Citation, please
A coalition of conservative, evangelical religious leaders is apparently concerned that young evangelicals care about things like (gasp!) global poverty and climate change. The group, which includes 145 religious leaders would like you to know that "abortion, homosexuality and religious freedom* are still paramount issues." They have published a document, the "Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience."
"...there is a hierarchy of issues,” said Charles Colson, a prominent evangelical who founded Prison Fellowship after serving time in prison for his role in the Watergate scandal. “...We’re hoping to educate them that these are the three most important issues.”
Why, pray tell, are these the three most important issues? Is there some sort of scriptural basis for this? (I can't find a citation for Jesus saying anything like that, but if anyone else knows of one, feel free to note it in comments.)
I have always been very puzzled by the hierarchy of sin or what have you that people pretend exists. As near as I can tell, the key Christian messages are "Do unto others" and "Love thy neighbor." There's no list that says same sex marriage>murder>not keeping the sabbath>not honoring your parents>coveting or whatever. And yet, as Colson notes, there are people who believe that a hierarchy of sin (or social issues) is real and that Christians should be pouring their energy into making sure that two adults who love and care about each other should be denied rights, rather than worrying about people who don't have enough to eat or access to clean water. I guess maybe they do teach logic in schools these days...
*In this context, religious freedom generally means the ability to continue to treat non-heterosexual individuals as second class citizens.
"...there is a hierarchy of issues,” said Charles Colson, a prominent evangelical who founded Prison Fellowship after serving time in prison for his role in the Watergate scandal. “...We’re hoping to educate them that these are the three most important issues.”
Why, pray tell, are these the three most important issues? Is there some sort of scriptural basis for this? (I can't find a citation for Jesus saying anything like that, but if anyone else knows of one, feel free to note it in comments.)
I have always been very puzzled by the hierarchy of sin or what have you that people pretend exists. As near as I can tell, the key Christian messages are "Do unto others" and "Love thy neighbor." There's no list that says same sex marriage>murder>not keeping the sabbath>not honoring your parents>coveting or whatever. And yet, as Colson notes, there are people who believe that a hierarchy of sin (or social issues) is real and that Christians should be pouring their energy into making sure that two adults who love and care about each other should be denied rights, rather than worrying about people who don't have enough to eat or access to clean water. I guess maybe they do teach logic in schools these days...
*In this context, religious freedom generally means the ability to continue to treat non-heterosexual individuals as second class citizens.