Why Jim Wallis gives me the creeps

Yes, he’s got better values than the religious right.

Yes, it's great that he wants to reduce poverty.

But the Presidential Forum on Faith and Politics he recently organized and broadcast on CNN scares me.

We are supposed to have no religious test for office in this country. And yet his presidential forum put the three leading candidates on trial in front of a “special panel of religious leaders.” Eeuw. Kind of like the Inquisition, huh?

The whole set-up made me squirmy, not to mention the questions that were asked: about the candidates’ greatest sins! About the content of their prayers! Today it is the candidates in the hot seat of judgment. Tomorrow it could be me, a citizen.

It didn’t help that all three candidates are Christian, and every panelist who asked a question was Christian. I am not a Christian. I’m not very religious at all. But I have deeply held beliefs and values, and faith that my life has meaning. I would make a good president if I were so inclined.

This nationally broadcast presidential forum left me feeling like an outsider in my own country…even in my own political party.

So, what am I going to do about it?

I’ll sign the petition at First Freedom First in support of

real Religious Liberty and the Separation of Church and State.

Oranges vs. orange juice, and all that it implies

So, these days, our local grocery store is selling really good oranges. My 14 year old enjoys them, as do the rest of us. My last two trips to the store, I’ve noticed that my 14 year old (14yo) has written “O.J” on the shopping list. I ignored it. Why buy orange juice (which is processed in a factory, using energy; bottled in a plastic container made of petroleum products, etc. etc.) when I can buy delicious oranges?

I am living my beliefs by not buying O.J. while oranges are still in season. This is good. I’m doing my (small, yes) part to save the planet.

But then I was thinking about Separation of Church and State. How does my not buying orange juice relate to that principle, which I so strongly believe in?

As primary food shopper for my family, I am kind of like an elected official. I have the trust of my family, a certain power over what they eat, and a responsibility to them. So should I impose my O.J. philosophy on them?

Believe it or not, I actually gave this some serious thought.

It is my deeply held belief that each of us should take the small steps that we can, and it is my “faith” that if we all did that, we could save the planet, humanity, etc. So I am really tempted to impose this on my family. But I decided that would be wrong. I’ll still try to persuade them, by explaining and modeling the behavior I believe in, but I can’t force them to follow my beliefs.

I tried to explain this to my husband and 14yo last night. They just wanted to debate O.J. vs. Orange Juice.

It took quite an effort (and a moment of will over shaky voice) to explain that the point I was trying to make had little to do with O.J., but everything to do with power, and resisting the temptation to use it, despite my personal beliefs.

It ended up being a pretty good discussion. Maybe I was inspired by the Teaching Tolerance website I was looking at yesterday. Certainly also by the First Freedom First campaign.