Thursday, August 03, 2006

53 - Battling Phony Right-Wing Christians: What Every Progressive Needs To Know About True Christian Economics

Possibly the largest and most organized, disciplined and effective opposition to the progressive agenda is the religious right.

If you're a progressive, you need to be familiar with true Christian economics, to be able to articulate how far from being in accord with Christian values, right-wing policies truly are.

You have to be able to put right-wing Christians on the defensive.

Some of you may be saying to yourself, I don't want to hear a bunch of religious crap, or any hi-falutin', esoteric theology. No no no. That's not what you're going to hear.

You're going to hear progressive economics 101, radical economics even, dare I say bedrock human morality.

I have distilled Catholic social doctrine into eight overarching principles.

Here is a preview:

1. The world's resources were meant for all to share equitably, so that each individual and people have a sufficient share

2. The market alone can not address all human needs, and its shortcomings need to be addressed

3. The existence of unjust political and economic structures must be recognized

4. Demonization of the poor is wrong

5. We must exercise a "preferential option for the poor"

6. Concrete actions to help the poor, not pious wishes, are required

7- Individual acts of charity are not enough, social political and economic policies must be addressed; and finally

8- These social justice principles and the preferential option for the poor, apply internationally as well, and therefore fundamental changes in global economic structures and practices are necessary.

As part of this presentation, you'll hear clips of various right-wingers who claim to be Christians, espousing positions diametrically opposed to their own religion's values. Pay special attention to the Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity clips, since they are both self-professed devout Catholics, and therefore what I'll be presenting is the official, mandatory teaching of their own church, the one they claim allegiance to, and the one they eagerly trash every day.

Listen to this podcast and learn how to effectively counter right-wing Christians!

Jack Clark 3:33 PM [+]   6 comments
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