Rev. Sandra L. Strauss – 11/9/04

This page was last updated on November 9, 2004.

Let’s talk about moral issues; Rev. Sandra L. Strauss; Beaver County Times; November 9, 2004.

The author indicates she is Director of Public Advocacy of the Pennsylvania Council of Churches. The PCC is made up of Protestant churches and pursues a decidedly socialist agenda.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“I feel compelled to respond to reports that our national election outcome turned over concern for ‘moral issues.’ I am saddened and angered that the term ‘moral’ has been hijacked by some Christians to mean opposition to abortion, gay marriage, and embryonic stem cell research.

“For people of faith, morality must encompass a much broader spectrum, based on major themes of the Bible.”

[RWC] Does Ms. Strauss claim these are not moral issues, or that they are not the universe of moral issues?

“Justice, love, peace, compassion, healing and forgiveness are themes that permeate Scripture. The prophet Micah says that God requires that we ‘do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our God.’

“Amos points out that God ‘hates’ our superficial efforts of piety if we don’t ‘let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.’

“Jesus tells us that the two greatest commandments are to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. The gospels make it clear that Jesus was the champion of the most vulnerable and the disenfranchised.

“How can we claim to be ‘moral,’ just, loving, and compassionate when we threaten humanity by failing to address the threat of global warming, protect the sick and injured by lack of access to affordable health care, provide a living wage for working families or provide a safety net for those who, through no fault of their own, have fallen upon difficult times?”

[RWC] Ms. Strauss isn’t clear about her definition of “we,” but I’ll assume she means government. So would you if you read the PA Council of Churches legislative principles web page. There’s nothing moral about the government taking hard earned income from one person and giving it to another and that is the implication of Ms. Strauss’ listed items. I believe helping those is need is moral only when it is voluntary. Forcibly taking from one person and giving to another is no more moral than ignoring those in need.

“In making the world ‘comfortable’ for those who object to certain individual behaviors, I believe we are abdicating our duty to the rest of humanity and to all creation.”

[RWC] Let’s say a candidate who supports abortion, homosexual “marriage,” and harvesting of embryonic stem cells had been elected. Would Ms. Strauss have felt we were “abdicating our duty to the rest of humanity and to all creation?” We have to make choices and it is inevitable that no choice will make everyone happy or agree with everyone’s beliefs.

Ms. Strauss is no different than many of us. She believes her positions are correct and her opposition is wrong. That’s life.