't we value at all? They are fiscal choices, but also moral and
religious matters.


Jesus actually got uncharacteristically judgmental about these kinds of
choices. He said, "As you have done to the least of these, you have done
to me." Are you paying attention yet, members of Congress?


Because of moral pressure - much of it from the religious community who
every day care for the poor that our national politics neglect - last
year's budget almost didn't pass. It took a fast trip home from Dick
Cheney to pass the budget in the Senate and, in the House, the final
budget measure only passed by a few votes. Some elected officials were
making new moral choices. But the White House and the Republican
leadership seem not to have gotten this message from the religious
community, by the look of the new budget they now propose. I thought we
were supposed to be their base?


You see a budget process is just a series of moral choices: tax cuts for
the wealthiest, or services for the poorest? Congressional pork and
earmarks, or investments in the common good? Searching for security
through endless expenditures for war, or seeking to end the insecurity of
poverty to make our nation stronger? Ignoring the costs of deficits for
our children's children, and making the most vulnerable pay the price of
fiscal responsibility; or sharing the burdens of financial responsibility
more fairly by not asking the poor to carry the heaviest load?


These are all moral choices. Those with the power to make budget proposals
have made their moral choices; and so will we. They are choosing to bestow
more windfalls of benefit on their wealthy donors - that's their moral
choice. We will stand up for the low-income families that we know and
serve and whom they will again ignore - no, assault - that's our moral
choice.


They are choosing the corruption of rewarding the special interests who
pay for them - that's their moral choice. We will defend those who have
the most need - that's our moral choice. They will place no limits on
money for wars that have no end, and weapons systems that have no need -
that's their moral choice. We will not let them cut vital programs of
nutrition, health care, child care, and education to pay for their bad
choices - that's our moral choice.


Here is what the biblical prophet Isaiah says about their moral choices:
"Woe to the legislators of infamous laws, to those who issue tyrannical
decrees, who refuse justice to the unfortunate and cheat the poor among my
people of their rights, and make widows their prey and rob the orphan."


Last Dec. 14, 115 Christians who work with the poor every day, interrupted
their works of compassion to come to the Capitol-to pray, preach, and
prophesy. And we were taken to jail. Mary Nelson, from Chicago, looked up
at the congressional staff and members looking out their windows and
invited them, "Come walk with us."


John Perkins, 75-year-old evangelical and Black church leader who has
spent his life in faithful ministry with poor people, told the story of
his mother's death from a nutritional deficiency when he was seven months
old. John said he was breastfeeding at the time and thought for years that
he had killed her. Only later, he said, did I realize that a white society
doesn't care about the nutrition of poor black women and their families.
And now they're trying to cut food stamps from this budget. Then he
emotionally said, "This is my last stand," before he was arrested.


Due in part to the pressure from religious community - we saved food
stamps from cuts. Now, the proposed cuts stamps are back. People should
know that many of those arrested last December voted for George Bush, some
twice. Now they get arrested to protest his moral choices. They were his
base, they are no longer.


The media noted that the words religious, Christian, even evangelical, are
no longer just alongside the words abortion and gay marriage, but now
alongside words like food stamps, health care, and education. Get used to
it. When the politicians pat faith-based organizations on the back for
doing such a wonderful job, they are now turning around and saying, "Stop
hurting the people we work with and care about!" Come walk with us.


After the vote, Republicans e-mailed me, "I just want you to know that I
voted against this budget and am listening to the religious community."
Bless you. Overcoming poverty must be a bipartisan commitment and a
nonpartisan cause. The religious community will ask Democrats to stand
firm against this budget violence against poor people, to make the moral
choice of favoring the poor over the rich - which is also a biblical
choice. Democrats must get religion on the budget.


And we will ask Republicans: Follow your conscience, not your party. Help
your party make better moral choices than favoring the rich over the poor
- stop turning the biblical wisdom upside down - and then having the nerve
to claim that you are the religion-friendly party! It's time for
Republicans to get religion on this budget.


We've had a year of organizing around the budget in the religious
community. We are watching this debate very carefully. We will hold our
elected officials accountable in 2006 and 2008 for their votes on this
budget - whether they vote for or against poor families.


If you think we were aroused last year, we were just getting started.
Budgets are moral documents and we will fight this budget. And that's our
moral choice.
--
Russ T. Nale

http://grace.break.at

God is still speaking
http://www.stillspeaking.com

To send e-mail, remove "youhat" from address
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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Spoiler Wednesday
    ... Probably not but I suspect his views on religion are marginally closer to Siobhan's views than Bridget's are. ... I don't recall whether she ever said whether she had Rory baptised or christened or whatever the RCs call it; in her dying conversations with Brian, she didn't say anything about her religion. ... I wouldn't read too much into the fact that she made some moral choices which were not too compatible with a devout Catholic faith. ...
    (uk.media.radio.archers)
  • Re: A neutral definition of religion
    ... non-theists alike? ... I'd define a religion as a worldview which holds the ... religious obligations - oath-keeping, ... then that will affect your moral choices. ...
    (uk.religion.christian)