More than 350 faith leaders endorse Biden, citing 'need of moral leadership'

[sabra]

Source: The Hill

A coalition of more than 350 faith leaders endorsed Joe Biden for president late Thursday, citing a "need of moral leadership" and "hope for a better future."

The array of endorsements includes well-known progressive faith leaders such as Nadia Bolz-Weber, a Lutheran minister who founded the LGBTQ-friendly House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, and Robert W. Lee IV, a descendant of the Confederate general, who stepped down as pastor of a North Carolina church in 2017 after publicly supporting Black Lives Matter.

Former Democratic state lawmakers such as Paul Rosenthal (Colo.) and Natalie Phelps Finnie (Ill.) are also on the list.

It also includes a number of names who have never politically endorsed before, according to a press release from Faith 2020, which calls the range of names "big tent" and "multi-faith."

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/514110-more-than-350-faith-leaders-endorse-biden-citing-need-of-moral-leadership

[Harker]

1. So, who's the "moral majority" again? n/t

[keithbvadu2]

2. Trump's Christians

[apnu]

5. I don't consider Evangelicals as Christians. I tell them to their faces this.

They are always shocked when I do it.

I sat through rants from Evangelical preachers about gay people and told them flat out they aren't Christian after the rant. I've sat through circle-jerk bitch sessions about how the Jews are to blame for Christ's death, and then told them they aren't Christians.

They want to know why I said that to them. I tell them, its the lack of love and empathy for other people they just displayed is why they aren't Christian.

And then I tell them I'm an atheist and they really freak out.

When I run into Christians who don't call themselves Evangelicals, I see them living and doing more of Christ's teachings. Most of them are from some long standing and organized Protestant sect. New England Baptists, Methodists, etc. Catholics also, who are often far more educated about their religion and the bible than almost any other Christian I encounter.

[murielm99]

6. The term "evangelical" is being misused.

I think it is meant to be a convenient non-offensive euphemism.

Evangelical means following, teaching and believing in the four gospels. All Christian churches do this.

I never refer to these people as evangelicals. They are right-wing fundies. That is what I call them and what I will continue to call them.

I am a Christian, a liberal and a Democrat. I am all three for the same reasons.

If some people here don't like it that I am a person of faith, too bad. You will notice that most of our candidates and our leadership are people who profess a religious faith.

I see too much Christian bashing here. If the same people bashed Islam or Judaism, they would get thrown off this site for bigotry.

[regnaD kciN]

8. To be utterly picky...

"Evangelical means following, teaching and believing in the four gospels."

...that isn't quite the case. While the Greek term for what we call "Gospel" is Ευαγγέλιο (evangelio), the word just means "good message," as in the proclamations by Roman emperors to their people that they had won a major victory. It's often referenced in English as "good news" or "good tidings." Evangelical is an adjective meaning "carrying the good message," and that's the meaning as generally-used: "Evangelicals" are Christians who feel moved to "preach the good news" to others, whose goal is to convince more people to become Christians, as opposed to those who think their role is to practice personal piety, or work for social justice. Evangelicals put a premium on "saving souls" above all else. Although this is not explicit in their label, they tend to come predominantly from outside the mainstream denominations, usually in "non-denominational" Protestantism that doesn't recognize a hierarchical structure beyond the individual local congregation.

I find it ironic that, for a long time, those in that camp were referred to as "fundamentalists," as most of them subscribed to the extreme Protestant positions of the series of tracts known as "The Fundamentals," published in the early twentieth century. But, over the past couple of decades, those in that particular Protestant camp who were not tied to the "religious right" movement led by the Falwells and Robertsons objected to being characterized by that label, as it appeared to imply far-right political leanings, and so that group proposed that the label "evangelical" be adopted by them instead. A decade or so later, what has happened? The label has been co-opted by the people from whom they were trying to distinguish themselves, so that, now, "evangelical" implies just as ultraconservative and politically-tied to Republicanism as "fundamentalist" ever did. Go figure...

[qwlauren35]

11. Kudos to you

For being proud of your faith. You are right, there is Christian-bashing in here that is improper.

I used to do it... I grew out of it.

[UncleNoel]

12. The proper terms are "fundamentalist" and fundamentalism.

As you say, the term Evangelical is misused for the southern-based fringe Christian movement of America.

I am a liberal Democrat and a Christian as well. I have Anglican roots, but spent most of my life among fundamentalists without loosing my moderation. My family are mostly fundamentalists and I only have one granddaughter who could be considered liberal. They are decent people, but misled by Trump in a focus on certain issues that are important to them. Not worth his empty promises in that regard to put up with the moral impropriety of this principleless person.

Mega-church pastors who live in mansions and spew Trumpism are not walking in the footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth.

[kimbutgar]

3. I wish the pope would endorse Biden and then sit back and see if MF45 attacks him

Then dare Catholics to vote for MF45 after he attacks the pope.

[flibbitygiblets]

7. Yes!! Come on Frank, do the world a solid

[FakeNoose]

9. It's fun to think about, but it's never going to happen!

Pope Francis does seem to lean populist, but he's also smart enough to know he can never interfere in any country's election process.

[riversedge]

4. GLAD to see this. We know there is no moral leadership from the current occupant of the WH.

[grobertj]

10. Christian Values

Throughout all of scripture, and especially in the teachings of Jesus Christ himself, the importance of caring for the poor, sick, vulnerable and marginalized in our society is highlighted as the number one priority of our personal service and national concerns.

✞✞✞

[ck4829]

13. K&R