Jesus was a community organizer!

Wednesday evening the big joke at the GOP convention was that Barack Obama was once a "community organizer." It got lots of laughs, but community organizers aren't laughing. Community organizers fill an important role -- getting individuals working together to make changes in their community. John McCain and Sarah Palin say they'll change Washington and thus the country. Barack Obama, who started out as a community organizer, knows that you can't change Washington until you mobilize neighborhoods, working to empower them to take back their communities from crime, corporations, etc.

Remember: Martin Luther King was a community organizer. Had he not organized grass roots efforts in Montgomery, Selma, Birmingham, etc., there would have never been the kinds of changes at the national level we have now -- no Civil Rights Act, no Voting Rights act. Indeed, its community organizers who encourage Americans to get involved.

With that in mind it's appropriate to check in with Jim Wallis (a community organizer himself), who calls on Sarah Palin to apologize (not necessarily to Barack Obama) but to Community Organizers -- the back bone of change in America.

He writes:

Then Wednesday night I heard Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin say that her experience as "a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities." The convention crowd in St. Paul thought that was very funny. But it wasn't. It was actually quite insulting to the army of community organizers who work in the most challenging places across the country and have such a tremendous impact on the everyday lives of millions of people. I guess Palin and her fellow Republican delegates don't know much about that. The "actual responsibilities" of community organizers literally provide the practical support, collective strength, and hope for a better future that low-income families need to survive.

Indeed, years ago George H.W. Bush talked about a 1000 points of light, community organizers make those points of light possible. So, I agree: Sarah Palin and Rudy Giuliani need to apologize!

Oh, and wasn't Jesus a community organizer? Didn't he organize a movement that changed the world? If not, then what am I doing as a pastor?

Comments

roy said…
and Pontius Pilate was a governor...
Robert Cornwall said…
Roy, how true!!!
Anonymous said…
MLK never ran for office.. wonder why? He saw how politics corrupt the message of Christ.
Simply a passing comment. Jesus was never a community organizer.

Every comment or effort that Jesus made....was to live life in a manner that respected human life, dignity, and preserve goodness. If you did all the things that were preached and stipulated by Jesus....then no community organization would be necessary. You wouldn't need a guy from New York State University showing up and giving you broad details on housing regulations or organizing union efforts. When some neighbor had trouble, you wouldn't think with the Jesus method of life....you'd simply react. If some child was in trouble.....you'd reach out. If some neighbor couldn't mow their lawn or fetch groceries....then you'd take the slack. Under the principals of Jesus....there is no community....it is self-effort. We all do this daily to a great degree, without thinking or waiting for our community organizer to do the job.

I will agree on the sharing of bread, to feed the masses...but this was an effort to teach the principal that we have more than enough to share with a neighbor or friend, not community efforts.

At this point, I will retreat to Bush's rightly idea of community efforts...to fix your own problems before involving the Feds or state government (a totally separate subject from the Jesus topic).
Robert Cornwall said…
It is true that MLK never ran for office, but that wasn't his calling. But, he was a community organizer, something that the GOP is ridiculing.

As for Jesus, no he wasn't a community organizer in the modern sense, but he did organize a movement that changed the world.

But the Bush doctrine of an ownership society, as Obama pointed out ends up leaving people on their own. It would be wonderful if we could all make it on our own, but we all know that this isn't true. Jobs often go to those who know someone, help goes to those who know someone.

And, while churches and non-profits surely have an important role to play, government also has a role to play -- especially in these modern times. Pointing back to the way they did it in 1800 isn't relevant. We had a small, and largely rural country. People were largely self-sufficient. But in an urban environment we depend on each other and the government is their to provide a safety net.
Anonymous said…
Bob, what role do you actually expect to government to play with jobs? As a banker, I am fascinated at this discussion and what expectations people think the government has in providing a job. First.. should the government even be in the business of providing jobs? You live in Michigan and I can tell you those great $70k + full health benefit jobs will never come back. Its simply not cost effective. Many of these discussions have cause and effect relationships that no one talks about. Raising minimum wage is good b/c people make more money.. HOWEVER.. companies can't afford as many employees so they cut back. So.. do you want more people employed with less money, or less people and more money? These are hard choices.

There is a GREAT GREAT example of how the government can screw up things this weekend with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Essentially, they have failed. The government is taking over these large providers of home loans. I would challenge you to read an article about it and remember this is an institution dems were much for. Social security is another great failed hand out that will collapse under its own weight in the next twenty years.

Personally, I do believe the ownership society works better b/c when its your own money, you take care of things much better than with a hand out. HOWEVER, I agree that we must also enable faith based institutions to fill the role that government would normally fill. We hopefully can all agree that you handle your money better than the government and all thing being equal.. the church would better serve the poor that the state.
Robert Cornwall said…
Historically the government has helped spur job growth through incentives, education, and tax policy. The government is also the primary entity dealing with national infrastructure.

So, what do I imagine happening?

1. Tax incentives will go to those companies that create jobs here.

2. In Michigan the government can assist Detroit in retooling. Yes, those high paying jobs of yesterday probably aren't coming back, at least not without additional education.

3. Investment in infrastructure -- especially green projects.

4. Investment in education, both at the lower levels and higher education as well.

5. Subsidized child care for single parents seeking education and work.

6. Health care reform. Speaking of Michigan and autos. American made cars must add in about $1500 to every car to provide health insurance, something Toyota doesn't have to worry about (at least not until it starts building plants here).

All of this is government related. Private partnerships and investment adds to this.

This is just a start. Government can't do it all, but it has important responsibilities.
Anonymous said…
I see your points.. and local tax credits for building plants, etc is a great way to attract business. HOWEVER.. thats considered tax cuts for big companies, contrary to alot of promises being made about the source of taxes.

Infrastructure is a tricky balance.. especially in light of the green movement. For instance.. gas is up, people drive less.. good news for the environment.. bad news people buy smaller, less profitable cars; people drive less.. no less gas tax, money for infrastructure. One note on the car makers.. one american car maker WILL FAIL. There are just too many.. and it would be ashame for government to prop a dying dinosaur.

Health care is a whole big issue.. most of my friends are doctors and warn that government health care means a drop in quality care. My cousin lives in England and does share the mass benefits. To pay for it.. we need a BIG tax change. A value add tax like the UK has would be a much better alternative than the clunky US system.

Again, some of the ideas are definitely good.. but the problem is they have never been executed well. The devil is often in the details. Take child care.. how much do you subsidize? Same with health care. The reality is that level you expect would not be the same the government can provide. In the UK.. you don't have a private room in the hospital, health care is prioritized, issues like that.

But it is interesting to ponder.. but big question is HOW MUCH?!?! This Fannie Mae thing will cost us BILLIONS!! All to pay for the "American Dream" that has now become the American Nightmare!!
Anonymous said…
Jimmy Carter was a governor, Ronald Reagan was a governor, Bill Clinton was a governor, and George W. Bush was a governor.
Ken Shepherd said…
Pastor Cornwall:

Jesus did not merely "organize a movement that changed the world," he founded his church through the shedding of his blood and the breaking of his body for the remission of sins.

Christ's work on earth all pointed to and culminated in the cross, his substitutionary death on behalf of sinners like you and me.

He was resurrected by God as proof of His divinity and as a sign of his perfect righteousness, which is imputed to those of us who believe, as a free gift of God's grace.

Please do NOT make our Lord and Savior out to be a political organizer par excellence.

He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Robert Cornwall said…
Yes, our recent Presidents have been governors, but Sarah Palin isn't running for President - John McCain and Barack Obama are. Both are Senators. There are, of course,more experienced governors out there than Sarah Palin.

But we'll see where that goes.

Now, to Tertius. Jesus is obviously more than a community organizer. But the point I wanted to make was that it is not wise to demean the contributions of community organizers -- after all Jesus was one himself.
Anonymous said…
I can't believe that a pastor would even dare to compare our Lord, Jesus Christ, to ANY man...let alone Barack Obama!

Obama may have been a fine community organizer, and they DO serve an important role in our society and communities - I can't argue with you on that. But at what point does anyone's experience as a community organizer qualify someone to be president and leader of the free world?! Id' like to hear your explaination. Oh I'm sorry, I guess when you combine that with 180-something days in the senate, in which he did not even propose a piece of legislation, that qualifies him to be President! Give me a break.

He keeps changing his policies and ideals with every interview he goes on. I can't even figure out what he stands for because his answers change every day! And that scares me to my very core - that people in the free world would elect someone they don't even know and can't defend. The only "change" he will bring to Washington will be him CHANGING HIS MIND to attempt to appeal to his supporters. That's right, he's more worried about his ratings and appealing to the corrupt Washington elite than doing what's right and honorable for this country. Quit listening to the drive-by media and start making your own decisions by doing your own research on the candidates.

By the way, in your last post, what was supposed to be your argument with the governor-senator thing? So Palin is a governor, just like many of our past presidents, and that doesn't qualify her to even be VP? That makes no sense!

Please, go back back and study the ideals of the founding fathers of this country, who were devout men of God, and please reconsider your approach.

What is a pastor doing writing blogs on political topics anyhow! That's not your calling!
Roderick_E said…
Jesus didn't organize the community -- that was the job of the Zealots who sought to overthrown Rome.

Jesus was no community organizer
Anonymous said…
I just want to point out something... it seems ironic to me that all the same people that want God and prayer taken out of schools and off important American icons are now comparing their candidate to Jesus.

Since when did it become acceptable to compare religious icons with political candidates? Obviously, these people have never really read the bible.
Robert Cornwall said…
The point is not that Jesus is being compared to Barack Obama. What the point is is this:

It is unfortunate that the GOP VP candidate and a former mayor of NY would ridicule someone who organized people for a good cause. Didn't Jesus do the same.

And, as followers of Jesus, which Barack is, should we not organize people, even as Jesus did, for the purpose of making a better world.

If your view of Jesus is that he simply came to die on a cross so as to rescue the perishing, then I suppose that this would be true. But if you look at Matthew 25 you find something very different!

By the way, it was as a community organizer that Barack encountered the church and then Jesus. So, if you believe in the power of the gospel then maybe yoiu should embrace this calling!

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