Rev. Jody Hice's own words about those on the left who happen to be religious

THE RELIGIOUS LEFT – JODY HICE, 

The following is taken verbatim from Dr. Jody Hice’s book “Now or Never’, Chapter 10, The Religious Left, page 161 beginning in the top paragraph. The following is taken from Jan Markell, “Why the Left is not Right, “Worldview Times, June 6, 2009, http://www.worldview weekend.com/worldview-times/article.php?articleid=5006. Hice concurs with these ideas.

“Steeped in secularism, it is virtually impossible to distinguish the ideology of the religious left from the secular left. Both are extremist in their understanding of politics, economic, and their “answers’ to societal ills. To them, big government, socialized medicine and higher taxes can resolve the problems in America’s culture. As far as the ‘Christian’ tone of their message, Mark Tooley points out that it is as though they equate the welfare state with the Kingdom of God itself. The religious left interprets big government as the solution to every social problem and therefore, it must be ‘fought’ for and advanced in every way possible.”

Hice beats up Jim Wallis, the author of God’s Politics pretty hard. He says on page 159, “Now or Never”, Who is the Religious Left? “Having been raised in an evangelical family, Wallis knows spiritual vocabulary very well and has become a powerful tool in using his religious disposition to delude many Christians into the socialist entrapments of ‘social justice.’

At the bottom of page 159 he continues by quoting David Kirkpatrick, “Democrats Turn to Leader of Religious Left,” New York Times, January 17, 2005, http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1322291/posts., “Democrats needed to do a better job of explaining the moral and religious foundations of policies intended to help the poor, protect the environment and reduce violence. He also encourages them to find ‘middle ground’ on issues that most Christians are concerned about, like obscenity and abortion. In relation to the abortion, he specifically told the Democrats to treat it like a moral problem and propose ways to decrease it.”

Hice’s view on this is stated on the top of page 160, where he says, “In short, this is his (Wallis’) purpose; to create massive ‘spiritual’ confusion and change the way American’s think and vote.”     

The following is taken from “God’s Politics” by Jim Wallis. I encourage everyone, GOP and Democrat alike to read it and judge for yourselves. Hice may be right. It may change the way you vote and think.

At the top of Introduction page xiv Wallis says, “Abraham Lincoln had it right. Our task should not be to invoke religion in the name of God by claiming God’s blessing and endorsement for all our national policies and practices – saying in effect, that God is on our side. Rather, Lincoln said, we should pray and worry earnestly whether we are on God’s side.

Those are the two ways that religion has been brought into public life in American history. The first way – God on our side – leads inevitably to triumphalism, self righteousness, bad theology, and often, dangerous foreign policy. The second way – asking if we are on God’s side – leads us to much healthier things, namely, penitence and even repentance, humility, reflection, and even accountability. We need much more of all these, because these are often missing values of politics.”

At the bottom of Introduction page xiv Wallis says “The values of politics are my primary concern in this book. Of course God is not partisan; God is not a Republican or a Democrat. When either party tries to politicize God, or co-opt religious communities for their political agendas, they make a terrible mistake. The best contribution of religion is to be neither ideologically predictable nor loyally partisan. Both parties, and the nation, must let the prophetic voice of religion be heard. Faith must be free to challenge both right and left from a consistent moral ground.”

Anyone feeling spiritually confused yet? If so, call Jody Hice. He will set you straight!