Matthew 25 Network Responds to Palin's Speech

If you watched Governor Sarah Palin's address to the Republican National Convention, we're sure you were as disappointed as we were in the tenor and content of the speech.

As Christians, we are called to be respectful and loving toward our neighbors, honoring their intentions even if we disagree.  We are also called to be truthful in all things, to "put away falsehood" (Eph 4:25) and refrain from slandering, belittling, or speaking out of contempt for anyone.

If these are the standards God has set for us in our personal lives, our church communities, and our neighborhoods, how much more so should they be for those who choose to be in the public eye?  Shouldn't we expect our brothers and sisters in politics to also speak the truth in love and to extend respect and goodwill even to those who disagree with them?

It's because of these standards, and because Governor Palin is so public about her Christian faith, that the Matthew 25 Network found her address at the Republican National Convention so disappointing. We call on her not only as a political figure, but as a prominent Christian, to commit herself to campaigning in good faith, with love and respect for her political opponents and a strong commitment to truth-telling.

Please join religious leaders Brian McLaren, Douglas W. Kmiec, Rev. Dr. Susan B. Thistlethwaite, Vince Miller, Peter Vander Meulen, Rev. Dr. Derrick Harkins, Bart Campolo, Sharon Daly, Rev. Wilfredo De Jesus, and Delores Leckey by signing on to the statement.

As always, please consider a donation to help us keep spreading our message.

Governor Palin, Put Away Falsehood As Americans and people of faith from around the country, we were extremely disappointed in Sarah Palin's divisive, sarcastic, and often deceptive address at the Republican National Convention. We call on her not only as a political figure, but also as a prominent Christian, to recommit herself to campaigning in good faith, with a strong commitment to truth-telling. As Christians, we are called to be respectful and loving toward our neighbors, honoring their intentions even if we disagree with their plans. We are also called to "put away falsehood" (Eph 4:25) and to refrain from slandering, belittling, or speaking out of contempt for anyone. If these are the standards God has set for us in our personal lives, our church communities, and our neighborhoods, how much more so should they be the standards of those Christians who choose to be in the public eye? Shouldn't we also expect our brothers and sisters in politics to speak the truth in love and to extend respect and goodwill even to those with whom they disagree? Sarah Palin has shaped much of her life around her Christian faith. Indeed, it has been continually suggested that one of the major reasons John McCain chose Palin as his running-mate was her Christian faith and her ability to energize evangelical Christian voters. Thus, it is no stretch to say that Palin has suddenly become one of the most visible faces of Christianity in today’s political scene. As such, we believe she has a calling even higher than her responsibility to her party's victory in November - a calling to represent Jesus to the rest of the world. This is why her speech at the Republican National Convention was so disappointing to us at the Matthew 25 Network. In questioning not only Senator Obama’s policies but also his motivations, and mocking his career, Palin went far beyond what could be considered acceptable disagreement and into what seemed like open contempt for a political opponent. To be blunt, we saw very little of Jesus’ love in Sarah Palin's speech, as she heaped contempt on those who disagree with her politically, while offering no vision for how to resolve the critical issues facing Americans today like job loss, health care, growing child poverty rates and the war in Iraq. Moreover, as has been documented by major media sources including the Associated Press, Palin spoke falsehoods not only about her own record, but about Barack Obama's record as a State Senator and as a U.S. Senator. As Christians, we are called throughout Scripture to speak the whole truth, to put away falsehood, to bear true witness even when it hurts our own interests. The name of Jesus should never be associated with falsehoods or deception, but in Sarah Palin’s speech, we believe it was. Therefore, we in the Matthew 25 Network call on Gov. Palin to repudiate her attitude of contempt towards her political opponents and to tell the whole truth, not only for the sake of a more honorable politics, but also for the sake of our Christian witness in the world. Senator McCain is no less responsible because he selected Gov. Palin and praised her speech, and he claims to be a Christian as well. It is ill-fitting to use Christian identity and language for one's political advantage without seeking to live up to that high calling. Ultimately, as the Presidential candidate, Governor Palin's tone and infidelity to truth reflect negatively on Senator McCain as well. Brian McLaren Author and Pastor Douglas W. Kmiec Caruso Family Chair & Professor of Constitutional Law Pepperdine University School of Law Rev. Dr. Susan B. Thistlethwaite Professor of Theology, Chicago Theological Seminary Vince Miller Georgetown University Peter Vander Meulen Coordinator, Office of Social Justice, Christian Reformed Church Rev. Dr. Derrick Harkins Nineteenth Street Baptist Church Bart Campolo Urban minister, Founder of Mission Year Sharon Daly Former Vice-President of Catholic Charities Rev. Wilfredo De Jesus Vice-President for Social Justice, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference Delores Leckey Senior Fellow, Woodstock Theological Center Former Director of the Secretariat for Family, Laity, Women and Youth United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Add your name here... *Institutions listed for identification purposes only. This does not imply an endorsement by any church body or institution.

Optional Member Code

First Name

Last Name

Email*

Zip/Postal Code*

Church Name

Display in list as "Anonymous"

To sign the petition, please enter your name, email, ZIP, and church name (if applicable).  Only your name will be posted, unless you choose to remain anonymous by clicking the appropriate checkbox.  Your email will not be posted publicly.

*Endorsers' institutions listed for identification purposes only. This does not imply an endorsement by any church body or institution.

0-25 of 2628 signatures

Number	Date	Name
2628	August 31, 2009	CHaplain Mary Murphy War Widow
2627	November 23, 2008	Tracy Floeh
2626	November 09, 2008	Anonymous
2625	November 07, 2008	Judith Kessel
2624	November 03, 2008	Nanci M
2623	November 01, 2008	Valerie Looney
2622	October 31, 2008	Scott V
2621	October 31, 2008	Anonymous
2620	October 29, 2008	Doris Payne
2619	October 29, 2008	Lisa Ervin
2618	October 29, 2008	Laura Armstrong
2617	October 28, 2008	Dawna Byrd
2616	October 28, 2008	Susan Secor
2615	October 28, 2008	Teresa Aeschliman
2614	October 28, 2008	Josh Mueller
2613	October 28, 2008	Velma Mitchell
2612	October 28, 2008	Roger McCrummen
2611	October 28, 2008	Anonymous
2610	October 27, 2008	Anonymous
2609	October 27, 2008	Anonymous
2608	October 27, 2008	JOHN CLAUDE LOVETT
2607	October 26, 2008	julie breedlove
2606	October 25, 2008	Joseph Pashka
2605	October 25, 2008	Anonymous
2604	October 24, 2008	cheryl burrell

Next ->