Glenn Beck once said on his show that if your church preaches social justice then you should leave the church.
Social justice, as he puts it, is code for Marxism and Communism, which he specializes in sniffing out.
What Beck fails to realize is that social justice is central to the teachings of Jesus. Social justice, by definition, is the search for equality and solidarity among people with respect to human dignity and human rights.
I do not feel the need to delve into the scripture to describe how integral loving and respecting others is to the Bible. If Christians must strive to emulate Christ, then social justice should be an accepted part of their daily lives.
When you strip down the timeless debate surrounding every bit and piece of the Bible, it is apparent that Jesus stands at the center of all of it with arrows pointing to him saying, “this is how you need to live your life.”
That message may be waning in an increasingly selfish, individualistic, America, but if Glenn Beck wants to renew “family values,” “civic virtue,” and any other number of ambiguous terms that he laces with the occasional Christian reference, then maybe he should observe the founders of what became the United States.
I am not talking about Washington, Jefferson or Madison, but further back to people like John Winthrop, the founder of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In Roger G. Betsworth’s book Social Ethics, Winthrop is stated as having said that “we must entertain each other in brotherly affection… [and] abridge ourselves of our superfluities for the supply of others necessities.”
Others before myself, that is exactly what Christian social justice is about and for Beck to denounce that, he must either be ignorant of what he is saying or truly heartless.
In fact, the last thing this nation needs is more apathy towards the marginalized and those that fall through the cracks. Of course, that seems to be exactly what Beck wants to do, increase the apathy and selfishness.
After the recession, more than ever, churches and faith-based humanitarian organizations that managed to survive have a unique opportunity to help those in need. With the nation weakened and ailing, the last thing it needs is for people to cease to care for each other.
The story of the Good Samaritan comes to mind in the light of these frequent comments from Beck. Saving the destitute on the side of the road from a grueling existence at the minor inconvenience to you, yes that seems absolutely deplorable does it not?
How Beck arrives at his ideas, I do not know.
The backlash of many pastors and Christian officials against Glenn Beck is reassuring. I believe that is also a positive sign to the non-Christian communities as well; that not all churches are ignorance-spitting quasi-Christian fundamentalists.
I have no qualms about denouncing those that distort the Gospel.
In the same way that Beck abhors the concept of social justice based on, what he says, is the Bible, Westboro Baptist Church spouts off hatred toward just about everyone and every group.
Those that cease to have compassion for their fellow human beings are falling far short of their duty to the world. Everyone deserves dignity for they were made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27).
So why can’t the Beck followers realize that their demagogue is not being authentic in what he says?
Ignorance is catching, avoid it at all costs.
Michael Dearman is first year philosophy and history major. He can be reached for comments or questions at [email protected].
