This page lists all reports and commentary from November, 2004.

Since World War II, the Presbyterian Church has provided at least some degree of support for those who in conscience have refused to bear arms in military service. This support has also included the possibility of refusal to pay taxes that would be used for making war.

Many people now find themselves seeking ways to stand against the present military actions of the United States, and one clear way to do that is through the Peace Tax Fund.

Presbyterian support for the Peace Tax Fund was expressed specifically in the rationale for the Human Rights Update that was presented to the 214^th General Assembly, 2002. You can read the full text of the report, including the discussion of the Peace Tax Fund, which is on page 20.

Right now, the most urgent concern is to support the bill in Congress that would establish the Peace Tax Fund. This bill, HR 2037, will expire soon and be reintroduced next May with a new number. But letters to both House and Senate are needed now. Sample letters are available at the Campaign's website, http://www.peacetaxfund.org

The action of the 2004 Presbyterian General Assembly, in calling for consideration of divestment for Caterpillar Inc., because of their sales to the Israeli army of a giant bulldozer for use in demolishing Palestinian homes, aroused considerable distress among American Jewish organizations and conservative Presbyterians whose understanding of Scripture leads them to give strong support to the State of Israel.

We recently pointed you to an article by Barbara Ehrenreich in which she called on the Democratic Party to take "the faith factor" (and faith-based values and concerns) far more seriously - but seeing the breadth and depth of what that really means.

George Lakoff, writing in The Nation, argues that if progressives communicate their values clearly, most people will recognize them as their own, and as more deeply American than those currently put forth by conservatives. These values, he says, include "care and responsibility, fairness and equality, freedom and courage, fulfillment in life, opportunity and community, cooperation and trust, honesty and openness."

You can read the article in The Nation, or at TruthOut or AlterNet.

We reported on 11/22 that Redwoods Presbytery has filed charges against the Rev. Dr. Janie Spahr, in response to an accusation brought by the Reverend James Berkley, of Bellevue WA. Mr. Berkley is the Issues Ministry Director of Presbyterians For Renewal.  

For the latest reports, you can check the SOA Watch website

They have also posted a report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

There are others worth looking at, too. Just go to the SOA Watch home page and click on some of the links in the left border, under "In the news."

A coalition of religious leaders, religious freedom advocates, and human rights activists has called on President George W. Bush to act swiftly and appropriately in regard to Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam as newly-designated "Countries of Particular Concern for Severe Violations of Religious Freedom."

We're receiving lots of thoughtful comments on the recent presidential election.  We'll post as many as we can, as quickly as well can -- and we hope you'll contribute your thoughts as well!

The actions of the 2004 General Assembly regarding Israel and Palestine have aroused considerable interest -- to put it mildly. 

Barbara Ehrenreich advises the Democrats not to concede "morality" to the conservatives, but simply to "act like Christians."

That means following the example of the early Christians, "who stood against imperial Rome with their bodies, their hearts and their souls."

Hmm. Talk about your radicals!

This essay appears in The Nation, and can be found also on AlterNet.

Also .... some Democrats believe the party should get religion

And David D. Kirkpatrick, writing in the New York Times, reports that "some Democrats are scrambling to shake off their secular image, stepping up efforts to organize the "religious left" and debating changes to how they approach the cultural flashpoints of same-sex marriage and abortion." He describes a variety of approaches in this effort.

A comment on the dismissal of two national church leaders

We recently reported on the sudden dismissal of two key Presbyterian Church (USA) staff members, Kathy Lueckert and Peter Sulyok, apparently because they participated in a meeting of a Presbyterian delegation in Lebanon with Hezbollah, listed as a terrorist organization.

We have just received one message expressing serious concern about this action, in which (says the writer) "our Presbyterian leaders disavow an authentic 'good news' initiative in peacemaking."

Gene TeSelle adds more thoughts on the relevance of this 100-year-old statement for our own time.

The 216th General Assembly called for conversations and studies to commemorate the centennial of the 1908 Social Creed of the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. That statement called for reforms such as an end to child labor, the six-day week, occupational safety, a living wage, and other steps aimed at moving American society closer to what a "Christ-like God" was believed to want for all Americans.

Beyond celebrating the past, the action calls for looking forward with "a survey of key Christian principles to guide 21st century Presbyterians and others in addressing major and likely future concerns, such as the lack of health insurance for 44 million Americans, the outsourcing of jobs to countries without human rights or environmental safeguards, and the impact of growing economic inequality on our democracy ..."

This is obviously a project close to the heart of Witherspoon's values. As a first step toward supporting the study, Gene TeSelle offers a background paper on the Social Creed, and Chris Iosso explores some of the details of the 1908 statement, and what such a new statement might mean for us today.

On July 17 we received a note from someone who requested anonymity as he/she invited us, as representing the progressive side of the Presbyterian Church, to join in "a genuine dialogue."

The writer, taking the name Keklamenos, stated clear affirmations of the grace of God and the authority of Scripture.

Keklamenos now responds to a recent note from Witherspoon member Sue Nichols Spencer.

Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick has notified churches bodies around the country that the Presbyterian Center in Louisville has received an anonymous letter postmarked Queens, NY, which threatens arson attacks against Presbyterian churches in retaliation for "your anti-Israel and anti-Jewish attitudes."

We recently pointed to an essay by Rabbi Michael Lerner, in which he criticized liberals, and specifically the Democratic presidential campaign, for an attitude of arrogance toward Middle America - an attitude which helped the campaign of George W. Bush to gain support.

For a very different after-election take on the situation, you might look at an article by Mel Gilles, who has worked for many years as an advocate for victims of domestic abuse. He suggests that much of the post-election hand-wringing is very similar to the attitudes of people who are living through domestic abuse.

Martin Luther King, Jr., on the steps of the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery, March 25, 1965, at the conclusion of the Selma-to-Montgomery march.

When I read and listen to what the majority of voters mean by moral values, I see and hear only references to issues such as same-sex marriage, stem-cell research and abortion. ... But the Bible and my tradition have much more to say about the treatment of others, especially foreigners and people different from us, and about honesty, humility and justice. And I'm supposed to apply those values to my communal life as a citizen as well as to my personal life.

Bruce Gillette shares two recent reports on how both sides in the Iraq war see themselves engaging in a holy war.

This is not the Crusade. But the religious overtones do take on added meaning since the American commander-in-chief, just anointed by his electorate for being a committed Christian, claims that God guides his foreign policy.

So does Osama bin Laden.

So do many of the Iraqi insurgents.

Keynote Speakers include Dr Diana Eck, Director of the Pluralism Project at Harvard and author of A New Religious America, and Arun Gandhi, Director of MK Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.

If you've had it with the election, scroll down for other things!  But if you think the re-election of the President presents progressives with important challenges and opportunities, you might want to check out some of these reports and comments.

You'll find other helpful material listed below, but here are some interesting new items:

Now it's your turn!

We believe the recent election challenges progressives to engage in the national discussion (if that's not too polite a term) on religion and moral values. We're posting a number of other essays that deal with this from various perspectives, and we hope you'll join in the conversation!

Just send a note, and we'll post it here. As usual, we ask that you identify yourself, at least by name, plus anything else you'd care to tell us about yourself. And we ask that you not engage in sarcastic or demeaning depictions of "the other side," whatever that may be.

Anyone can be a peacemaker. The site is described thus: "The Bruderhof Peacemakers Guide was created to inspire and empower you to work for peace, and to arm you with living proof of the power of nonviolence to effect change and resolve conflicts. Some of the peacemakers featured on this website are famous, others obscure, but all have dedicated their lives to building a more peaceful and just world through nonviolent means. For each you will find a short biography, an original portrait, and links to further reading.

"We've also supplied you with ammunition to help you convince those who doubt the practicality of nonviolence. In this section you'll find writings on nonviolence, reconciliation, conflict resolution, pacifism, and conscientious objection to military service, as well as free e-books on peace-related themes."

The site includes material on such peacemakers as Jim Wallis, Thich Nhat Hanh, Thomas Merton, and Jun Yasuda.

That All May Freely Serve will offer a seminar at Carmel Retreat Center, Mahwah, NJ (45 minutes west of the Newark airport), for those who seek to deepen their commitment to confronting and challenging white racism in the church and where they live and work. Lisa Larges and Mieke Vandersall, the facilitators, add, "It is our experience and conviction that those of us who are white need to 'do our own work' - educating ourselves, confronting white supremacy, holding each other accountable, and demonstrating good faith as we seek to build genuine and lasting coalitions with people of color."

Their announcement continues: "This seminar empowers us to be more effective and responsible catalysts for transformation in the life of the Presbyterian Church and beyond. It gives us a starting place to address racial fractures and divisions within the movement for GLBT liberation. It equips us for healing, renewal, and working towards the actualized peace, purity and unity of the church."

The seminars will be held Feb. 25-27, April 1-3, and May 20-22.

If you favor women's right to choose, you may want to contact your Senators and Senator Bill Frist today, to defend the possibility of the choice of Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) as chair of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee. Specter is the only pro-choice Republican on the committee.

Thousands from the Religious Right are calling and e-mailing, and those who favor choice must be heard from too. Also, perhaps let Specter's office know that he has your support. 

Your WebWeaver is gathering a variety of comments and analyses of the election, with a focus on the moral concerns that seemed to weigh strongly in favor of George W. Bush -- and on those who urge progressives to articulate the moral dimension of their convictions as well.

On the morning of Election Day we invited you to offer comments on your voting experience, on the election, or whatever.

Here we'll offer some comments we've received, along with a variety of more extended reflections that strike us as helpful in one way or another.  

And if you have thoughts of your own, or from others, that you think would be helpful, please send them along!

Here's what we've received or found so far:

From our friends on the right:

But there's also

Please note:  These items do not all represent the thinking of your WebWeaver, and certainly are not a statement from the Witherspoon Society.  We are simply offering a variety of perspectives on questions that many of us will be pondering over the coming weeks.  Or years.

Under your law we live, great God,
and by your will we govern ourselves.
Help us as good citizens
to respect neighbors whose views differ from ours,
so that without partisan anger,
we may work out issues that divide us,
and elect candidates to serve the common welfare;
through Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

Reflections on our elections

Tuesday 02 November 2004

We stand at a crossroads for our nation. At issue is the fabric of American life. There is a perception that choosing the right leader is the most important thing. Surely that will matter, but even more crucial is our commitment to American values.

If you are thinking about voting twice, don't do it. If you are thinking of putting fear in the heart of your neighbor as he goes to cast his vote, think again. How we conduct this election will have more to do with the safety and security of our nation than who wins.

We have throughout our history held our free elections as a pillar of our democracy. Remove that pillar and you undermine all that is freedom. Even if this election is conducted fairly, the result will be disappointment for some. That is as it should be. The pain of that disappointment pales in comparison to the price we will pay should we fail to protect the integrity of the process itself.

When the Founders had concluded their work on the Constitution, Benjamin Franklin walked outside and seated himself on a public bench. A woman approached him and inquired, "Well, Dr. Franklin, what have you done for us?" Franklin quickly responded, "My dear lady, we have given to you a republic - if you can keep it." A quiet debate is being waged in the shadows of the country, once again, as to whether America is a republic or a democracy. It will be neither, if we fail to protect our right to vote.

Help your neighbor vote. Not just the one who agrees with you but the one who differs. Why? Because when this is over, that's the one you're really going to need the most.

This little reminder (like you need it!) gives us a bit of perspective from outside the USA.  It comes from openDemocracy.net, a London-based website which describes itself as "an online global magazine of politics and culture."

In an open letter issued not long after the Assembly, 16 minister members of Baltimore Presbytery expressed their concern about what they saw as the lack of even-handedness in the criticisms on Israel's actions in Palestine, while also noting that the statements did criticize attacks on innocent people by both sides. They also criticized the Assembly's action to continue funding for the "Avodat Yisrael" congregation in Philadelphia, noting that Baltimore Presbytery acted over ten years ago to remove a similar "Messianic" congregation from its roll as being incompatible with a healthy Jewish-Christian relationship.