"Wallis dismisses liberal political incompatibilities with Scripture as minor, while condemning conservatives as un-Christian." -- Mark Tooley, IRD President
Contact: Jeff Walton, Institute on Religion & Democracy, 202-682-4131
WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 /Christian Newswire/ -- Evangelical left voice Jim Wallis, a prominent supporter of President Obama, is condemning the Tea Party. Wallis slams Tea Partiers as materialist libertarians who selfishly prioritize personal freedom. He lists seven reasons why Jesus would not join the Tea Party.
Wallis touts big government's activist role in creating social justice. Frequently emphasizing that government "budgets are moral documents," the liberal evangelical argues for an ever-expanding welfare and regulatory state governing all aspects of American life.
IRD President Mark Tooley commented:
"Wallis insists Jesus would shun the Tea Party and pursue a 'progressive' agenda aligned with the Democratic Party, despite its views on abortion and human sexuality that contravene historic Christian teaching. This one-sided criticism fits neatly into the current Democratic campaign strategy, which attempts to scare voters away from allegedly extreme Republican candidates identified with the Tea Party.
"Wallis is highly selective in his claims about Jesus' supposed political views. He dismisses liberal political incompatibilities with Scripture as minor, while condemning conservatives as un-Christian.
"Not all Tea Partiers are libertarians. Many of them are evangelical and other Christians who believe in limited government for moral reasons -- because human fallibility makes it dangerous to concentrate political power, and because government ought to leave ample space in society for family and church and other institutions also instituted by God.
"Wallis is presumptuous to pretend that he knows Jesus' partisan preferences in 2010. And his implication that the Tea Party is racist because its activists are reportedly 89 percent white is very unfair. Liberal-controlled mainline Protestant denominations that endorse the same 'progressive' agenda as Wallis are more than 90 percent white. Does Wallis denounce them too as racist?"
The Institute on Religion & Democracy works to reaffirm the church's biblical and historical teachings, strengthen and reform its role in public life, protect religious freedom, and renew democracy at home and abroad.
www.TheIRD.org
