Davison's Doodle

Social Justice

I’ve been thinking about Glenn Beck’s remarks about social justice and Churches that preach or practice a “social justice” theology.  I participated in the Sojourner’s email blitz on Beck and Fox News (can it still be called news)?  That was not satisfying.  Why?  Because it seems to energize Fox, Beck, and the Tea Party crowd.  In the end they are selling the newest snake oil packaged as patriotism and proudly anti-intellectual.  They are interested in making another holy dollar.  What would be satisfying?  For serious Republicans and Democrats (the adults among them) who are interested in working for the common good of all Americans to stop appearing on Fox, writing for any Fox owned print or web publications.  What would be satisfying?  For the serious conservatives among us, whatever that means, to stop appearing on Beck’s show, any Fox programming, or writing for their print or web publications.  That would be satisfying.  Like so much in our culture, the Fox corporation entertains, tears down, creates only anxiety, and promotes emotional voyeurism to sell its product.  What is its product?  Some would argue the other side of the story?  It appears to be dissention.

Back in the fall I was waiting for a car to be serviced at a car dealership.  They, of course, had Fox on the TV in the waiting area.  Beck was going on and on about something.  Two guys, two sales team members, came out of their offices and took up positions watching Beck.  They noticed me and asked what I thought.  I wanted to just check email.  They commented on the brilliance of Beck and how down to earth he is.  I thought they must be joking, but customers came in and were ignored while these two 35 to 50 year old, white men, were glued to Beck’s words.  I wanted to be connected and dialogue, but they saw no dialogue needed.  Beck good.  Obama bad.  Republican good.  Anyone believing or practicing anything else, the problem and ignored.  I wanted to be pastoral and curious, but could not muster it.  I’ve never been back to that dealership.

The best response to Beck I have read so far is from Martin Marty.  This week’s Sightings elegantly questions Beck and those that follow.

Social Justice
by Martin Marty | Sighting’s | March 15, 2010

Are 68.1 million Americans connected with a Communist front movement?  Yes, if they are Roman Catholic.  Are another 20 million citizens listening to “coded” Nazi  messages?  Yes, if they are mainline Protestant.  Are tens of millions more in danger of being part of a similarly coded Fascist front?  Yes, if they are in a growing wing of Evangelicalism; and yes, if they keep hearing social justice messages in thousands of African-American congregations.  Those four “yeses” pick up on oft-repeated accusations by Fox News host Glenn Beck.  They provoked the least underreported public religion news of the week, which appeared in the March 12th New York Times as well as “all over the internet.”

The fact that Mr. Beck charms millions of devotees tells more about the sad state of truth-telling and the high state of lie-receiving than civil citizens should want to hear.  The broadcaster has picked up an ally in folk like Jerry Falwell, Jr. and a few other fundamentalists on the right who have been at least as condemnatory as he.  Their most cited biblical passage is from the gospels, where Jesus announces that his kingdom is not of his world; therefore they conclude that Christians should avoid political life.  A test of ironies:  Quick, now, can you think of any element in American religion which has been more publicly engaged in recent politicking than these “not-of-this-world” dwellers in glass houses?

Where should they direct the stones they must throw?  And how should they follow through?  Mr. Beck knows:  Leave any church which talks about, supports, or “does” works of justice beyond what an individual or a church charity can do.  “Leave!”  “Run!”  Do it fast, he says, because of the way things are going.  He might as well be wearing a beard, a robe, and a sign:  “THE END IS NEAR.”  Before that end, these “social justice” churches might at least fling some pebbles back while they seek consistency.  Ask:  Would all the Christians and the churches which accept any benefits of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, tax exemption and other such programs cut them off tomorrow?  They all involve the government and all were backed by “social and economics minded” leaders and followers in churches, often against the odds raised and symbolized by the Glenn Becks of their past.

Sightings likes to be fair and to see more than one side of things as it does its observing and commenting.  So let it be noted that some sane and serious Christians also think that believers should pay no attention to public order, structures, circumstances, and possibilities.  “Don’t talk justice!  Just be just!”  “Don’t support programs which support widows and orphans, just share your bread and coat and cold water with your innocently needy neighbor.”  Thereafter do the math:  It will become obvious that the limits on the individual responses to need at their highest won’t meet needs if reckoned at their lowest.

Biblical verses wisely do remind readers, “Put not your trust in princes.”  That usually means governments; “princes” in the media, banking, punditry, universities, and, yes, churches demand scrutiny, and their programs deserve careful evaluation, as well.  But those who say that you have taken care of biblical injunctions if you simply keep government out of everything face biblical reminders with which they have to contend:  The Hebrew prophets all dealt with “nations,” and the apostle Paul, writing to people suffering under Nero, also said that civil “authority…is God’s servant for your good (Romans 13:4).  Paul even goes so far in 13:6 to urge believers to “pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants.”  Come on, Paul, don’t press your luck in Beck’s world!