Circle the chairs and lets form a snake line. Today's suggested topic is about Rev. William Barber's call to action and my thoughts on how it applies to the hundreds of small churches in Vallejo, California. This is an Open Thread / Coffee Hour and all topics of conversation are welcome.
What is for dinner? How are you doing? What is on your mind. If you are new to Street Prophets please introduce yourself beyond the fold in a comment.
What is the meaning of Don't Trust Your Heart Trust God? I found myself thinking about this when I drove by this signage out in front of one of the hundreds of small churches in Vallejo. What is this signs message?
I can think of two definitions of heart one literal the other metaphoric. The literal definition that heart is a muscle that pumps blood and other is the symbolic or metaphorical use of the word equating the heart with feeling.
I assume the message is metaphoric. And says your feelings are untrustworthy and one must obey the teachings of God even if the teachings do not feel right. In this case it is implied that this Church, via the pastor, will teach you about why what you feel is wrong based on God's literal word in the Bible.
Perhaps, and I do not know the intentions of the pastor that put up the sign, but I suspect the whole line of thought brought up by the sign is justified in his mind by this one Bible verse:
“He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.” —Proverbs 28:26
I'm in the process of reaching out to my community with and daring to use the word moral in my political conversations. And, because of the sign above when talking to "church members" I'm careful in my conversation to always include a moral example based on a specific example of injustice backed up with a reference to the laws the United States has in place to address that injustice. This is the example that Reverend William Barber has given us.
Frederick Clarkson in his diary on Aug13, 2014, Rev. Barber on Religious/Political Inclusion touches on this issue slightly and is well worth a read.
We all tend to make words -- like conservative -- become boundaries; lines drawn in the sand; vast constellations of doctrines wrapped up in a word or a phrase over which we struggle. But life and politics, and indeed faith, for most of us are really not about such rigidities. Word are not ends but means to ends as we try to make sense of life and politics and certainly matters of faith. We can do better in how we go forward together towards a more just society. And Rev. Barber calls on us to do just that.
Rev. Barber on Religious/Political Inclusion
Street Prophets Moral Monday Action Tip #4
"They can't debate us when we make our case on moral and constitutional grounds." - Reverend William Barber
But we also learned another power of moral fusion progressive movement in the 21st century.
And that is they can deride us. They can deflect from the issue. But they can't debate us. They can't debate us when we make our case on moral and constitutional grounds. They call us whiners. Tillis called us -- who's running for the Senate -- he called us whiners and losers and leftists. And some of them called us Socialists.
But we say to them if we are leftists in fighting for justice and fairness and all people, then the Bible and Constitution are the Magna Carta of leftist documents.
From: Rev. William Barber's electrifying speech at Netroots Nation 2014 by Egberto Willies.
Below is a quick round up of diaries on Daily Kos about Rev. William Barbers ideas for those that have not been following the Moral Mondays movement.
Will you help Rev. Barber stand for us all, Aug 22-28? by DocDawg
A week of (moral) Mondays in North Carolina. Y'all come on down! by DocDawg
Street Prophets Moral Monday Coffee Hour: Hazel Wilson Ignores Grand Jury by linkage
Rev. Barber on Religious/Political Inclusion by Frederick Clarkson
Street Prophets Moral Monday Coffee Hour: Barber, Lakoff and Morality
DKos Asheville: Mountain Moral Monday by DKos Asheville
Street Prophets Moral Monday Coffee Hour: Above The Snake Line by linkage
This week in the war on workers: 'We're going to win this if we keep fighting. We can't stop.' by Laura Clawson for Daily Kos Labor
Rev. William Barber's electrifying speech at Netroots Nation 2014 by Egberto Willies
William Barber Takes Us to Church at Netroots Nation by Frederick Clarkson
Moral Monday - Street Prophets Coffee Hour by linkage
Sad, But True: Activism Just Ain't Sexy to the So-Called Netroots by shanikka
Rev. Barber may be the one I've been waiting for by Arrogant Ape
NN14, Rev. Barber, and the snake line by dkmich
North Carolina's Moral Mondays Movement: 90% of Success is Just Showin' Up by DocDawg
I'm glad I didn't miss it: Transcript of The Rev. Dr. William Barber at NN14 by TrueBlueMajority
Morality As A Secular Concept by kevinbr38
(please bring to my attention any other diaries that should be on this list in the comments below and I will add them.)
This is an Open Thread / Coffee Hour and all topics of conversation are welcome. And, what you think the sign says?
Best,
Jonathan Gordon (linkage on Daily Kos)