I'm convinced that Glenn Beck is the bastard child of Captain Kangaroo and Dancing Bear, if only because the audiences of both shows have the intellectual capacity of five-year-olds.

The answer is simple. Beck is selling himself, and he thinks he's more important than "god". For those that believe in Christianity, and I'm not one, I do know that Christians believe that there is an anti-Christ. This is pretty simple; people have joked about Beck being the Anti-Christ, but apparently he's now out to prove it.

The scriptures absolutely teach justice. I've just never read about social justice in the old or new testaments? In the scriptures being "just" or "executing justice" means being righteous. Right? To my understanding social justice refers to giving in order to make all equal in a society. It doesn't refer to giving of your own choice. Instead it refers to having taken from you, because you "owe". Who is deciding what my fair share is that I owe to society? I think God would leave it to me to be charitable or not so I could be judged with justice according to His law. I think the writer of the article needs to read a little more scripture before they begin interpreting for the rest of us. Part of being just would include; charity, humility, and honesty, not government induced justice or forced sharing. We should share of our own choice. The implementation of social justice is really a disservice to society in the end. Social justice steals opportunity from all free peoples.

O.K. First I have been listening to Glenn since 2002 so I can honestly tell you he does not do what he is doing just for money or ratings. His message has been consistent even when programmers were telling him he was ruining his ratings with what he believes.
Second why is every report on this story truncated and out of context. He immediately clarified what he was saying by telling his listeners to ask their church/church leaders what they mean by the use of the terms "social justice" and "economic justice". These terms have been misused by socialist and communist movements in the past and it behooves all of us to make sure we are not fooled into supporting dangerous ideologies under the guise of helping the poor.
Please be careful commenting on things without having the full story.

Oh Gawd.

All articles like this seem the same. Take a statement and misconstrue it to be something it is not.

Beck is not against a just society, but rather against "social justice".

They are two different items;

A just society is what we all strive for, be good to your neighbor, don't intentionally screw anyone over and you can rest easy at night.

Social Justice on the other hand is a code phrase for socialist, marxist, fascist agendas of controlling a population.

I have spent many years both in and out of churches of various denominations and I can tell you that if you read a church bulletin that tells you that you need to campaign for social justice, that church has an ulterior motive, usually political and always bad. If however they tell you that you need to be just in your dealing with others in society, they are probably benevolent and attempting to help their parishioners.

Someone used to say, there is common sense and book sense; seems that those here have some book sense but not so much common sense.

Beck is merely advancing the most virulent form of what has been standard extreme right dogma in our country for decades. Essentially, it is a Darwinian perspective which totally rejects the idea of any commonweal and substitutes, instead, a cult-like belief in salubrious laissez faire capitalism as the single most compelling organizing principle of society.

If we eliminate from our minds and hearts the idea of "social justice", and "community" and any notion of what Beck and his soul mates sneer at as "progressivism" -- then, ipso facto, you devolve and eviscerate government activism to the point where individuals either take care of themselves in all conceivable circumstances or they perish. Naturally, the strongest (and wealthiest) will prevail -- which is precisely what Beck et al want.

Beck has identified his philosophical mentor as former FBI Special Agent W. Cleon Skousen. Like Beck, Skousen believed that "liberalism", "progressivism", "communism", "socialism", "nazism" and "fascism" were various forms of "collectivism" -- and collectivism, in their scheme of things, is a cancer which must be excised from the body politic if genuine freedom and prosperity is to exist.

For more details about Skousen, see my report at:
http://ernie1241.googlepages.com/skousen

Why anyone pays attention to this guy is beyond me. I've listened to him before, and he sounded reasonable at first. But it was soon clear that his pattern is fractured logic and conspiracy theories.

He might actually believe this stuff. Or he might be a six pack without the plastic thingy, with Fox News taking his ratings machine for a ride.

Beck is definitely onto a very disturbing trend. Insofar as I understand, Christ spoke to us individually, not as a lobbying group. Many denominations in Christianity often emphasize social justice instead of an individual encounter with the risen Christ.

"Remember this, whoever sows sparingly reaps sparingly; whoever sows generously reaps generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." -- 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

I also agree with the points Light makes. Well put.

It is simple,we have a church population that in attempting to help a down and out person. They do not show the light and the beam upon which to climb. So many are content to keep the person down and in shackles so that they have the opportunity to herald their "help". No, what Beck is suggesting that we return to the basics of the U.S. structure with the Judo/Christian moral base as the foundation for each and everyone responsible for ourselves with out the largesse. Touogh Love isn't it? Take the tent out of my parking lot-- you are not the example that I desire for myself and or my children.

jim thomspon

Well, Jesus always said to expect his return. He just never told us it would be in the form of Glenn Beck. What a brilliant disguise!

There has been discussion about whether Beck is right or wrong about "social justice" in the churches, as if it is either that -- or feeding individuals spiritually, and encouraging their individual generosity. The churches I've been exposed to which speak of "social justice" also nurture us spiritually and individually, and include trying to look at the Bible without limiting to pre-conceived notions which support one's own advantages and prejudices. On the other hand, there are churches which do not refer to "social justice" which very much encourages getting involved in politics -- to limit others, to put into law their own prejudices, etc. It's not "social justice" OR spiritual nurture.

It is sometimes heard that the Bible prescribes individual behavior, but does not speak to public policy. This is a lie. The laws that God prescribed for Israel are full of provisions to insure that the poor have a fair shake. For example, every 50 years there was to be a period of jubilee, in which debts were forgiven. Also, farmers who dropped food on the ground while harvesting were supposed to leave those items so that the hungry could come through and take them. Again, these were not individual commandments; they were the nation's laws.

Also, a certain element of common sense is required. Is it logical to suppose that Jesus would tell his followers to dedicate their full lives to him, and yet this commitment would exclude participation in the democratic process, the means through which modern citizens can exert the greatest influence?

Who are these Idiots who conflate Communism, Socialism and Fascism?! Fascists murdered communists along with liberals, socialists and Jews during the second world war and during Franco etc etc. Fascism believes in an Aristocracy of the military. It believes in a state set up along corporate lines. There is also a great difference between Communism and Socialism. Remember the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks? The Mensheviks believed that Russia should evolve into communism through socialism first. The Bolsheviks thought they should get to communism immediately. There are also different types of socialism and communism as there are different types of democratic institutions...parliamentary systems, congressional etc etc....Its not all one big mash up of vague ideas! Do any of these Beck supporters read or think? Are any of them involved with any actual politics? Again...Who are these idiots???

Re-alignment with the tea party hatemongers?

Somehow, I just can't imagine agnostics getting all in a lather over a disagreement like this.

Here's a little something for Glenn Beck and his faithful to ponder...

"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all"

Francis Julius Bellamy
Baptist Minister and Christian Socialist
1892

Perhaps this will encourage Beck to flee the USA.

ah, dbreneman -

I've often felt at odds with you, but this time your comment above brought forth a chuckle of agreement. Thanks.

Why would anyone attend a church that WASN'T committed to Social Justice?

31"But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then the King will tell those on his right hand, 'Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. 36I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink? 38When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?'
40"The King will answer them, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' 41Then he will say also to those on the left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; 42for I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; 43I was a stranger, and you didn't take me in; naked, and you didn't clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me.'
44"Then they will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?'
45"Then he will answer them, saying, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me.' 46These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

I still say that we should all stop listening to this demigod—listening to him just gives him validity, which any thoughtful person knows he doesn’t have.

As Bugs Bunny would have said—“What a maroon!”

"Social Justice on the other hand is a code phrase for socialist, marxist, fascist agendas of controlling a population."

Sez who? Good Gawd, are we going to have to endure another 1950s HUAC-style anti-communism epidemic? I thought Reagan had delivered us from that particular evil!

Let's start with demand for factual information about the terms Mr. Beck uses as though he knew what he was talking about. He appears to represent the epitome of the anti-intellectual while enjoying the benefits of a country that was created by great thinkers who were great students of factual history and thought. Imagine what this country would be like if the founders had had the same lack of understanding of reality that Mr. Beck demonstrates.

I completely agree with this article and felt deep embarrassment for the lack of understanding and jadedness of social justice by fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Individual committment to justice and in public policy are both in the text of the bible, many, many times over. I do not think one outweighs the other but you need both to see Kingdom values extend throughout the world.

Public policy is DEFINITELY not something that only liberal Christians push. Conservative Christians have been notorious for this throughout the years. Whether it's stopping abortion or stopping genocide in Sudan, Christians need to be committed to not one philosophical political belief but to pieces of many, as neither Democrat, Republican or Socialist truly reflect the values of the kingdom of God.

Social justice does not need to be understood as conservative or liberal it is a KINGDOM PRINCIPLE. See the Sermon on the Mount, the Sermon on the Plain, or read about how Esther LOBBIES to the king to prevent a genocide of Isralites. OR EVEN WHEN MOSES ASKS PHAROAH to let his people go.

The bible is filled with people seeking justice in their government.

The biblical call to justice covers a great amount of ground-- whether it's fighting poverty, abolishing abortion, protecting education choice, stopping genocide-- these things all concern "social justice."

Furthermore, Mr. Beck, is not encouraging unity in the Church, but division. You SHOULD ALWAYS be wary of someone who tells you to leave a church on a superficial base level. Do not listen to Mr. Beck. Do not listen to one political philosophy or you WILL be jaded. Let's seek to unify our concepts of justice and seek for common ground for it to be carried out, instead of focusing on philosophical differences. Christianity is a faith before it's a philosophy.

Frank Lockwood, a Knight Ridder scholar and religion editor for the Arkansas Gazette, had this note on his blog:

http://biblebeltblogger.com/index.php/religion/glenn-beck-run-from-churches-that-tout-social-justice

Apparently Mr. Beck is Mormon, and might want to read his own church's material a little more closely?

Glenn Beck is a paranoid piece of work. His demonizing demagoguery does remind me too of Joseph McCarthy. Having grown up in churches that openly sought social justice, I know what a distortion it is to imply that that phrase is some kind of code word, or that churches that use it are all in some kind of conspiracy, or harbor hidden agendas. In my experience, people who are passionate about social justice are usually very glad to tell you all about their agendas, which are anything but hidden. They usually have strong opinions about public policies, and you can disagree or agree without demonizing them or imagining paranoid scenarios a la Glenn Beck.

"“Youth’s disaffection is largely due to discomfort with religiosity having been tied to conservative politics.”"

You don't have to look far to find religious leaders, who knowing that George Bush was killing tens of thousands of innocent people, using torture, and (among many other grievous sins) making the poor of this country even poorer, continued to support him to the very end of his Presidency. guys like Evangelical leader Jim Wallis and, here locally, "Pastor" Joe Fuiten.

Dear Jesus, please protect us from your followers.

Um, reverandmoney? Jim Wallis was never a George Bush supporter. Far, far from it. In fact he is a primary pillar of the evangelical *left*, not the right. It's always a good idea to write what you actually know about!
(you can always at least check wikipedia for the basics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Wallis)

But to the basic point here: The very foundations of Hebraic religion/society and the entire Judeo-Christian heritage have everything to do with what we would call social justice. You have to be willfully blind not to see that. Of course the interior/personal relationship with God is vitally important. The point is that interior faith/conversion/love and outwardly and socially enacted faith/love/justice are equal components of the complete human life in relation to the Holy. People like Glenn Beck fall into the category of minor false-prophet or would-be messiah (literally "anointed one" in this case self-anointed), railing (however genuinely) against all the wrong things and all the wrong people.