Did you know that God is against oil consumption? Did you know that greed for profit caused the oil spill in Louisiana? Well you would if you were on the Sojourners' mailing list! My recent discussion with my new friend Steve here got me to investigating exactly what the Sojourners believe and what they support. I went to their website in order to see what they are all about. I signed up for their emails. The very first one I opened was this verbatim email:
Dear [John],
You've seen the images of the Gulf and God's creation suffocating under crude oil.
While these images are another symptom of our energy greed, we can also work to inspire personal and communal transformation.
Join the Sojourners Sustainers Circle!
I don’t know about you, but my reaction to images of the marbled, oily waters in the Gulf of Mexico is a significant shudder.
With every headline, I am challenged again – as I’m sure you are as well - to reconsider my own lifestyle. Where do I draw the line on my energy consumption? How can I educate others about the effects of energy greed? How do I advocate for strong climate change legislation?
I make personal choices each day to reduce my own energy dependence. And I’ve made one easy choice – to be a member of the Sustainers Circle – to be part of a movement I believe in, and to inform and challenge myself and people around me to action on this and all social justice efforts.
I want to invite you to join me – to become a Sustainer. Sustainers can choose a gift amount that works for their budget and can give either monthly, quarterly, or annually. It’s easy, flexible, and comes with perks!
Your membership allows Sojourners to forge ahead, inspiring the transformation we need in our communities, our country, and our world – through personal choices and through regulation and legislation.
Just this week, Sojourners’ message has been spreading:
In SojoMail, Jim Wallis reminded Fox News commentator Glenn Beck that churches advocating for environmental justice are not being used by politics, as Beck claimed, but are being used by God.
Speaking to the press with our partners at Oxfam and The Nature Conservancy, Jim reminded all that creation care is a moral and religious issue.
We are working to convene a national faith leaders meeting with key senators on the new “American Power Act” bill in Congress – providing an opportunity for the political establishment to hear from leaders in the church about concerns and encouragement with their legislation.
Decide today to be a Sojourners Sustainer – to be the anchor behind our successes. Join now.
When we see fish washed up on our beaches after an oil spill or the tears of children whose fathers are dead because of violated safety standards, when we know that these tragedies are connected to our own greed, we cry for repentance and then shout for reform.
At Sojourners, we’re encouraged by the passion and activism of our followers. But we need to share this message with more people to build a stronger faith movement for social justice. Your gift as a monthly Sustainer makes all our teaching and action opportunities possible. It’s vital to reaching new ‘Sojourners’ across our nation and world.
Join our Sustainers Circle today.
Blessings,
Leah, a Sojourners team member and a proud Sustainer
P.S. As part of my personal transformation, I strive to live as simply as possible – creating edible landscapes, watering from rain barrels, biking and using mass transit in my daily commute, and living in the smallest house possible for my growing family. Being a Sustainer gives me the opportunity to see others transformed through Sojourners’ work, and I receive a complimentary copy of Sojourners magazine to share with others! Click here to learn more.
Back to your humble blogger's words: Can. You. Imagine.
Just think if some conservative group, or Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh started hitting people up for money after 9/11. "When we see fish washed up on our beaches after an oil spill the twin towers in ruins or the tears of children whose fathers are dead because of violated safety standards those Islamo- fascists, when we know that these tragedies are connected to our own greed, we cry for repentance and then shout for reform."
Yeah, that would go down well...
I don't know about "Leah" the dumb bitch who wrote that e-mail, but my "own greed" had nothing to do with that well blowing up and leaking. I'd say she is the one with the greed problem. I'm not hitting up people for money while using a terrible disaster as an excuse.
John Doe
LTB adds: OMG! What a ruse!
Their environmental activism has nothing to do with God. That is idolatry of the environment. They are the greedy ones. I don't think the Left believes that accidents happen anymore. I wonder if some environmental whacko had something to do with the oil spill?
ReplyDeleteWow. Kinda hard to know where to begin with this.
ReplyDeleteMy personal favorite lines:
"At Sojourners, we’re encouraged by the passion and activism of our followers. But we need to share this message with more people to build a stronger faith movement for social justice." Churches talking about "social justice" now are about as bad as churches talking about Amway products. It's ridiculous.
"When we see fish washed up on our beaches after an oil spill or the tears of children whose fathers are dead because of violated safety standards, when we know that these tragedies are connected to our own greed, we cry for repentance and then shout for reform." Hmmm. They forgot to mention how the Big Oil Execs season their food with the children's tears.
"Your membership allows Sojourners to forge ahead, inspiring the transformation we need in our communities, our country, and our world – through personal choices and through regulation and legislation." Yep. Regulation and legislation-- for when correct personal choices just isn't enough...