If Barack Obama asked me to endorse him, I'd have to excommunicate him for his own good.
That's my conclusion after the messy consequences of Rev. Jeremiah Wright's association with Obama, and of Pastor John Hagee's proclaimed support for John McCain. The gonzological utterances of these pastors have given all of us Christian clergy a bad rap, to say nothing of the harm they've done to the candidates they aimed to support. The best thing that religious leaders can do for their favored candidates, and for our profession, is to avoid the entanglement that comes with endorsement.
That won't stop me, nor should it stop spiritual communities, from taking action on issues that figure significantly in the upcoming presidential election. Issues like the overwhelming need for comprehensive health care reform, so that Americans finally get universal, single-payer medical coverage that is enjoyed by citizens of most other industrialized nations. Issues like America's occupation of Iraq, which needs to end swiftly. Issues like how to deal with Iran and Syria and Palestine/Israel - it is time for our nation to show its true strength by talking directly with their leaders, working hard to deal with the root causes of conflict wherever possible, instead of stonewalling and saber-rattling. Issues like ending America's disastrous "war on drugs" and adopting a more humane and pragmatic "harm-reduction" approach instead. Issues like breaking up our prison-industrial complex, giving judges more flexibility in sentencing and giving inmates more opportunities for education and rehabilitation. Issues like marriage equality: giving support for the California court decision making gay and lesbian marriages possible. (Anybody out there whose straight marriage is falling apart because gay marriage is now allowed?)
Strongly as I feel about these issues, the Christ inspires me to a humility that avoids claiming that my opinion is God's, a humility that admits that I don't have the last word on how society best should be ordered. The Christian faith calls us to care deeply about all the great issues of our day, and take action in response. But it doesn't unequivocally explain how these questions should be answered.
So I'll stick with Jesus'
gospel of kindness and love that impels me to care about matters
political, and also reminds me to stay open to the perspectives of
people who disagree with me. I'll avoid the pitfalls of mixing my
pastoral role with partisanship: I'd never vote for a politician who
would advertise my endorsement!
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PS for my fellow Northern Californians: I hope you'll join me at a rally for universal, single-payer health care at noon on June 19th, Thurs, at the Moscone Center West in San Francisco, 4th and Howard: www.singlepayernow.net for more info. I'll be there with a contingent the California Council of Churches, to protest in front of the annual convention of the health insurance industry.
PS for all Californians: I hope you'll join me in voting no on Prop 98 and yes on Prop 99. Proposition 98 poses as "reform" of the eminent domain laws, but hidden in its wording is a provision that would end all rent control laws in California. Proposition 99 is a reasonable, minor reform of eminent domain laws. Having been involved in an eminent domain proceeding once, I saw how important it is for local governments to have this power - as long as it is exercised fairly toward property owners.