I do not usually mix faith and politics on Blue Virginia. Today is different. It should go without saying. But instead it needs to be said. Faith is not a one-party notion. But Paul Ryan bashed this President on faux religious charges. His closing argument was to trash the President’s religion. This is not acceptable.
In Romney-Ryan’s simplistic view of our nation, you either think like the on-your-ownership/kick-em-when-they-are-down Romney-Ryan, who think a 10th rate novelist is more important than the charge to love one another, or you are accused of being the anti-Christ. But there is another way, as the video illustrates.
There is the more complex view. It is worth mentioning that nearly every faith has its own conservative, moderate and liberal factions. But too often the US media plays along with the supposed equating of ultra-conservatives as the voice of faith. The video above was the winner of a national competition to illuminate the voice of liberal religion. This video was produced by a young man who used to attend my former Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Blacksburg, VA.
As I have said before, it all boils down to the belief that:
*telling the truth matters.
*everyone is important, from the new baby, to the school child, to the home-schooled child, to the working parents, to the stay-at-home mom (or dad), to the unemployed, to the old, to the sick, to the frail.
*we are all one, no matter the ethnicity or skin “color.”
*we look beyond whether another is Christian, Jew, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, believe in earth-based religions or any other faith.
*we want our fellow countrypersons to be able to marry the one they love.
* our politics and our faith foster inclusion, tolerance and love.
* together we can accomplish great things.
*every person for himself is a barbaric way of viewing our fellow citizens.
*we are all in this together.
*we believe that doing for others, not “every person for himself,” is what life is about.
*everyone who is legally registered should be able to vote without harassment.
*vote suppression has no place in America. (There is only one party which practices that.)
Let us not forget that those with no faith are part of us too. They are most definitely a welcome part of my faith and my politics. Most of us supporting the President believe in both the politics and faith of inclusion. We want others to be happy. Their being so does not detract from us. It only makes us better…because they are us.
In the final analysis, we know that faith and politics intersect when we reach out to those who are hurting. And at that intersection, we know that we are at our best when more people are doing well. We will not exclude the 47% Mitt Romney would exclude, no matter what party or candidate they vote for. We may not appreciate the untruthfulness of their current political leaders, we may even despise their leaders’lack of candor. But their supporters are still part of us.
I do not speak for the entire Blue Virginia Editorial Board. But I think it is safe to say all of us here strongly support a politic that recognizes and embraces all of our country’s people. When there is a Hurricane Sandy or Katrina, they are us, every last one. Helping them is not optional. It is something we as a nation must do. When they are hungry, that is our business. And when they do not have work, that is our concern as well.
I support this president because he appeals to our better “angels,” not the politics of greed or the purported “gospel” justifying it. He supports one nation, indivisible, which is a holy calling. When the election is over, he will once again unite this country. He will offer his hand to the pols on the other side of the aisle. Whether they join to make this a better place is out of our hands.
Regardless of what they do, I expect that our president, President Barack Obama, will have all of our (the voters’) backs. And that is why I have his back, as I will tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that. I have proudly voted for President Obama in early voting. I look forward to tomorrow when the rest of America can do so as well.
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