Injustice Sunday
Opinion piece published in the Church Street Freedom Press:
Injustice Sunday
by Harry Knox
The God of the Bible is often tough to recognize in the picture of the Creator painted by religious leaders on the far right. When I read the scriptures, God is clearly on the side of the poor, the marginalized, outcasts and strangers. But to hear the far right tell it, God is on the side of the majority and last year’s election was a mandate from the Almighty for their views.
They should know better. But they’re at it again as they prepare for Justice Sunday II on Aug. 14, a national event in Nashville that uses the pulpit for pushing injustice.
As a Christian, I believe our faith is most evident in action we take to protect the elderly, to heal the sick and house the poor, to promote peace, and to protect and extend liberties and freedoms, including the freedom of religion.
It would never occur to me to propose that one particular religion be law of the land. That would silence my sisters and brothers of other faiths from whom I have learned so much that has stretched my own understanding. It’s through these faiths that I’ve been able to see even more revealed of the awesome, limitless nature of the Creator.
This In-Justice Sunday, Majority Leader Tom Delay, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council and others will say that God wants America to look, act, and talk just like they do – to be a country that reflects only their narrow view of morality.
How Christian is it to say poor people deserve their state, gay people should be fired from their jobs, wars should be prosecuted based on might over right and women should have no say over what happens to their own bodies? It is not very Christian at all.
When the founders wrote the Constitution, they struck a delicate balance. On the one hand, they made sure everyone would be able to practice their religion according to their own understanding. On the other, they made clear that everyone – believers of all stripes and non-believers – should have a say in decisions made by government.
It’s that last part the organizers of Justice Sunday II have forgotten. They would like nothing better than a judiciary that would limit the rights of lesbian and gay people to marry, even though a growing number of Christian denominations, the Unitarian Universalist Association, and several Jewish traditions all seek the legal right to perform such marriages.
It gets worse. The organizers of Sunday’s event want to do more than limit the free expression of religion enjoyed by progressive people of faith. They even want to limit the debate over the proper role of government as Judge John Roberts is considered for the Supreme Court. They call progressives “Catholic-bashers” because Roberts is Catholic and we have the gall to ask him questions.
Nonsense. Not only is asking pertinent questions of nominees perfectly respectful, since Judge Roberts is being asked to sit in judgment over the nation, it is required of people of faith who love America to find out the answers.
Here’s the question I would like to ask: “Judge Roberts, if confirmed, will you give greater weight in your decision-making to your own personal beliefs or to the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution?” The Justice Sunday II crowd hopes for the former. As a Christian and as an American, I pray for the latter.
So what will you be doing Sunday night while the far right wingers are calling for a theocracy? I plan to be worshiping, praying, singing, and, yes, even preaching at a service of worship sponsored by the volunteers of the Human Rights Campaign’s Nashville Religious Project.
Wherever you might be, if you are a person of faith, do your own preaching and teaching this week. Tell others that no matter what they see or hear of this injustice crowd this Sunday, many more of us believe that faith and fairness are inextricably tied.
If they don’t believe you, remind them of Psalm 103:6, “The Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed.” (RSV) Our opponents may claim this Sunday as their own to preach injustice, but everyday is a day for justice.
Harry Knox is Director of the Religion and Faith Program of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation in Washington, DC
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