|
Democrats plan to inject spirituality into agenda
 A conference geared to help Democrats infuse God into their politics begins tomorrow at All Souls Unitarian Church in the District with the unveiling of a "spiritual covenant with America."
The "Spiritual Activism Conference" aims to equip liberals to operate in a political arena where religion has played a more prominent role since 2000, says Rabbi Michael Lerner, founder of the Jewish magazine Tikkun and a chief conference organizer. "While we support the liberal agenda, we are going to a much deeper level with this spiritual critique," he said. "We want to bring in a nonutilitarian framework that sees other human beings as embodiments of the sacred."
| How about a utilitarian framework that sees human beings as individuals, rather than as members of "the masses"? I realize the Publicans have difficulty getting large amounts of votes with this approach, but people with genuine religious beliefs react well to it, which is why the Dems are trying to line up their votes — as a bloc. |
After some 1,200 conferees receive copies of the covenant -- an alternative to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's successful 1994 "Contract With America" that led to a Republican takeover of the House later that year -- they are expected to discuss it Thursday in meetings with members of Congress.
| And they talk about generals fighting the last war... |
"We're not taking the liberal agenda and sticking on some Bible quotes," Mr. Lerner said. "It's a whole rethinking on how to do liberal and progressive politics in a whole different language." One element of this rethinking was to come up with a new term, "spiritual progressives" for the religious left. Next was to come up with some sort of document that expresses their values.
| "Spiritual progressives" sounds like the same old pig with a fresh coat of lipstick. |
Posted by: Fred 2006-05-17 |
