Jim Wallis, Let Him be Your Prophet

Well, I have spent the last few days reading some of big Jim's articles and columns as well as interviews and articles about Mr. Wallis. One thing I can say is that he's is big on recycling. There are some sentences/paragraphs I ran into several times with seemingly a tittle unchanged. But that's really not the issue.

I will attempt to lay a brief groundwork as to what Wallis believes, or protends to believe. I just throw some quotes at you to get things rolling:

...That faith challenges the powers that be to do justice for the poor, instead of preaching a "prosperity gospel" and supporting politicians that further enrich the wealthy.

..."That faith hates violence and tries to reduce it, and exerts a fundamental presumption against war, instead of justifying it in God’s name."

..."That faith creates community from racial, class, and gender divisions and prefers international community over nationalist religion, and we see that "God bless America" is found nowhere in the Bible." (PREACH IT, BROTHER!)

..."The best public contribution of religion is precisely not to be ideologically predictable nor a loyal partisan." (That's the BEST? Really?)

..."The scriptures claim the poor are regularly neglected, exploited, and oppressed by wealthy elites, political rulers, and indifferent affluent populations," and "...make clear that poverty is indeed a religious issue and that the failure of political leaders to help uplift those in poverty will be judged a moral failing." (What verse is that again?)

..."It is indeed our theology of evil that makes us strong proponents of both political and economic democracy—not because people are so good, but because they often are not and need clear safeguards and strong systems of checks and balances to avoid the dangerous accumulations of power and wealth." (Let me get this straight, we DON'T trust people, so we trust democracy? A.K.A majority rule?)

..."Christ commits Christians to a strong presumption against war," and we should be "...committed to international cooperation rather than unilateral policies." (Maybe they just forgot to highlight that in red in my Bible)

..."Some things ought never be done - torture, the deliberate bombing of civilians, the use of indiscriminate weapons of mass destruction - regardless of the consequences."

..."We are to show love to our enemies even as we believe God in Christ has shown love to us and the whole world. Enemy-love does not mean capitulating to hostile agendas or domination. It does mean refusing to demonize any human being created in God's image."

More later.