Here is a Washington post editorial by the executive producer of the Glenn Beck show. (H/T Michelle Malkin)
Social justice is often used as a code word by the left to promote government-controlled redistribution of wealth to favored special interest groups at the expense of other unfavored groups in order to keep the party in power in power. It’s vote buying, essentially, but with the illusion of helping others. And the goal is the equalization of material wealth regardless of personal choices, including moral choices.
Recently, Glenn Beck warned his viewers to beware of churches that push social justice as though it were sanctioned by Christianity somehow.
This is part of the information Glenn revealed in a special TV show about American extremism of the 20th century. In the context of promoting that special, he began talking about how the far left was once again using this terminology to politicize churches. The specific example he named was Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
He told his listeners that if they were in a church that preaches Jeremiah Wright-style social justice, they should leave–or at least get educated on what exactly that means. It took him all of eight seconds to clarify the type of church he was speaking of, but that was long enough for most in the media to end the transcript.
Suddenly, Glenn was accused of attacking the central tenants of the bible, because he supposedly believed that any church that wants to help the poor should be immediately evacuated. This absurd narrative is mainly the product of Rev. Jim Wallis.
To restate the obvious, some simply use the term “social justice” as a substitute for “outreach to the poor.” This is not the kind of “social justice” Glenn was talking about. The fact that this term has been utilized for purposes other than good Christian charity is well documented.
[…]But for Wallis to continue getting attention, he must act as if he believes Glenn is against churches helping the poor. Any honest observer would realize that isn’t the case. Is anyone on earth against charitable outreach to the poor?
Certainly not Glenn.
In his book Arguing With Idiots, Glenn describes helping those less fortunate as an “obligation.” He wrote that capitalism “will inevitably fail if individuals stop caring about the welfare of others.” He just believes the bulk of the help should come from people like you and me, not government bureaucracy. When is the last time you felt charitable on April 15?
[…]Wallis is just as revealing when speaking of his current economic views: “I’m not a liberal, I’m a radical.” Asked if he was calling for the redistribution of wealth across society, he responded: “Absolutely. Without any hesitation. That’s what the gospel is all about.” This is a man that believes an affluent church is no less than “an affront to the gospel” and he’s talking about Glenn being divisive?
I think it’s important to understand just how radical people are when they pass themselves off as Christians, yet have no place for individual charity or the notion of private property, both of which are central in the Bible. I think that Jesus expects us to work in order to have things to share with others, because in that sharing, we can imitate him. The money I earn by the sweat of my brow should not be used by popular people in government to buy votes by subsidizing destructive behaviors, all while blaming me for the behaviors of others.
So I favor capitalism, free markets, private property, the rule of law and voluntary charity by individuals and private organizations – like CHURCHES! To understand what capitalism is, you can watch this lecture entitled “Money, Greed and God: Why Capitalism is the Solution and Not the Problem” by Jay W. Richards, delivered at the Heritage Foundation think tank, and televised by C-SPAN2.
If you can’t see the Richards video, here is an audio lecture by Jay Richards on the “Myths Christians Believe about Wealth and Poverty“. Also, why not check out this series of 4 sermons by Wayne Grudem on the relationship between Christianity and economics? (a PDF outline is here). Here’s a lecture featuring Jay Richards from the libertarian Cato Institute. And you can listen to Ron Nash’s course on Christianity and economics.
More posts from Neil Simpson on Jim Wallis and his Sojourners group:
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WINTERY KNIGHT 
Thanks for addressing Wallis and his false teachings. I sometimes comment at his Sojourners’ God’s Politics Blog and it is very frustrating. They throw out all sorts of bad arguments and frequently play the race card when their bad thinking is exposed.
They pretend to be “pro-life” but not only do nothing about it they argue vehemently to support legalized abortions. Sick.
Their main cause seems to be unlimited support of illegal aliens.
Wallis teaches a false Gospel. I spent a whole thread there giving his followers a chance to defend his claim that the Gospel is “all about” wealth redistribution. What a mess!
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I like how Glenn Beck thinks, it’s just too bad he’s a Mormon.
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think that he had a crisis conversion – it wasn’t focused on finding the truth over a long period of time.
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This sounds about right – like it was mormons who gave him a helping hand.
When he speaks about Christ, I have a hard time hearing mormon teachings when he speaks his view of salvation. The way he talks about his faith sounds a lot less like mormonism and much more like traditional christianity.
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“And the goal is the equalization of material wealth regardless of personal choices, including moral choices.” I found myself with this very unChristian-sounding thought: that’s a very stupid idea.
Has anybody considered the importance of moral choices while planning their political chess game? Obviously not the politicians, and it seems that many of us are their pawns.
In fact, our moral choices, I think, are the foundation of the other personal choices. Consider what that entails: a person who is very careful about making the right choices might have to share what they earn with their neighbor, who would probably squander the money on Poker and Euchre games and Cheese-Whiz.
The Left, if they really knew anything at all, would see the flaw with their reasoning: humans are not perfect, we cannot be made perfect through ourselves, we really are that terrible! Once that premise falls, their system becomes wasteful.
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