Wanted: Democratic Guru. Party Needs Guidance, Direction - Phil.Inquirer

[JPZenger]

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/11816022.htm
(Registration Required)

Jun. 05, 2005
Wanted: Democratic guru. The party needs guidance, direction, and a unifying voice to compete in 2006.
By Dick Polman, Phila. Inquirer Political Analyst

The article describes George Lakoff, Jim Wallis and Thomas Frank as potential Democratic party gurus. Here's an excerpt:

"Jim Wallis, an evangelical Christian preacher and author of a hot book, God's Politics, who says Democrats can beat the GOP on "values" ... He wants Democrats to confront the GOP on moral values, by broadening the definition, and talking openly about the party's "spiritual foundations." The preacher said in a Friday speech that "fighting poverty is a moral issue," because "I find 3,000 verses in the Bible about poor people." He said "protecting the environment, otherwise known as God's creation, is a moral issue." He said that "whether you tell the truth about going to war is a moral issue," because John 8:32 decrees that "ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Rebuking the Democrats' secular image, Wallis said that "the biggest mistake progressives have made over the past several decades is to cede the entire territory of moral values to the political right... . I don't think Jesus' top two priorities were a capital-gains tax cut and the occupation of Iraq."

[TwentyFive]

1. I am against religion in government....liberal or conservative

I think it's just as bad using religion to defend liberal/progressive ideas. If you are liberal or conservative and christian....that is cool. But to give religious reasons for government laws, puts us in a religious quagmire, similar to ages old religious debates.

[xray s]

2. Democrats should shout about Matthew 25:31-46

31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Now I ask you, when it comes to that remark about prisoners, how do you think BushCo's gulag will play out on judgement day?

[Demeter]

3. Dean Is MY Guru

The Doctor isIN!

[OneBlueSky]

4. I nominate Gary Hart . . . n/t

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