Adapted from an Ongoing Conversation with docwebster

KatrinaDal: you want morals?
KatrinaDal: feed the hungry
KatrinaDal: clothe the naked
KatrinaDal: visit the sick and the afflicted
KatrinaDal: care for the widows and orphans (aka single parent families)
KatrinaDal: visit those in prison
KatrinaDal: love your neighbor
KatrinaDal: treat others as you'd like to be treated
KatrinaDal: pretty fucking radical shit
KatrinaDal: I'm sure the religious reich wouldn't recognize it.
DocWebstr: No shit.
KatrinaDal: where is the morality in letting children go hungry and homeless while the rich get tax breaks?

The fact is, however, that in this election, "morals" and "moral values" meant "keep gay people from getting married." Those words were not used to describe aid to the needy. In fact, the Bush administration has slashed aid to social services again and again and again, while giving that nice fat tax break to the richest. To me, that math says "rob the poor to buy off the rich." After all, the poor aren't making campaign contributions.

The Republican party's use of the word "moral" has nothing whatsoever to do with actual Christianity (defined as the practice of following the words of Christ). This is my point.

Note: I do NOT like the politics of the Salvation Army, and I'm still miffed over their attempted backroom deal with Bush when the Faith-Based Initiative thing was jsut getting started. However, the Salvation Army provides a tremendous amount of help to those in desperate need, and has become the first AND last resort of homeless families. I work at a non-profit poverty advocacy organization. We have specific grants which can help families in specific circumstances, but the families who fall outside the grant criteria have to be referred elsewhere. There are a lot of these people. Currently, the Salvation Army's emergency housing program, which is meant to keep individuals and families from sleeping in cars and on park benches (keep in mind I live in Montana, and sleeping outside this time of year means probably not waking up), has a TWO-WEEK WAITING LIST. That's how underfunded and overburdened they are. That's the plight of every single organization, governmentally-funded or otherwise, which gives direct assistance to those in need.

If you're wondering, this holiday season, what you can do to help the homeless and hungry, you could do a lot worse than drop a few dollars in the Salvation Army kettle. The money goes where it's needed.


EDIT: Thanks to girlclone for this link:
Let me tell you about the Christ I know. He was conceived by an unmarried woman. He was not born into a family of privilege. He was a radical. He said, "It was said an eye for and eye and a tooth of a tooth, but now I say love your enemies and bless those who curse you." He said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." (Matthew 5: 3-9) He said, "All those who are called by my name will enter the kingdom of heaven." He said, "People will know true believers if they have the fruit of the spirit--love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self control."