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Paul Kengor on OWS: The Religious Left Offers Itself – Again, Jim Wallis to the Rescue

Nov. 18, 2011 11:48am Guest Post

Paul Kengor is professor of political science and executive director of the Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. For an extended analysis of the original Days of Rage (and much more), see his latest book Dupes: How America’s Adversaries Have Manipulated Progressives for a Century.

Back in September I wrote an exclusive for The Blaze on the original Days of Rage in Chicago in the fall of 1969, which inspired Occupy Wall Street this fall of 2011. I noted that ringleaders for the Days of Rage included Bill Ayers, Bernardine Dohrn, Tom Hayden, Mark Rudd, among many others. The literal communists who organized the original Days of Rage have magically reappeared as Progressives for Obama.

Hayden, who wrote the Port Huron statement that founded SDS, also wrote the founding manifesto for Progressives for Obama. Rudd, the SDS leader at Columbia, who shut down the campus in 1968, is a charter member of Progressives for Obama.

Suddenly, four decades later, the old communist revolutionaries are “progressives” stumping for Barack Obama.

In 1969 they had come together in Chicago to raise unholy hell, coalescing in the “National Action,” under the banner, “BRING THE WAR HOME!”

Rudd had established the plan of action: “In Chicago the pigs have to be wiped out. We’re going to fight with violence and wipe out Chicago.”

An organized riot ensued, erupting on October 5, 1969 when these apostles of “peace” dynamited the statue commemorating the Chicago police killed in the 1886 Haymarket Riot. The anti-war protesters went to war with some 1,000 Chicago police deployed to the front lines.

That fall had also marked the 50^th anniversary of the founding of the American Communist Party in that same city.

My analysis of this for The Blaze back in September was lengthy. One item I left out, however, has significant relevance to another sudden twist at Occupy Wall Street. It relates to the emerging role of the Religious Left:

Amid the rampage in Chicago in 1969, the Religious Left stepped in to dutifully play its usual role of sucker to the communist ringleaders. It offered aid and comfort to the student revolutionaries.

Consider: Just like at Wall Street today, there were numerous radical leftists littering the streets of Chicago. Where would this large contingent, with upwards of 600 organizers, find housing? There was no easy solution, especially given that many were wanted by the law for violent activities.

That fall of 1969, the answer came from clergy in the liberal mainline denominations in the Chicago and Evanston areas. A special clergy group was established for the purpose of finding housing for the young folks. As Mark Rudd later recorded, these were “churches loaned to us by sympathetic clergy.”

So blatant and troubling was the intervention of these churches and their liberal pastors that Congress investigated the matter, taking testimony in hearings before the Committee on Internal Security on December 17-18, 1969. According to the official Congressional investigator tasked to probe the Days of Rage, the revolutionaries were accommodated in Evanston at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Covenant Methodist Church, and Garrett Theological Seminary. It was at Garrett that a police officer was beaten. In Chicago, they stayed at University Disciple Church in Hyde Park.

The clergy had laid down one condition for the dope-smoking, weapons-toting militants: no dope or weapons in the churches. That simple rule, naturally, was violated. Much like how the Vietcong had used “sanctuaries” in Cambodia to launch attacks on American troops inside Vietnam, the young radicals used these literal sanctuaries to stage assaults on their domestic enemies: the “pigs” that had always protected these churches and their congregations.

Of course, the folks in the pews were not exactly thrilled when they caught wind of this news. In no time, members of the congregations and people from the surrounding community were demanding that the duped preachers wake up and expel the extremists from their houses of worship. Fighting the fight for “social justice,” the good reverends sided with the marijuana-smokers.

In one case, almost comical if it were not so tragic, the police were forced to enter the Covenant Methodist Church with warrants to arrest those who had engaged in violent action. There, reportedly, the Methodist minister complained that the police broke down the door—as if the police were the aggressors. Quite the contrary, as the Congressional investigator calmly explained during hearings, “They broke the door down because the Weathermen had barricaded the door of the church and had refused to let the police serve the warrants.”

The pastor was shocked at what was happening in his church—shocked, that is, by the behavior of … the police.

And how is this relevant to Occupy Wall Street right now?

This week, Jim Wallis, high priest of the Religious Left, wrote an eye-opening piece for the Huffington Post, apparently hoping to take us back to those wistful days of yesteryear. Wallis proffered a suggestion:

It’s time to invite the Occupy Movement to church! And Thanksgiving is the perfect occasion. Have some of the young protesters — the “99ers” as they’re becoming known — from this rapidly growing movement over for a big holiday dinner!

Our faith communities and organizations should swing their doors wide and greet the Occupiers with open arms, offering them a feast to say “thank you” for having the courage to raise the very religious and biblical issue of growing inequality in our society.

Concentrations of wealth and power, unfairness in our political process, the loss of opportunity — especially for the next generation — and the alarming rise of poverty in the world’s richest nation are all fundamental concerns for people of faith. So let’s invite the young occupiers into our churches and ministries for good conversation and a great meal.

If our mayors and police departments are making the Occupiers feel unwelcome, why don’t we welcome them to stay on our church property if they need someplace to go?

Open our church basements and parish halls as safe places to sleep — shelter and sanctuary as cold weather descends upon many of our cities.

It’s time both to embrace and engage this hopeful movement of young people….

The Occupy movement needs a sanctuary. And what better safe and welcome place could these young people find than with communities of faith?

Churches as sanctuaries for the radicals? Sound familiar?

This is precisely what happened in the original Days of Rage in Chicago. Now, exhorted by its leader, Jim Wallis, the Religious Left is poised to again offer up itself and its services.

Surely, liberal Christians will tell us, this is what Jesus would do. As more than one of them has angrily told me in emails, “Jesus also hated the wealthy.”

Jim Wallis puts it this way: “These are Gospel issues, and are therefore the business of the churches…. Jesus is a popular guy among the thousands of Occupy sites around the world.”

Perhaps “social justice” Christians will heed Wallis’ call, flinging open the doors to some of their empty churches in New York. As Glenn Beck noted this week, many of these gorgeous old cathedrals are empty on Sunday mornings (just like in Western Europe), open merely as tourist attractions for sophisticated progressives to drop in and admire some interesting art and architecture. Indeed, maybe these echo chambers can become winter-time sanctuaries for OWS troops as they endure their clashes with the “pigs.” Perhaps the churches can help the occupiers persevere during their self-proclaimed, stoic “Valley Forge Moment” (click here and here).

Yes, the Religious Left is ready to sacrifice itself yet again. Such a surreal spectacle would be nothing new. History, my friends, constantly repeats itself.

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

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Comments (14)

baker john
Posted on November 20, 2011 at 6:59am
Now lets see Jesus hated the wealthy, is that why he had a treasurer to look after the money. To my recollection Jesus hated sin but loved the sinner, hated greed and the love of money not the possession of money or wealth nor the wealthy. King David was not poor King Salomon was wealthy as were many others and God blessed them. And I could go on with many that were blessed with riches by God.
It’s more like the jealousy, desire and greed for riches were the downfall comes in.

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freedomofspeech
Posted on November 20, 2011 at 1:00am
and some wonder why the ppl going to church has declined. history is repeating itself, however it’s the same ppl stirring the couldron of putrid potion.

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1391604
Posted on November 20, 2011 at 12:06am
Watch out , stay back and watch if its OBama church you got a problem Ifs its GODS church you may stay warn,not a hot as OBama church will be ,

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DEtenburn
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 6:54pm
The religious left and their occupy cronies can use my church as a sanctuary, and I’m certain my pastor won’t mind one bit – AFTER THE RAPTURE!

But not one minute before.

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4blackhorses
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 6:32pm
The 99% are nothing more than beggars in the street. Never fully holding, even if taken in during cold and fed by religious backed corporations, any thoughts of reimbursement to those for their expenses. They know only holding cardboard signs, spewing anti-corporation/capitalist slogans in between consulting their corproration built Ipods and snuggle against the nature’s cold in their corporation manufactured coats, hats and scarfs.

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Carmine Fragione
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 4:20pm
I do not believe Jesus would be in line with the Commies trying to move America into a Fascist Realm of Taxation and then by violence proceeding to move that into a Marxist Communist Command Market system that failed in Russia after 70 years of trying. Jesus said ” give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give your prayers to God” Thus the Market System is the most ancient place on Earth, which should not be interfered in by governments , so that people around the world can trade, barter , and sell, without being manipulated by ponzi schemes run by governments. If you do not like the Wall Sreet Market, don’t buy ,trade or sell, and don’t lie that you don’t when you do.
When you make the Rich pay all the taxes, they of course will brag about it and lobby to own the government, But if we adopt Herman Cain’s plan of 999 then we end all the lobbying and people get the actual government they have themselves paid for, then all the corruption ends. The Market Place can make deals, but the Government cannot make any deals, if we pay the taxes, the government is our own property, and we don’t have to put it up for sale. If you want to vote, you have to pay, and if you pay, you get your say , in what the government does, day by day.
When the Rich pay more, they only raise the price of milk and bread, and use your money in their own name. If you pay your own taxes, then the price of milk and bread in a free economy comes dow

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working to make MY life better
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 2:50pm
If my UCC church here in Hartford County does, I’ll just NOT complete my 2011 pledge & tell them why. It’s bad enough that the UCC in CT invited Obama to Hartford in 2007.

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wannahug
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 1:44pm
No way should any churches take in the Occupy Wall Street Protesters or any other protesters in relationship to the OWS or be prepared to have to clean up urine, doo-doo crap, be prepared to tell a sleeping protester to move over so you can sit down on a pew during services, or have to explain away the damaged statues and religious figures that those protesters mark up or destroy while camping out inside the churches. Can’t you smell the food being brought into the sanctuaries of the churches – oh boy – the illnesses – it doesn’t belong inside a church at all – for that is THE LORD’s HOUSE and he knows the difference in a worshiping poor family that may have the ragged look in how they dress from a group of filthy dirty non-christian protesters that are there to ruin whatever they put their hands on and then some. GOD forbid that starts now. I thought many pastors know the difference of seeing a poor needy person that wants to worship their God in a church from a gang of destructive filthy dirty protesters that hate Jesus! Well they better know the difference and before the churches are all destroyed!

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AllHisChildren
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 12:51pm
Jim Wallis: “And Thanksgiving is the perfect occasion. Have some of the young protesters — the “99ers” as they’re becoming known — from this rapidly growing movement over for a big holiday dinner!”

Can you even imagine? Yea, so next they can take over everyone’s homes and rape the daughters!! Sure. Great idea! Give ‘em the store fronts, the parks, the churches, the police stations, and what’s left? Our homes????!!!

This thinking is dangerous and exactly playing out what Glenn Beck has been predicting. Counterfeit religion will become rampant in these times and will clash with the true believers of faith. Remember, only 5 Virgins went in to the Marriage Supper with the Lord in His parable, and 5 weren’t prepared with enough oil.

God help us all!

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maizie45
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 12:42pm
Jesus doesn’t hate

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m1ss1ss1pp1
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 12:22pm
They will never go home if the churches open their door’s to them.

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dnewton
Posted on November 19, 2011 at 1:33am
The religious Left will have little victory over social problems as long as it abandons the concept of sin. This is not the first time in history that this has happened, so there is a track record of failure to stand on. Redistribution will not solve poverty as fully and finally as eliminating the underlying sin. Redistribution can help some innocent people but when it is done blindly, it rewards bad behavior. Our economic problems are largely connected to sin. The counterfeit mortgages are an attempt to take something of high value in return for a much lower value promise to pay. It is stealing and making it look OK because a federal agency is approving it does not mitigate the social effect. Social promotion involved bad accounting in schools as much as anything done by ENRON. Many diplomas are counterfeit. You send people to Congress to work for the people and there is the inescapable evidence that some are just working part time for you and part time for themselves. It is getting harder and harder to ask God to bless this country, knowing the willful rebellion and debauchery that is sanctioned by the government. The government should be a terror to the wicked, not an occasional inconvenience or enabler to the wicked.

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sundance_sp
Posted on November 18, 2011 at 5:01pm
One cannot find it any more revolting than to see the clergy act, or support a movement based upon hate. I have yet to hear one person mention Christ in a manner that is correct or appropriate when it comes to their cause. I think we (Those of us who do not support the left in the “Occupy” movement, and are of faith in Christ.) correctly, and accurately believe Christ had always made it clear that he was first and foremost for peace and love. He made it clear his hate for sin, but definitely not the sinner. His most famous statement I am sure is tossed around amongst the Religious Left is “…it is easier the thread a camel through an eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven..”. I think,,, and please correct me if I am wrong, but this verse is a statement against greed. The one thing that the “Occupiers” like to pretend to forget is that if they make a big stink about greed and Wall Street,, it will magically disappear. The clouds will part, the angels will sing and we will live forever happily ever after… I just can’t get over how naive and stupid these people are. So, they think that they can simply wave a wand and greed will just disappear? It’s scary to think how stupid these people are. God help us all! For what it’s worth….

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VeritasVosLiberabit
Posted on November 18, 2011 at 4:17pm
The Religious Left needs to focus more on the religious part and less on the Left part…

“We instruct you, brothers, in the name of [our] Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who conducts himself in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us. For you know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, nor did we eat food received free from anyone. On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you. Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us. In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat. We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business of others. Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and to eat their own food. But you, brothers, do not be remiss in doing good. If anyone does not obey our word as expressed in this letter, take note of this person not to associate with him, that he may be put to shame. Do not regard him as an enemy but admonish him as a brother. May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18

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