Progressive Faith Movement Launches First 'GOTV' Campaign

[wildflower]

Progressive Faith Movement Launches First 'GOTV' Campaign;

One Million Newly Registered Voters Called to 'Vote ALL Your Values'

October 20, 2004, NEW YORK CITY -- Over two dozen leading moderate and
progressive faith organizations and leaders, including the National Council of Churches USA and its General Secretary, the Rev. Dr. Robert W. Edgar, launched their first ever coordinated national "Get Out the Vote" campaign today. Thousands of volunteers and 100 phone banks have already been mobilized to call one million newly registered voters before Election Day.

snip

Said Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, President of The Interfaith Alliance, "At stake in this year's elections is the fate of virtually every issue of social-moral-political significance to religious communities - civil rights, foreign policy, fair housing, taxation, religious liberty, economic justice, education, poverty, health care, and the future for our nation's children. We must not ignore the moral urgency of this moment."

snip

"The era of the Religious Right's dominance over faith and politics is over," said Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners magazine. "Progressive voices are making themselves heard. We will not allow a conservative partisan minority to tell us how to vote and how to interpret our faith. We will vote on all our values."

snip

One volunteer, Eric Thal, explained his decision to start making calls: "I believe in a democracy that believes in compassion. We're all children of God and we should have a democracy that works for everyone, not just a few."

more

http://www.wfn.org/2004/10/msg00162.html

(I found this via Google news. Let me know if WFN is not considered a valid news source.)

[IrateCitizen]

1. Can I get an AMEN?

It's about f***ing time this happened. My congregation -- Unitarian Universalists -- have had a pretty big GOTV campaign, considering our small size.

I'm glad to see the mainstream Christian denominations getting involved in this. That makes it a pretty big movement.

[clonebot]

4. i like UU's

they march in the gay pride parade here in san diego and always get some of the biggest cheers.

[IrateCitizen]

5. UU's are big supporters of gay rights

We've been at the forefront pushing for same-sex marriage rights. Our head, Rev. William Sinkford, presided over a bunch of same-sex marriages in Massachusetts as soon as it was legalized. A huge banner hangs outside our HQ with the rainbow flag and the words "Civil Marriage is a Civil Right".

[mongo]

7. I wonder what it would take to get a UU church started here

in Zanesville, Oh. We could sure use one.

[IrateCitizen]

10. Go to http://www.uua.org

You can get a listing of congregations in your area there, along with lots of other info on UU's.

[PhuLoi]

11. UU? Unseen University?

Sorry (sort of.)

[Cicero]

17. Watch out for that Octavo...

...you wouldn't want to get one of the 8 Great Spells lodged into your head.

:crazy:

later,

[mzmolly]

9. AMEN! I like this quote.

"Vote ALL Your Values is our message to Americans in this time of moral urgency," said Dr. Edgar.B "We can't afford to sacrifice our sacred values of truth, justice and community to a narrow ideological agenda advanced by a few vocal religious groups..."

[realFedUp]

2. well...yeah!

Now to get some of those inclusive Christian
leaders on the telly.

[Lefta Dissenter]

3. thanks for the link

One of their ad campaigns, "Life Does Not End at Birth"

Perfect!

[wildflower]

6. I liked that too.

It's a good way to sum up their 'culture of life' stance.

-wildflower

[study_war_no_more]

8. way cool

there is something about faith that conmen find attractive, i think it is cultural heritage- William Styron

[pelagius]

12. "Life Does Not End at Birth" is the most...

...brilliant slogan this group can use. Just redefines the so-called "pro-life" crowd back to what they really are: anti-abortion and nothing more.

[madrchsod]

13. not all so called fundy-evangelical ministries

are backing bush..there are ministries who put god above politics and do not preach the bush mantra. in reality though, there may not be enough of them....

[IrateCitizen]

15. Actually, those backing Bush are the minority...

The National Council of Churches is HUGE. It dwarfs the followership of Falwell, Robertson, Swaggart, Graham, etc. several times over.

The problem is, the NCC and mainstream churches are largely silent in politics, primarily because they believe in the separation between church and state. I'm glad to see they're finally waking up to the fact that they cannot afford to be silent, otherwise their faith will be hijacked by the authoritarians, dominionists, and crypto-fascists that are represented by Falwell, Robertson, etc.

[AntiFascist]

18. This sounds like a potential news item that the media should be reporting

nt

[IrateCitizen]

21. BWAAAAHHHH!!!

Give me a week, and I could probably never run out of "potential news stories the media should be reporting."

The media should be reporting a lot of things, and they're failing miserably. Why should this be any different?

[AntiFascist]

23. But you would think that if Judy Woodruff were a true Christian....

she would be concerned about this?!

[realFedUp]

14. George Van Alstine, local Pastor, non-wingnut will be on O'Reilly tonight

George Van Alstine, Pastor of Altadena Baptist Church will be on the O’Reilly Factor today at 5:00 and 8:00 P. M.

Can't imagine why he'd want to appear on his show,
but go George!

[fugop]

16. Surprise?

OK, I know everyone must be getting sick of the October Surprise thread, but still ... October Surprise? After all the work the Bush campaign has done to appeal to the religious vote, this kind of thing could erode it away bit by bit. Sure, the crazy fundies will still go Bush, but I wonder if some of the borderlines might think twice from such a campaign.

Regardless, can I just say: FANTASTIC!!!!

[henslee]

19. About time. If I were a churchgoer,I'd be ill if others associated me with

the compassionless christian right. I'm sure most moderate muslims and jews feel the same about their respective fundamemtalist brethren.

[LadyinRed]

20. I am ill

I am a Christian Democrat and we get "trampled" from many sides as we are working as hard as anyone to get the "Devil and his Disciples" out of office.(figure of speech)
People of many faiths are working and voting for Kerry.

[IrateCitizen]

22. Welcome, Bamabelle!

Don't let the "trampling from many sides" get you down. While you're sure to get "trampled" by some 'round here for identifying yourself as a Christian, there are plenty of other people of faith who have your back.

Welcome to DU!!! :bounce: :toast: :beer: