 #GivingTuesday - Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world on December 3, 2019 and every day.
It was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past seven years, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. One of the best ways to get involved is give back in your own community. We know tens of thousands of you consider The Christian Left 'your own community.' ____________________________________________ An overview or our history is included below. If you're in a hurry and would just like to make a quick contribution you can do so here, and thanks. Here's how to make a Giving Tuesday contribution. Help us keep TCL active and alive. __________________________________________________ As we like to point out, we've been here 24/7/365 for a decade, functioning as a haven for Christian progressives and their allies. Anyone is welcome to this haven as long as they genuinely want to be here because they enjoy it. Others have tried to duplicate our formula and it hasn’t been the same. Most have given up and moved on. Before we existed there was no such place where all of this could happen on a national scale for Christian progressives. Social media made it possible for the first time and we jumped on it. Of course that's just the beginning. We're far more than 'just a Facebook page.' We’ve done a lot of things throughout the years. We’ve personally met and spoken with many of the progressive Christian thought leaders in our travels including Brian McLaren, Frank Schaeffer, Phyllis Tickle, Reverend William Barber II, Sister Simone Campbell, Fr. Richard Rohr and Jim Wallis to name just some of them. We've attended the Wild Goose Festival and other related gatherings many times to network on your behalf. From the very first day we've put the teachings of Jesus front and center in everything we say and do. We've noticed now, 10 years later, other Christian thought leaders are starting to focus on the teachings of Jesus as well, even writing books about the need to return to his teachings. We'll take that as a compliment and a hat tip to our central message over the last decade. In 2012 we set up a legal Super PAC for progressive Christians called ‘Christians For A Change.’ It folded after a time from lack of funding but we tried. We’ve put together the biggest selection of progressive Christian apparel and gear on the internet which doubles as an outreach and a way to partially support the ministry. Our designs get noticed. We’ve partnered with many other progressive Christian businesses throughout the years including the Wild Goose Festival, Chalice Press, The Jesus Seminar, Repairers of the Breach, and the Patheos Progressive Christian page, which is one of our current promotional partners. They feature some of the top progressive Christian thought leaders and bloggers in the world and we feature their best articles daily. The activities and writing of TCL and its co-founders have been featured on NPR's “The Story” with Dick Gordon, PBS's “Religion & Ethics News Weekly,” the documentary film “Amendment One,” the “State of Belief” radio program with Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, the front page of The Huffington Post, Sojourners Magazine, TIME Magazine online, and Patheos Progressive Christian page. This summer we sent a TCL mission team to El Paso, TX, where we visited 'the wall' and held a service outside the El Paso Walmart where a mass shooting had occurred in the weeks before. In January we will send a team to participate in the 'Faith, Politics & the Common Good: Voter's Summit & Presidential Forum,' in Des Moines, IA. After the summit we're going to travel on a substantial portion of a national bus tour with events in every state. The tour will feature progressive Christian thought leaders who will encourage people at every stop to Vote for the Common Good! We could go on and on but stick around. You'll hear all of our story if you spend enough time with the TCL community. Here's how to make a Giving Tuesday contribution. Help us keep TCL active and alive. We'll keep doing all the things we've described above and more! -- The Christian Left P.S. Just in case the link above doesn't work, you can copy and paste the following URL to your browser. https://goget.fund/34bhGi5  "We guard our world with locks and guns And we guard our fine possessions And once a year when Christmas comes We give to our relations And perhaps we give a little to the poor If the generosity should seize us But if any one of us should interfere In the business of why there are poor They get the same as the rebel Jesus ... " ~ ‘The Rebel Jesus,’ by Jackson Browne So true, isn’t it? Brazilian Archbishop Dom Helder Pessoa Camara expressed the same frustration, lamenting that "When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a communist."
All too often, when we take a close look at the way things really work it ends up being ‘every person for themselves,’ ‘anything goes,’ ‘survival of the strongest,’ ‘survival of the fittest,’ ‘kill or be killed,’ ‘dog eat dog,’ or ‘eat or be eaten.’ It’s often called the ‘Law of the Jungle.’ Superiority through brute force, and ‘rational self-interest’ or selfishness are its central tenets. Jesus came to teach us that it doesn’t have to be that way and these are not God’s ways. He taught that there is another way and it IS ‘the way.’ It’s the way to salvation and it’s really simple. It’s the opposite of the ‘Law of the Jungle.’ It is to ‘love God and love your neighbor as you do yourself.’ So he set about to carry that message to a the world, and he did it. He accomplished his mission. He got it out there, and the world didn’t accept it. The world has never accepted it. Just look how easily modern, right-wing Christianity has abandoned it and turned its back on it. It’s easy to see what Jesus was talking about when he said ‘the road is narrow.’ We don’t hold ourselves up to be some kind of superior human beings when we point this out. We’re simply pointing out an obvious truth. When modern, American Christianity aligned itself with modern, conservative ideology it lost its way. Full stop. The teachings of Jesus were thrown under the bus, sacrificed in order to gain power. 10 years ago we looked around at the landscape and it was obvious we didn’t fit in. We knew there had to be others like us out there so we started carving out a ministry and a community using the innovation of social media. We’ve come a long way since then, but we have a long way to go too. In many ways we feel like we've only just begun. There are so many people out there who still feel lost and alone, like they're the only Christian progressives in the world. After 10 years you have become family to us. We feel very blessed, like all of our effort has been well worth it! We’d like to invite you to the first ever face to face gathering of The Christian Left. The details are enclosed in a seasonal and year-end challenge we’ve put together (click here to view). You are among the first to hear about this event. We’re glad you’ve joined us on this journey. We knew you were out there. We hope to see some of you face to face very soon! - The Christian Left For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. - 2 Timothy 1: 7  Trump is going to lie about anything and everything, especially if he's guilty. He's going to order all his people to stonewall congress, to refuse to show up at hearings, produce documents, or answer questions, just like Lewandowski did the other day. He was an arrogant, rude jerk to congress on top of it. This is absolutely and utterly over-the-top ridiculous. Trump is in direct violation of the law by not producing the whistleblower report. Next he and Barr will try to tie it up in court. That's their little game. It's time for Democrats to freaking step up! It's time to impeach! There is no choice here. This is probably the biggest constitutional crisis we've faced in 100 years. We all know the Senate won't convict. It doesn't matter. When impeachment begins the house has dramatically increased powers guaranteed by the constitution. They can compel witnesses and documents. There will be no more stonewalling or fines and/or jail will ensue. The American people must know the truth. Without the truth the 2020 election will be illegitimate, based on false information. Voters must have accurate information to make rational choices. Why do you think Trump hates the press so much? In general the press digs up accurate information. They rely on their peers to do the same and substantiate the story. They fact check one another. Everything changes when impeachment begins. The courts fast track everything because impeachment powers are spelled out in the constitution. The American people can't let all these crimes slide. What happens if Trump steals the election again with the help of foreign enemies, like he did last time? That level of risk is way too big. Way too big. It;s time to step up and do what the Founders prescribed for this situation. He can't pardon anyone unless there's a federal conviction of a crime. Conviction isn't the goal here. The truth is the goal. Voters must have accurate information to make a rational choice at the voting booth. Again, that's the number one reason dictators suppress and harass the press, so they can create their own narrative. Trump is trying to do just that. We can't sit and tremble in the corner because of all the what-ifs. What kind of leadership is that? Accurate information for the voters is the goal. Trembling in the corner is what Democrats do too often, and they lose. Republican don't think things to death and tremble in the corner. Trump is blatantly saying he can do whatever he wants and the law can't touch him. Barr is going along with it. If we don't step up and lead right now regardless of our fears, we're done. We'll all have to get used to fascism. Better to lead now. Lives are in the balance. Let's get on with it.   Check out our new designs. They speak to current events in a provocative way. The text is enlarged below each design. Click on the images to order.
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We're gearing up to engage in live and in-person activism leading up to the 2020 election. This email spells out how you can sponsor our efforts. We need you. This article is one worth preserving on our blog.  There are some two thousand verses on justice and poverty in the Bible. Justice and care for the poor and oppressed can be found throughout scripture in every part of the Bible from the law and the prophets to the Gospels and Epistles all the way to Revelation. God lifts up the lowly and brings down the powerful, and feeds the hungry and sends the rich away empty (Luke 1:52-53). Progressive Christianity stands upon the long liberal tradition of the Church from ancient Judaism through the Enlightenment and into the present. It focuses on the biblical themes of liberation and justice. Progressive Christianity is in some ways a response to conservative Christian neglect of biblical social ethics. Progressive Christians seek to reintegrate the major biblical themes of social justice back into Christian belief and practice. Fundamentalists neglected the basic biblical mandate to live justly. They have blamed the poor, turned the foreigner and the refugee away, squashed the lowly and gave tax cuts to the rich. Many Evangelicals have, in Jesus’ words become children of the devil (Matthew 25:15). Continue Reading When we started this ministry in 2009 every day trolls would come to the page and tell us, "You can't be a Democrat and a Christian." They still do but not so often. In the video below Democratic Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg talks about his faith on The View. It sounds very much like what we've been saying for 10 years. For some reason this outlook of Christianity, which is centered around the teachings of Jesus, has been suppressed in media and culture for a long time. That's finally beginning to change.  People have sacrificed a great deal to carry out this mission. If you view this outreach and message as important work please make a contribution to our ongoing effort. Here's how (click here).
What do you think? This billboard went up in Chicago yesterday and the print ad appeared last month in a Chicago alternative newspaper. The billboard was financed by an abuse victim using some of the settlement money. What do you think? What is it going to take for the raping of children to stop? Jesus said "It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble." in Luke 17:2. Now we find out the same thing is happening in the US Baptist Church. Perhaps it's time for these churches to stop worrying about controlling women's reproductive choice and and limiting the human rights of the LGBTQ community and focus on the their own problems. You know, like the kids in their flocks being raped by the people who are supposed to be their role models.   It did our souls a lot of good to hear these two men speak. They spoke truths we've known inside for a long time. (Two Videos Below) You only have to listen to Ted Cruz for 44 seconds which sets the stage for what follows. Thanks so much for your kindness and generosity. We'll make this quick and simple. — Here's an overview of our history and ongoing mission. — Here's how to make a secure donation. — If the only posts you ever see from us are sponsored posts on Facebook or messages by e-mail click on the following link to read how to receive all our updates. How to See Posts From Your Favorite Facebook Pages More Often If you would like to make a contribution by mail our address is: The Christian Left 2001 NE Aloclek Dr. Box #108 Hillsboro, OR 97124 Your contribution is not tax deductible. We favor progressive policy and we make it very clear. We've never liked it when The "Christian" Right hides behind non-profit status while participating in the political process, so we don't do that. We pay our taxes.    Take a brief 'Pause' from the busyness of the season and read on ... Last week-end we had to turn off all our sponsored posts and deliver a special message to you. We let you know that our regular week-end request for help wasn’t working. We explained that we really do depend on your support each week-end to keep going and it’s the only way we’ve been able to dedicate the last 10 years of our lives to The Christian Left. We added that we work hard for this community during the week ‘commercial free.’ On the week-ends we ask for your assistance. You heard us loud and clear and responded to our need. We appreciate it. (Update Early Evening, Saturday, 12-22-2018: Unfortunately the same thing is happening today. We know things are super busy for people with the holidays and all but please keep us in mind and do what you can. We'll be here to serve you every day, almost 24/7/365. That's been our track record for 10 years. Help us make it another trip around the sun. This is your national progressive Christian ministry! Donation link is at the bottom of this blog post.) This link takes you to an overview of our history and our ongoing mission. If you have any questions please read that first. Here’s a couple of examples of the kind of feedback we receive almost every day, “This page truly is a voice shouting from the wilderness. I was so depressed when I had to leave my evangelical Christian world behind. It had become something I no longer recognized and I couldn’t stay. My heart was filled with pure joy when I stumbled across The Christian Left on social media. I knew I had been led here by the Holy Spirit. You have no idea what a relief it was to discover there were hundreds of thousands of other people like me. Thank-you so much for everything you do! Know that you are appreciated from the bottom of this Christian’s heart!” Another person said this, “Social media has been taken over by evil. This is the only page on the internet that fights back every day by policing trolls who show up to disrupt the community and getting rid of them promptly.” Just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse for our country it gets worse. The past week has been a perfect example. We have a fake Attorney General who won’t recuse himself from overseeing the Mueller investigation; We’ve lost one of the few forces of stability left in the Trump administration with the resignation of Defense Secretary James Mattis; We’ve been given what is a truly scary picture of the President’s mind via the public resignation letter of Secretary Mattis; The President is announcing foreign policy by Tweet to the surprise of everyone around him including those at the Pentagon, who knew nothing of his sudden plans to pull out of Syria; General Kelly is out as White House Chief of Staff while a temporary Freedom Caucus sycophant, Mick Mulvaney fills in; As of yesterday portions of the government have been shut down in a silly standoff over the political stunt known as ‘the wall,’ which everyone but Trump’s base knows would be ineffective and a waste of taxpayer money; Those who are actually in charge at the White House increasingly seem to be the President, Jared and Ivanka. That’s terrifying because none of them has any experience or knows what they are doing. If there’s one mission Trump seems dedicated to it’s crippling our government institutions and destroying our worldwide alliances. Putin couldn’t be happier with the actions of President Trump. It’s as if he put one of his agents in the Oval Office. We’re going continue to be here every day with up-to-the hour coverage of politics and culture. Christian progressives and their allies finally have a place where they can gather, talk about the issues, and enjoy fellowship with one another without harassment from conservative “Christian” trolls. That’s a worthwhile thing. When you see our requests for support on week-ends please contribute what you can. Those on a small, fixed income need not contribute. Your prayers will suffice. For those who can spare it, here’s how to make a donation. Even 5 bucks helps. Here's how: Click here. If the only posts you ever see from us are sponsored posts on Facebook or messages by e-mail click on the following link to adjust your settings. There's an easy way to see all of our posts. How to See Posts From Your Favorite Facebook Pages More Often If you would like to make a contribution by mail our address is: The Christian Left 2001 NW Aloclek Dr. Box #108 Hillsboro, OR 97124 Thanks so much and Merry Christmas! 2018 In a Nutshell ...  |
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Charles Toy is the founding member of The Christian Left. We're sure you will enjoy his passion as well as his wit. Guest bloggers featured often.
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