Glenn Beck Urges Listeners to Leave Churches That Preach Social Justice

[jefferson_dem]

Goodness, Beck knows no bounds. I'm really starting to wonder how far - to what extreme - he can carry this shtick.

Glenn Beck Urges Listeners to Leave Churches That Preach Social Justice



On his daily radio and television shows last week, Fox News personality Glenn Beck set out to convince his audience that "social justice," the term many Christian churches use to describe their efforts to address poverty and human rights, is a "code word" for communism and Nazism. Beck urged Christians to discuss the term with their priests and to leave their churches if leaders would not reconsider their emphasis on social justice.

"I'm begging you, your right to religion and freedom to exercise religion and read all of the passages of the Bible as you want to read them and as your church wants to preach them . . . are going to come under the ropes in the next year. If it lasts that long it will be the next year. I beg you, look for the words 'social justice' or 'economic justice' on your church Web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. Now, am I advising people to leave their church? Yes!"

Later, Beck held up cards, one with a hammer and sickle and other with a swastika. "Communists are on the left, and the Nazis are on the right. That's what people say. But they both subscribe to one philosophy, and they flew one banner. . . . But on each banner, read the words, here in America: 'social justice.' They talked about economic justice, rights of the workers, redistribution of wealth, and surprisingly, democracy."

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/03/08/glenn-beck-urges-listeners-to-leave-churches-that-preach-social/

[mmonk]

1. What a whack job. Hitler's party pushed through the Enabling Act

to take care of the "Communist terrorism" thingy. Yeah sure Glenn, same banner.

[jefferson_dem]

2. Of course, these two ideologies have always been "mortal enemies"...

Clowns like Beck couldn't decide on which was a more spooky label (Communism or Fascism) so he just decided to use them both.

By the way, on this date in History: Mar 9, 1954: Eisenhower criticizes McCarthy
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/eisenhower-criticizes-mccarthy

[mmonk]

4. A very appropriate recognition of this date in history given

whacko Beck and the new McCarthyism.

[polichick]

3. How could any sane person listen to this idiot?! nt

[jefferson_dem]

5. That's ...

What scares me. He's a total idiot but over 2 million tools tune in every day.

[polichick]

28. It really is scary - thankfully, I don't know anyone who watches him. nt

[rasputin1952]

6. Reading the teachings of Jesus, regardless of whether someone

claims "religion" or not, one cannot help but see the correlation between what was said and a serious bent to compassion, empathy, understanding, tolerance, caring, healing, justice and a host of other "Liberal" ideas. There are "conservative" ideas there as well...but considering he taught a lot about Jewish religious law as well, which encompasses that above, I cannot see where this idiot is coming from.

Oh...yes i can, he's cherry picking things from the letters of Paul, which were to specific churches at the time, addressing specific situations within those churches...ie, "let he that does not work, not eat", and a host of other things that seem to fit the neo-con agenda.

Much of what honest Christian, (and other religions), tenets speak of is sacrifice for the common good. Greed and avarice are not good...and hypocrisy is mentioned far more often as a serious flaw than any other human foible. Perhaps Beck should learn how to read, pick up a religious tome and peruse what is in there. He need not read the Christian Bible, he can check the Torah, the Koran, the writings of Confucius or Buddha...or virtually any other "commonplace" religion; he will be surprised what they speak of...if his comprehension level is anywhere over that of a 3rd Grader.

By the way Beck, you are right on one thing, "...and the Nazis are on the right". That alone should tell you where your values lie.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

16. This is to be expected....

Conservative Christians have been increasingly struggling with the simple fact that their political platform is, in many cases, diametrically opposed to the teachings of their Lord and Savior. Even if you give them the issue of homosexuality and abortion, there are vast swaths of the conservative agenda that are not even remotely Christ-like. Even some conservative evangelicals have started to realize that the Republican assault on the environment, for example, is not in keeping with the concept that God appointed Man to be faithful stewards of his creation. Even people like Mike Huckabee have flirted with the idea that allowing Wall Street to crush Main Street is not at all a Biblical position.

So what do Glen Back and his followers do? Reject conservative orthodoxy or reject God?

Now you have the answer.

[rasputin1952]

20. There are many, icluding Beck, (if he even believes in God),...

that equate financial success w/spiritual success; that's really a sad comment on where some religions have gone.

One need not have any religion to be "spiritual", in fact, it often appears that the "more" religion someone has, the less "spiritual" they are, (that goes for any religion). I know honest Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, agnostics and atheists that are far more "spiritual" than those who live to bilk people out of money and lead them down the road to becoming mean, self-centered, egotistical assholes that could care less about their fellow humans. Sad state of affairs when some self-righteous moron calls for "alms", then pass by the hungry a mere mile or two from their palaces, often sneering at them...:grr:

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

23. Financial Success = Spiritual Success

Actually, that belief has a long pedigree that dates back at least to John Calvin and the concept of predestination -- maybe even farther into Catholic theology. Material Wealth was (and by some, still is) considered an outward sign of God's favor.

[rasputin1952]

25. Yep...just today...

there is more wealth to be had...;)

[StClone]

17. Yes, the Tea Party is in on it too

Read the post today of "Nickeled and Dimed" book ban: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7875794

[rasputin1952]

22. Teabaggers drive me nuts...

most of those I see, are on SS and Medicare...and I see the same one's at various places, often quite distant from where I first saw them.

In a store one day, some oaf was going on about "socialized health care" while a few of us were in line. I turned around and said, "I agree, the first thing we should stop is Medicare, then Social Security Payments...starting tomorrow." I thought he was going to crap his pants; I then added, "See, you don't like it when you are asked to give something up, you are a hypocrite, and a fool." People nodded, and 2 actually applauded...the "oaf", looked like a sheep gone off to slaughter...:D

[saltpoint]

7. Beck's right, of course. If a church is preaching social justice as a virtue,

it's best that congregants bee-line for the exits.

I've heard from reliable sources that the tenets of the ministry of Jesus are frequently referenced in many Christian churches of a given Sunday morning. If this is true, what clearer proof is there of Beck's assertion? From what I've heard, Jesus' ministry advocates social justice for EVERYONE. I mean, what is with that guy, anyway?

When it comes to boiling down the central challenge presented by these pro-social justice churches, Beck nails it, if one may use that verb in this context.

[Supersedeas]

29. his teachings don't mesh well with laissez faire greed is good economics

[saltpoint]

33. Exactly true.

[mwb970]

8. How on earth can someone come out against "social justice"?

Isn't that exactly and specifically what Jesus advocated throughout his life and ultimately died for? But if a Christian church dares to teach this they are Communists and Nazis, and should be abandoned if not burned to the ground? This is insane, even by Becks's shockingly low standards!

Just out of curiosity, what would this awful jerk have the Christian churches teach, then?

1. Ignore everything Jesus ever said; he was a liberal fag.
2. Turn your backs on the poor; they deserve everything they get.
3. Encourage social injustice; rich people should simply steal whatever they want from the poor and middle class.
4. Pray for the president's death; it's the only way to save America from Socialism.

In what universe do these evil, Satanic principles add up to "Christianity"? Is this what Mormons like Beck want for America? And finally, once again, what in the holy hell is wrong with conservatives??

:shrug:

[Larkspur]

13. I bet Glen would also say that the story about Jesus chasing the money changers out of the Temple

should be stricken from the Bible.

Glen is for corporate feudalism. Jesus's message of social justice conflicts with the Religion of Greed that Corporate America and the Right Wing nuts subscribe to.

[StClone]

15. Because

Beckology is proven: take the position that's best for the Elites (i.e. the poor are freeloaders) and effectively sell it to the Zombie Beck listeners. There are just enough Beckerheads to plant these ideals in Society's mindset.

Beck actually is toning it down since the call of violence by him (Hannity and O'Reilly) has actually lead to acts akin to their televised urgings. Almost all media outlets (Corp owned) are subtly and explicitly selling the same lines of such as wealth is proof of superiority, no need to share it, no need to question it but we will defend it with our little Becks of the World.

[RandomThoughts]

9. There is a thought that matches this topic.

It is astounding how he can say that, and we can not understand how he could.

Plato said some can only see shadows some can only see light.
Jewish tradition speaks of those of the Light and those of Dark.
Jesus was said to be of light and truth.

It is possible this is one of those cases where some see in the dark and some see in the light.

He can not see it the same as many other people, and we can not see it the same as him.

To avoid judgement people can read and think to decide who is in the light and who is in the dark, but it fits with that concept for him to say something so beyond comprehension to us, but accepted by his group.


There was a movie that actually explained this effect. Constantine, although I do not agree with the movie, it did have one bit of truth. It mentioned that there were demonic Bibles. Those texts are actually the same words as the Holy Bible, but the interpreter of the person reading it is twisted by dark. If you have a fleshly corruption, and you read certain verses you can see terrible things, but if you are not suppressed by that they mean something completely different. If you have a greed corruption, the same thing can occur, what it means to some other person is completely different then what it means to someone else. It is possible to get opposite meanings out of the same verses based on interpretation.

That is why most churches advise prayer and being clean before studying the Bible, to be able to read it in the spirit it was written in.

[RandomThoughts]

14. I should add there could be areas of grey also.

Most of the time its not about one group being right and another wrong, it is combinations of the two, where people can learn from each others better viewpoints. The way I phrased seemed to be saying its good or bad, and that is not really how most of things seem to be. However there are some really good, and some really bad interpretations of many things. But most are somewhere in the middle.

[RandomThoughts]

40. As another example of interpretation.

I just saw on TV that Scientologist use the term Supressives, and I mentioned people being suppressed. Although in my view they mean different things. In the tv show it said Scientologist call people that don't believe as they do as Suppressives, while I would say there are many things that suppress people including some of the beliefs of Scientology. Same with some views of different beliefs, based on my interpretation of what is best.

My point is I think bad things try to suppress peoples ability to live in joy and love, and other groups use that word saying they are people trying to go against their beliefs. Same word, close to same meaning, but different interpretation of who the suppressors are, and who is being suppressed.

I don't know enough about Scientology to really say much about it, but its use of secrecy, and from some reports ideas of money, make me probably disagree with much of it. But they use the same concept just with different beliefs or what is best and worst. Probably some grey areas in there also.

[boppers]

41. About SP declares:

I suggest reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suppressive_Person
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Game_(Scientology)

There's also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R2-45 which is a spiritual exercise based on murdering a person to "free" them.... now claimed as a joke.

Since murder is "funny" in Scientology.

[RandomThoughts]

42. Well like I said, I was not using suppressive like they do.

But interpretation can be used to create linkage, for instance even though my comment was to just use a word that says there are things that can keep a person from being happy and kind in a spiritual sense, if it is the same word used by a group, someone by holding them side by side, can say they are the same.

Which was an example of interpretation, and not about Scientology.


As far as Scientology goes, I am not going to find out more about what they believe because of some of the elements of secrecy that make much of my decisions on things, if they have good points, I would hear them in the open, so I did not read your links. Any group that tells its members that part of its group should be secret, what a member might say means nothing.

Although as another example I also notice that one link says fair game, and many people believe things should be fairer. Another good example of interpretation, at the end of the movie the Quick and the Dead A clip I recently posted, The preacher says things are going to be fair. Does that mean it is about Scientology? or is the movie about highlander, because of the title? or is about Christians because of those that quicken? or is the movie about how you raise a person is how they will end up treating you, or 1000 other little comparisons? That quote isn't about any one of those things, but about a concept many people think on, and many people have different views of what it means. And the movie itself can mean many things to many people.


But this post fits in a Glenn Beck thread, because he is all about taking one small thing our of proportion, and finding a match to some other thing, then saying both things are the same.

It is like saying look, both people are wearing a hat, they both must be the exact same in every way and thought with the same beliefs. It is how out of perspective comparisons that create broken thought, and what Glenn Beck does alot of.


On the comment of funny and bad things.

I don't think anyone would think murder is funny, unless they have no empathy.

But your comment intersects with some of what I have heard of some eastern philosophies that speak of everything being humorous. But that can be spun into one interpretation of Joker doctrine where nothing matters and nihilism.

There is a group that says laugh at everything because nothing matters and you will be where you are destined to be without having any free will or ability to change it, so laugh at it. That is a despair doctrine, and builds both apathy and unwillingness to stand up against what you believe is wrong.

It is a doctrine said over and over.

But you can find things that are joyful in any situation, while still having empathy and knowing things matter. In a tragedy, you can have sorrow for loss, and still try to find a bright side, because that bright side can be a way to lead you on a path forward.

For instance the earth quakes, terrible tragedies with much sorrow, but can we find something to learn, ways to help people, and ways to think about how we interact and might have helped people earlier like preparedness and lower levels of poverty. It is possible to find joy in the helping and better ways, even in the face of tragedy.

If there is a murder, it is not funny, but we can find a way to find some joy in helping the family in their hour of loss, or trying to fix the problem that causes things like murder to happen. The joker false doctrine says just laugh at it because there is nothing you can do about it.

That is one reason President Obama is the opposite of the Joker, even with hard conditions, he has not just sat back and laughed at things, he has tried to find ways to make things better, even in frustrations, you have to respect that, and at the same time know that those that make that joke about him don't even know what they are doing or saying.

[tanyev]

10. They'd better stop reading the Bible, too.

[Supersedeas]

30. so much propoganda

[baldguy]

11. If Jesus came back today

He would beat the shit out of little pissants like Beck.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

26. Oh, he's coming back all right....

Be Afraid, Sinner!

[rurallib]

12. he's about two steps from talking about 'pure blood'

[damonm]

27. Reminds me of a bumper sticker my 12-YO spotted...

"VOLDEMORT votes republican"

[zulchzulu]

18. So is Beck, a Mormon, going to call the Mormon Church a Nazi, Communist organization?

http://gomakecontact.com/mesj/indexpage.htm

http://www.mormonmentality.org/2009/01/07/mormons-for-equality-and-social-justice-mesj.htm

"An organization of Latter-day Saints who are “anxiously engaged” in working for the gospel values of peace, equality, justice, and stewardship of the earth in a spirit of Christ-like charity and concern. We do this by raising awareness in Latter-day Saint communities of the inequalities and injustices that exist in the world today, by actively participating in political processes to resolve these issues, and by promoting and engaging in humanitarian service."
http://bapd.org/gmoyce-1.html

Here's some great commentary:
http://johnhummel.blogspot.com/2010/03/glenn-beck-leave-churches-that-teach.html

[panzerfaust]

19. Your true conservative, is probably crazy.

[Colobo]

21. Beck is a mental patient, and so are his followers.

[spoony]

24. Good, let those RWers stop pretending to care about Jesus' message

and while I doubt many attend liberal churches, getting rid of the few who do will certainly improve those congregations.

[Cha]

31. Yeah, stick with the devil worshippers you idiots.

[TheCentepedeShoes]

32. Beck's brain

should save whatever is left of itself and flee Beck's body

[theorbiter]

34. Wow!

What is the pathology of this modern American protestant expression? One can only conclude, based on the evidence presented, that this is a manifestation of anti-social tendencies bordering on psychopathy. It is not so long ago that I would never have dreamed we would be witnessing this type of behavior on mainstream television as well as pouring from the radio airwaves. Especially under a facade of journalism.

Certifiable lunacy.

[Brother Buzz]

35. So, Beck, are all those faith based community supporters just a bunch of Commie pinkos?

Or has the GOP has been pandering to its evangelical base again?

[troubledamerican]

36. Matthew 25: 37-46

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 Lord 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 other side, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For 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."

[David Zephyr]

37. The Mormon Show Followed by the Scientology Show. Fox News.

WACKO.

[TomCADem]

38. Amazing. Beck Is Now Promoting Corporate Christianity...

[niceypoo]

39. Glen Beck is a bottom feeding kook

[nemo137]

43. Well, many fascist and quasi-fascist parties did love the phrase "social justice."

Fr. Coughlin in the US, for one, and the Iberian fascists, and Dolfuss in Austria. But that's also like hating Star Wars because that Nazi's had stormtroopers, too. Glenn Beck: Not Even Wrong.