"War on Christmas" is not the Answer

They're at it again.

Even against a backdrop of economic crisis and real suffering, hard line culture warriors have once again focused their attention on the "war on Christmas."

Just this week, we got word that Utah state senator Chris Buttars is actually championing a resolution that would codify a preference for "Merry Christmas" over "Happy Holidays," and James Dobson and Focus on the Family launched their "I stand for Christmas Campaign" which encourages consumers to shop at "Christmas Friendly" stores in the aftermath of massive company layoffs.

Sign our petition and we'll give it to Dobson and Senator Butters, letting them know that people of faith are tired of these games.

We'll also keep monitoring the news and will send the petition to other prominent pundits and politicians who waste time on these frivolous issues. We need our leaders to focus on the issues that really impact our lives, like creating good jobs, and making sure people can stay in their homes.

Let's send a strong message: people of faith expect their leaders to work for solutions, not fan the culture wars. These individuals are doing their nation--and their faith tradition--a disservice. Help for those most in need is much closer to the true spirit of the holiday they claim to defend than saying the words "Merry Christmas."

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The Economy is a Moral Issue

Six weeks into the biggest financial crisis we've faced in a generation (and just one week to go until election day) we're still suffering--on Wall Street and Main Street.

We've seen what a culture of greed and corruption can do to this country. The economic crisis is a moral crisis. Help make sure your values are heard at the polls.

We know that voters view the economy as the most important moral issue facing our country. But, if exit pollsters pose the same questions as they did in 2004, the economy won't count as a "values" issue.

In 2004, when asked which issue most influenced their vote, voters had to choose between "moral values" and issues like the economy and the war in Iraq.

We know this is a false choice. Economic justice, human rights, and the war in Iraq are all "values issues." Let's not let the exit pollsters pigeonhole our values!

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False Witness

This year, it seems politicians are often more interested in scoring political points and attacking each other than in telling us the whole truth about how they're going to lead our nation.

This is not the discussion the American people need.

We're on the air with a radio ad in Mississippi calling for honesty and integrity during the first Presidential debate at Ole Miss.

Our faith traditions call us to speak truth in the public square. Join us as we flood debate moderator, Jim Lehrer, with requests that he hold both candidates accountable when they bear false witness about themselves or their opponent.

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Actual Responsibilities

"A small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities."

When Gov. Sarah Palin made that statement in St. Paul on September 3, community organizers leapt into action to set the record straight.

They got some attention, but apparently not Sarah Palin's. She repeated the zinger two days later in Cedarburg, Wisconsin.

Many politicians simply don't understand what community organizers do. So here's a short lesson: They work in church basements, synagogues and mosques to empower their communities and make life better for millions of working people across the country.

Because community organizers have taken on these "actual responsibilities," we have them to thank for the 8-hour workday, integrated swimming pools, public transportation, health care for children and safe neighborhoods.

Some politicians may not appreciate community organizers, but we do.

Help us thank them for their work. Your contribution will help us run ads in St. Paul and Wisconsin to let community organizers know how much we appreciate them.

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There's More to Faith than James Dobson

Is Focus on the Family president James Dobson's opinion worth more than the beliefs of the entire American population?

The cable news networks seem to think so.

Early this week, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released a groundbreaking survey1 of 35,000 Americans documenting the diversity and tolerance of people of faith and the growing consensus around issues like poverty and the environment.

But what religion story dominated the cable networks yesterday? James Dobson attacking Sen. Barack Obama for a speech he gave two years ago on his faith.

In fact, on Tuesday, June 24, Dr. Dobson was mentioned a total of 189 times on CNN, MSNBC and Fox News. The landmark Pew survey? Just 8.

Let the cables know there's a lot more to faith than James Dobson.

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Direct Aid for Burmese Cyclone Victims

The world was outraged when Burma's military leaders brutally suppressed a peaceful uprising of Buddhist monks back in September. Now Burma's leaders are slowing aid to millions of victims of Cyclone Nargis that hit two weeks ago, killing over 100,000 people.

The International Burmese Monks Organization, including many leaders of the democracy protests last fall, launched a new effort to provide relief through Burma's powerful grassroots network of monasteries -- the most trusted institutions in the country, and currently the only source of housing and support in many devastated communities.

Our friends at Avaaz.org raising money for the Burmese Monks' relief efforts, and you can chip in. Click below to help the Burmese people with a donation and see a video appeal to Avaaz from a representative of the International Burmese Monks Organization:

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Torture is always wrong

Have you seen the headlines?

A newly released memo reveals that the Bush administration said torture was legal.

His lawyers argued that government officials who torture could not be prosecuted unless their act of torture was inspired by malice or sadism. They argue: "Whether conduct is conscience-shocking turns in part on whether it is without any justification."

Startling isn't it?

Bush's lawyers have given him some bad advice. He needs to hear another message.

Sign our different "torture memo" to President Bush from the faith community. Tell him torture is always wrong, and always shocks the conscience, no matter what his lawyers say.

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Compassion Forum

This election season, we've heard a lot of sensationalized talk about religion, but not nearly enough substance.

On Sunday, April 13, The Compassion Forum, sponsored by diverse religious leaders, will enable us to go deeper with the candidates -- and you can vote on what they'll be asked -- live on CNN, as well as CNN International!

Sens. Clinton and Obama have accepted invitations to appear at the Compassion Forum, an unprecedented discussion of urgent moral issues that matter to people of faith: climate change, genocide, torture, poverty, and HIV/AIDS. Faithful America has been invited to weigh in.

Click below to vote for a question that reflects your values.

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God's Only Party?

Tell the pollsters to stop stereotyping people of faith

The television networks' presidential primary exit polls are reinforcing false stereotypes about religious voters by asking Republican voters more religion questions than Democratic voters, and in some cases ignoring Democrats' religion entirely. In Michigan and Iowa they didn't ask Democratic voters any religion questions at all. In every state, they have exhaustively analyzed Republican evangelicals and completely ignored evangelical Democrats.

Can you sign the petition asking that the media pollsters to stop stereotyping people of faith? We will deliver the petition with your name and comments to the networks' pollsters in the next two weeks -- before the March 4 primaries in Texas and Ohio.

The petition says: "The presidential primary exit polls, sponsored by ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox and the AP, must stop stereotyping people of faith. We call on the media pollsters to ask all voters -- Republicans and Democrats -- the same religion questions on the exit poll surveys."

If we are silent, the media pollsters will continue to reinforce false stereotypes about religious voters. The wedge-issue "values voter" will be the face of faith in politics AGAIN. We must refuse to be pigeonholed.

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Override President's Veto of Health Care for Poor Children

October 2007

The State Children's Health Insurance Program covers millions of low-income families and children, which in many cases makes the difference between life and death. When President Bush vetoed expanding it to cover four million more uninsured children, we sent an alert urging Faithful America members to contact their Congressional representatives immediately and encourage them to override the veto. Congress did not succeed in overriding the veto, but we are poised to take action when children's health legislation comes up again. It's not a red state or a blue state issue. Supporting the health of children is a fundamental responsibility for our nation, and we can successfully urge Congress to insure every child.

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Bring Our Troops Home

March 2007

"Congress...by its action or its lack of action, has proven to be totally morally inept to intervene and too politically compromised to act with real conviction... More than ever America needs our moral witness." --Rev. Dr. Raphael G. Warnock, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta

When thousands gathered in Washington for a religious witness for peace in Iraq, Rev. Warnock reminded the crowd that people of faith are a critical force for peace. We followed up by alerting Faithful America members to write their representatives in support of a House bill mandating a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq by the fall of 2008. Ending the Iraq war remains a top priority for people of faith, we're watching for opportunities to take action to finally end this unjust war.

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