An affirming place for working-class spirituality, encouragement, rest between our battles, and comfort food.
Saturday, April 30, 2022
Challenging Messages For The Church Today
Richard Rohr: "One could be warlike, greedy, racist, selfish, and vain in most of Christian history, and still believe that Jesus is one’s 'personal Lord and Savior', or continue to receive Sacraments in good standing. The world has no time for such silliness anymore. The suffering on Earth is too great."
Taking On Racism---And Winning!
Workers' Solidarity
We began this blog with a quote from "Out of this Furnace" by Thomas Bell, still one of the best works of fiction written about working-class life. The graphics below tell a story of unions ad working-class life.
The text reads:
On this date in 1933 (Sunday), Barney Graham, United Mine Workers President and Socialist, was shot dead in front of the Wilder Company Store. Shorty Green and Doc Thompson used a machine-gun borrowed from the 109th Cav of the Tennessee National Guard which they also held off Sheriffs Deputies of Fentress County with for over four hours. This was in retaliation for Graham supposedly being an Influencer in the murder of George and Floyd Winningham. The Miners of Wilder had no way to fight back after having all their firearms confiscated in August of 1932 by the Guardsmen.
Eugene Debs, Socialism Today, And Faith & Activism
Eugene Debs (1855-1926) was one of the great leaders of the socialist movement in the United States. His influence and example can still be felt on the left in the U.S.
Debs was one of those who did not subscribe to a particular religious faith for most of his adult life but who lived out the Gospels and a humanist way of going through life. He was a labor leader, a prolific writer, a gifted public speaker who was much in demand, a leader of the Socialist Party, and a Presidential candidate. He won almost one million votes when he ran for President in 1920---and he was campaigning, if we can call it that, from his prison cell in Atlanta where he was being held under political charges stemming from his opposition to the First World War.
You can learn more about Eugene Debs here.
The largest socialist organization in the United States is the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Go here to learn about and contact DSA. DSA's Religion and Socialism Working Group is here.
Please read the demands below. Many of them are still relevant. There is nothing there that contradicts or opposes true faith and religion. We say here on this blog that these demands, and the demands raised by the socialist and labor movements today, reflect a true and living faith and fulfill religious covenants and promises.