Voegelin said:
The point special interest group opposing the judicial nominations is Norman Lear's "People for the American Way."
Lear created PFAW for the expressed purpose of keeping tradtional Christians out of elected and appointed positions in government.
And no, PFAW is
NOT created for the "express purpose of keeping tradtional (sic) Christians out of elected and appointed positions in government."
You can read PFAW's mission statement
here.
Or, you can read part of their mission statement below:
PFAW Mission Statement said:
People For the American Way was founded in 1981 by Norman Lear, Barbara Jordan, Father Theodore Hesburgh, and Andrew Heiskell. The following Statement of Purpose was adopted by the founders and other civic, religious, and business leaders who comprised the initial Board of Directors.
In times of hardship, in times of crises, societies throughout history have experienced wrenching dislocations in their fundamental values and beliefs.... We are alarmed that some of the current voices of stridency and division may replace those of reason and unity. If these voices continue unchallenged, the results will be predictable: a rise in "demonology" and hostility, a breakdown in community and social spirit, a deterioration of free and open dialogue, and the temptation to grasp at simplistic solutions for complex problems.
People For the American Way was established to address these matters. Our purpose is to meet the challenges of discord and fragmentation with an affirmation of "the American Way." By this, we mean pluralism, individuality, freedom of thought, expression and religion, a sense of community, and tolerance and compassion for others. People For the American Way will reach out to all Americans and affirm that in our society, the individual still matters; that there is reason to believe in the future - not to despair of it - and that we must strengthen the common cords that connect us as humans and citizens.
The long term agenda of People For the American Way is broad. It includes reducing social tension and polarizations, encouraging community participation, fostering understanding among different segments of our society, and increasing the level and quality of public dialogue. As an educational institution, we shall communicate with the American people through printed materials, radio, television, public lectures and discussions.
I have yet to figure out why so many conservative Christians
ASSUME that they are the only "true" Christians; and why they insist on foisting their agenda on other people, Christian or not, who don't happen to believe the way that these conservatives do.
Conservative Christians
do not have a monopoly on God, on Christ, or the Scriptures. I, for one, really do not appreciate the audacity of many Christian conseratives to presume they have the right to speak for me, or to tell me that my opinion isn't "valid" because I don't believe as they do.
Yes -- I
am a liberal Christian; and I
am a dues-paying member of PFAW; and I'm active in precinct, local and area politics; and I
do canvass and work for the Democratic Party at the local level -- and I'm an active, tithing, Bible-believing member of a church even if I
don't read the Bible the same way as "Christian conservatives" and even if I'm
not a Republican. Christian conservatives
do not determine the "validity" of my relationship with Christ and I will not stand for them trying to assume they have that right.
I'll say another thing -- I
didn't enjoy
The Passion of the Christ; and quite frankly, if I were going to write and direct the movie I'd choose Luke/Acts which at least has the temerity to try to portray an actual history of the work (and Passion) of Jesus, and to assign blame where blame actually belonged (
not "the Jews" but the Sanhedrin and the quisling Roman governor Pontius Pilate, who was trying to keep the Romans from invading the area)!
Too bad I didn't attend law school -- I'd be doing everything I could to secure a Federal judgeship -- and yes, I
would rule against corporations and
for individuals; and I'd start opening up the government so we could see what's going on behind those closed doors!
