They've been silent for way too long. For decades now, they've had their mouths shut when those mouths should have been wide open and roaring, which is what happens when your feet are in the sand.
The leaders of our two mainline faiths, the Christian and the Jewish, 'tis to whom I refer. Throughout American history the leaders of these two faiths have been the USA's moral spokespersons, the voices that have again and again called the citizens of the USA to live up to the values they claim are the center of their devotion.
Not recently, however, Are there doubters? If so, may someone please tell the rest of us who they are. For years, there's been no Billy Graham, no Billy Sunday nor anyone else to speak up and call the followers of Jehovah and Jesus Christ not just to proclaim their faith but to live it.
I recently made this point to another living Christian, who named Joel Osteen as a possibility.
That is a huge stretch!. Osteen showed his true colors a few years back when he locked the doors of his church to the poor and the homeless during exceptionally violent weather; and Osteen disgraced himself and his faith even further when he then sailed the waters around Houston in his multi-million dollar$ yacht.
Other pastors, men and women, who are good speakers might also be cited. But upon examination, most of these fine speakers are poor theologians; they have no inkling as to how properly to teach and apply the basics of their faith, in a manner, that is, that others heed and respond to with the appropriate actions.
Frankly, while I too am unable to name a Christian or a Jewish leader who currently needs to be heard from, I am convinced that he or she does exist. There is, to be sure, an urgent need in the USA for our real faith leaders to speak out and apply their faith to what is currently happening in the USA, and elsewhere.
Equality and justice are no longer in vogue. Great sermons and sayings from leaders who fully understand their faith, they are totally silent.
Some 90 or more years ago evangelist Billy Sunday said what today needs to be said even more loudly and with broader comprehension "The problem with the Gospel today is not that it has not been preached, it is that it has not been lived."
Great! But before the Gospel can be truly lived, it must be truly preached and truly believed.
Listen up! America! Speak up! ordained pastors and consecrated rabbis.
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