May 19, 2006
Democrats are trying to get back in the religion game. Watching Republicans win many of the votes of Christians, Democrats think if they sound spiritual they can win some of those votes for themselves. It is all so silly when either side does it.
A conference designed to help Democrats infuse God into the politics was held this week in Washington at All Souls Unitarian Church. That should tell you something.
It’s called the “Spiritual Activism Conference.” Rabbi Michael Lerner, founder of the Jewish magazine “Tikkun,” said, “while we support the liberal agenda, we are going to a much deeper level with this spiritual critique. We want to bring in a non-utilitarian framework that sees other human beings as embodiments of the sacred.”
They’ve come up with a “spiritual covenant with America” which they acknowledge they stole from the 1994 contract with America. Basically it’s an attempt to take the liberal agenda, coat it with religious authenticity and sell it to the biblically ignorant. It might work, given the level of biblical ignorance – on the left and the right.
Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.
