In the Mix: Politics and Religion
From Time Magazine:
A Mormon as President?
A mormon church official and a public relations executive shuttled recently from the Fox News Washington bureau to the Washington Post to the online political digest the Hotline. The two were engaging in a little pre-emptive rearguard action, gearing up for the impending Republican presidential campaign of Massachusetts Governor (Willard) Mitt Romney, 59, whose family has long been part of the church’s élite.
Like other minorities--ethnic or religious--Mormons are proud of those among them who make it big. When Steve Young, a descendant of church leader Brigham Young and a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, was taking snaps on Monday Night Football in the 1990s, his fellow Mormons took to calling Family Home Evening, their weekly togetherness meeting, Family Home Halftime instead.
But church officials are wary of the impact Romney’s candidacy could have on them--and on the portrayal of their faith. Yes, his campaign will bring attention and credibility to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), as the Mormons are formally known, and give them a chance to demystify their theology and customs. But church officials also calculate that Romney’s bid to succeed George W. Bush could remind some mainstream Christians just how different Mormonism is from their faith and perhaps expose their flock to more of the sort of discrimination that drove their founders west by handcart and covered wagon into the Great Salt Lake Valley.
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Posted by Media Team on Monday, November 27 | 0 comments | Permalink
Sermon of the Week: Giving Thanks
Rev. Steven Simala Grant, pastor of Laurier Heights Baptist Church in Edmonton, Canada told this experience in his sermon entitled “Thanksgiving.”
“I picked Joanne up from work last Friday, and she noticed that Thomas (our 1 yr old) was laboring quite hard in his breathing. He’d had a cold all week, and we decided that this wheezing was bad enough that maybe we should take him to a doctor just to be on the safe side. After waiting a couple hours in a medicenter, we finally saw a doctor who told us to take him to Emergency - she diagnosed a viral infection in Thomas’ lungs and said we should get him to the hospital immediately. I don’t recall much of the trip or those first few minutes in the ER - the thoughts and worries and fears raced through my mind. I felt helpless and guilty and overwhelmed. I was managing alright until Joanne voiced our greatest fear to the doctor: “Is he going to be ok?” The doctor’s reply was quick and positive, but I know my heart stopped and time stood still for the brief moment between the question and assurance us that yes, he would be fine. They were able to treat him and get his oxygen stabilized, they sent us home, and he is doing better today.”
During this time of thanksgiving give thanks for all the blessings that you have. Remember the importance of family; remember the simple things that make life sweet. Remember the joy of sharing with loved ones and give thanks.
Pray for those who don’t have affordable health care and livable wages. Pray for those who are still suffering from Katrina, bombings, and war. Pray during this time of thanksgiving for those who have not. Remember that together, we can make a difference in the lives of others.
Posted by Rev. Jarvis Johnson on Wednesday, November 22 | 0 comments | Permalink
Faith and “Change From Inside”
There once was a dragon that was cruel and did the people much harm. A young knight took the task to slay the dragon. He entered the dragon’s lair with the intent to end the battle quickly, but found the dragon missing. So he stayed within the cave in hopes of defeating the dragon form the inside. Looking around, he noticed all the gold, gems and others riches that the dragon had accumulated over the years. He would pick it up and let it slide through his fingers. He noticed the texture of the gold, the sparkle of the diamonds and the brilliance of the rubies. After some time had passed he became drowsy and sat down on a pile of the gold. He awakens sometime later and yawned only to hear a loud roar. He jumped up ready to defend himself when he noticed that he had claws. While sleeping on top of the dragon’s gold he had become the very dragon he had come to slay.
When I first heard of Andrew Young’s comments this story came to mind. When Young became the public face of Working Families for Wal-Mart many leaders questioned his decision. Leaders such as Rev. Joseph Lowery and Rev. Jeremiah Wright wondered what was going on in his mind. Young told us that he acknowledged that Wal-Mart has some problems, but that his hope was to change them from the inside. Other religious leaders and self proclaimed community leaders who have joined the Wal-Mart rhetoric have echoed the same battle cry, “We will change them from the inside.” Watch out for the dragon.
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Posted by Rev. Jarvis Johnson on Tuesday, August 29 | 0 comments | Permalink
Faith And The People of Chicago
It was said that this battle was fought in the churches. It was rumored that many church leaders had to make difficult decisions about where they stood. Was it with the mayor or was it on the side of their people? Was it with Pharaoh or on the side of those who are told to made bricks with no straw? Sure it is a difficult decision. When Moses traveled to Egypt and confronted Pharaoh there were leaders who said he should be quiet, to leave well enough alone. Those same leaders where the ones during the exodus experience who said it was better to serve as slaves than die in the wilderness.
Chicago has worth. Its people have worth. It is time that the leadership realizes that also. Those leaders who are standing firm to making big box pay their people and treat them with dignity are declaring that they have worth. It is only the slave who has to settle for less than. It is the slave who becomes content with the status quo. Rise up slave and demand your economic freedom. Declare you will be slave no more to the whims of big box, of giant retailers, slave no more to settling; because it is time for demanding, for you are people of worth. Acknowledge it, embrace it, live it. I celebrate with you and join you in your struggle to shake off the shackles of simply settling.
To those leaders who believe that their people are not worth a living wage, not worth the dignity of being able to provide for their families, not worth the struggle it takes to make sure that right defeats might. Beware for one day soon you will be in your own fight for there may come a day when this pharaoh is gone and you will find your self by yourself. Stand with your people. Be imitators of Moses, Jesus, and Martin by stand up for those who struggle to raise their children, provide a decent home, and are productive citizens. Faith without works is dead.
- Click here to visit the Wal-Mart Watch faith page.
- Click here to learn about ‘A Stunning Defeat for Wal-Mart’
- Click here to read about Chicago workers.
Posted by Rev. Jarvis Johnson on Thursday, August 24 | 17 comments | Permalink
Bloomberg: Wal-Mart Workers Say Company Tried to Hide Violations
From Bloomberg:
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. tried to hide evidence that it denied mandatory breaks to employees after an internal audit turned up 60,000 cases of skipped rest periods, California workers claimed in a lawsuit.
A Wal-Mart study of 127 stores during a week in 2000 found workers weren’t getting breaks they were entitled to under labor laws, prompting the company to discontinue further audits, the employees said in papers filed with an Oakland, California, court. Wal-Mart spokesman John Simley declined to comment, saying the allegations are part of ongoing litigation.
The workers will ask the court today to order Wal-Mart to comply with California labor laws in one of more than 40 wage- and-hour class-action suits brought against the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company. The California employees won a $172 million verdict in December over unpaid meal breaks. They also claim Wal-Mart failed to pay for 13.2 million rest breaks.
“Those are huge numbers,” said Patricia Edwards of Seattle-based Wentworth, Hauser & Violich, which has $8 billion in assets, including Wal-Mart shares. ``I think that starts to be pretty material pretty soon.’’
California labor laws require companies to give workers a 30-minute meal break for every five hours worked and 10-minute rest breaks per four hours. Companies compensate for missed breaks with an hour of pay.
Workers in the meal-break class action can’t seek damages for rest breaks because Judge Ronald Sabraw wouldn’t let them sue as a group. The judge allowed the workers to ask the court to order changes in rest-break policy, said their attorney Jessica Grant. The suit was filed in February 2001.
Shares of the world’s largest retailer are down 1.1 percent since the December verdict. They rose 13 cents to
$48.07 at 4 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading.
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Posted by Russ Fagaly on Tuesday, June 27 | 10 comments | Permalink
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