WP: Do religious leaders really focus on homosexuality and abortion more than poverty? Not exactly

[Zguy28]

Do religious leaders really focus on homosexuality and abortion more than poverty? Not exactly

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/05/19/do-religious-leaders-really-focus-on-homosexuality-and-abortion-more-than-poverty-not-exactly/

 

Inequality has become the hot issue in politics, and the latest squabble has scrutinized the efforts of religious groups – or lack thereof – to raise Americans’ focus on the issue.

 

In a Washington Post interview last week, Harvard sociologist Robert Putnam claimed organized religion’s public agenda has “been entirely focused on issues of homosexuality and contraception and not at all focused on issues of poverty.” Putnam’s comments were blasted by several commentators, including the New York Times’s Ross Douthat, who noted religious groups spend far more on charity, schools and hospitals than pro-life causes or to oppose same-sex marriage.

 

Putnam’s research has been important in proving that religious individuals give more to charity , but Douthat further argued the atmosphere at church services and in statements of leaders is not obsessed with homosexuality and abortion. Beyond anecdotal claims, how much do churchgoers hear about poverty at worship services compared with hot-button social issues?

 

Rest at link

[zoony]

So are religious leaders voting for income equality then? Because I'm pretty sure they're voting the exact opposite

[TimmySmith]

So are religious leaders voting for income equality then? Because I'm pretty sure they're voting the exact opposite

Where are they doing this voting?

[mistertim]

Where are they doing this voting?

Not to put words into Zoony's mouth, but I'm pretty sure the he means they keep voting for people who have a vested interest in corporate welfare and to whom income equality is anathema.

[TimmySmith]

Not to put words into Zoony's mouth, but I'm pretty sure the he means they keep voting for people who have a vested interest in corporate welfare and to whom income equality is anathema.

All the religious leaders in the US probably add up to 50000 votes.  And I doubt any of them are against "income equality", whatever that is.  All of them have concerns about being forced to adhere to public policy that violates their belief.  Forcing people to adhere to a public dogma should be a concern to all of us.

[Major Harris]

c'mon zoony you're better than that.

 

they're not voting for income inequality.  they're voting on one issue, either abortion or the gay rights.

[The Evil Genius]

Forcing people to adhere to a public dogma should be a concern to all of us.

 

Allowing people to discriminate and hide behind their religion doing so should be a concern to all of us. 

[Elessar78]

Allowing people to discriminate and hide behind their religion doing so should be a concern to all of us. 

Yeah. American Taliban and all that.

[PokerPacker]

c'mon zoony you're better than that.

 

they're not voting for income inequality.  they're voting on one issue, either abortion or the gay rights.

Considering that the title of the thread is asking if they focus more on homosexuality and abortion than poverty, I think that's kinda the point.

[Major Harris]

I think you kind of missed my attempt at funny. Or i missed it.

[PokerPacker]

I think you kind of missed my attempt at funny. Or i missed it.

Apparently I missed it.

[Major Harris]

I was trying to say they're single issue voters. They don't realize and / or don't care how that might affect other issues.

[Predicto]

So are religious leaders voting for income equality then? Because I'm pretty sure they're voting the exact opposite

 

Depends on which religious leaders you are talking about, I suspect

[zoony]

Depends on which religious leaders you are talking about, I suspect

The ones who obsess over the gays

[Zguy28]

The ones who obsess over the gays

And who is that Zoony? Can you name more than ten?

[Major Harris]

And who is that Zoony? Can you name more than ten?

I can name 4 that continually write letters to the editor of the local paper.

Edit: i can't say that they're religious leaders. I don't know .

[zoony]

And who is that Zoony? Can you name more than ten?

Good Lord no. Doubt I could name 1

[Riggo-toni]

Why don't religious leaders focus on gays living below the poverty line.

[AsburySkinsFan]

Here's my experience.

In church we always focused on discipleship first and foremost, and I've found that to be relatively true across the board. There is a lot of attention given to helping the poor i.e. food pantries, etc. But, budgets are so strapped in the vast majority of churches (another issue altogether) that actual concerted efforts are often seriously lacking in comparison with the needs. Add to that the growing sentiment amongst immature church members/leaders that the poor somehow deserve to be where they are and budgets for such things get even tougher to free up. Most churches I know are struggling to keep their doors open from year to year, they see and aging and declining membership and a pile of bills that need paid, and repairs need completed. They are understanding now that the infrastructures that they are trying to support were built on a 1950's population model that simply no longer exists.

 

I wouldn't say that the American church in general is more focused on gays than the poor, I'd say that the American church in general is more focused on itself and keeping its doors open for another year. I think most churches in America are still trying to figure out why the jumbotrons and hippster bands didn't work. I think most churches in America believe they are offering an actual alternative way of living, but in actuality are only offering a country club existence.

 

So, why so much noise on gays?

Because words are cheap and being against something is easy, whereas addressing the needs of the poor and the system issues of poverty are EXTREMELY difficult and most in the church either don't care or don't know what to do. I think many church members in general feel threatened by what they perceive as a culture shifting around them, and the challenges that places upon their doctrines etc.

Tons of money is given from the church to causes that help the needy, but statistics show that in most cases less money comes from church people than those outside of the church.

In the end, complaining about gays it just a lazy way forward, but it is one that gets the most noise because of the fights within churches regarding the place that gays have within the church and her systems.

 

:2cents:

[twa]

Why don't religious leaders focus on gays living below the poverty line.

 

conversion to sustainable living therapy?

 

if they teach em tithing it will even pay for itself.

[Jumbo]

It's ok, those of you religious folk who do it---keep chasing the homos. You're fine. You couldn't be doing more for your own dissolution in the process, IMO, and maybe that's a good thing. 

 

Next question:

 

Does Zguy participate in more homo threads than poverty threads? 

 

 

(btw, i jab at him from time to time, but for the few who may not know, if you think Zguy can be pigeonholed as some conservative fundy xtian who doesn't understand or care about the complexity and humanity in these topics, you are very wrong IMO)

 

 

(also btw,  good to see you posting again Asbury---ya liberal Christian type, you  )

[Major Harris]

Good to see you too, jumbo

[Zguy28]

 

Does Zguy participate in more homo threads than poverty threads? 

 

The squeaky wheel gets the grease as my ol' Pappy used to say.

[The Evil Genius]

Isn't that a scene from Deliverance, zguy?

[Zguy28]

Isn't that a scene from Deliverance, zguy?

Ask Major Harris, he's from that country...

 

 

 

 

 

j/k, that was in Georgia I think.