Politicus USA: Wisconsin Religious Leaders Call Out Scott Walker For Betraying His Faith

February 24, 2011- Scott Walker is a Tea Partier and they’re made up predominantly of Christians and they’re against unions but…………Religious leaders are speaking out in support of Unions in Wisconsin. I guess these leaders didn’t get the Jesus hates the poor memo or the Jesus wants the middle class to starve note.

Writing in Religious Dispatches today Kim Bobo, executive director of Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ), chronicles the actions of Wisconsin religious leaders to protest Gov. Walker’s plan to strip teachers, social workers, fire fighters, nurses and other public employees of their freedom to bargain for a middle-class life. Rt. Rev. Steven Miller, Episcopal Bishop of Milwaukee, wrote, “As Christians, it is our duty and call to make sure that everyone has a place at the table and every voice has the opportunity to be heard.”

Rev. Bruce Burnside, bishop of the South-Central Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, called upon members of the Wisconsin State Legislature to: “[A]ct with compassion and find solutions to the budget deficit bill that would not eliminate workers’ rights and medical care for the most vulnerable.” And then the John Knox Presbytery, which covers a portion of Wisconsin, issued a statement calling for Gov. Walker to “enter into good-faith negotiations with Wisconsin’s public employee unions to deal with Wisconsin’s current budget issues and to respect the rights of all workers to collectively bargain for wages and benefits.”

Others chimed in with Bishop Linda Lee of the Wisconsin Conference of the United Methodist Church writing to Walker: “…far more is accomplished for the best interests of all those we serve when employers and employees work together, I am writing to ask you to reconsider your initiative.” And Rabbi Renée Bauer, director of the Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice of South Central Wisconsin has spoken out against Walker’s legislation and is circulating a letter which says “as rabbis this an affront to our values—the Jewish mandate to protect workers, as well as the poor and needy among us… And it is an affront to our belief that these issues should be debated openly and fairly under public scrutiny.”

These voices were amplified by Bishop Stephen Blaire writing, “You and our brother bishops in Wisconsin are offering a timely reminder of what the Church teaches on the rights and duties of workers, including the right to form and belong to unions and other associations, and the obligation to address difficult problems with respect for the rights and needs of all.”

So how does Governor Walker, a self-described evangelical, defend himself? Oh, he doesn’t need to because the fundies are against teachers since they are pushing for homeschooling. Also, they are old testament worshipers, hellfire and brimstone types like Sarah Palin, who believe that there are a few portals here in the USA where they will be beamed up to a waiting God after getting rid of anyone here who doesn’t agree with them. These are the people who pray for Obama to die with the infamous subhuman imprecatory prayer Psalm 109. It reads: “Let his days be few – and let another take his office… Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.”

These are people for whom the ends justify the means.

FULL STORY HERE: