Comments on: Rising Up to Heal a Sick Global System http://blog.sojo.net/2009/03/23/rising-up-to-heal-a-sick-global-system/ A Blog by Jim Wallis and Friends Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:57:50 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: meurig http://blog.sojo.net/2009/03/23/rising-up-to-heal-a-sick-global-system/comment-page-1/#comment-85520 meurig Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:29:29 +0000 http://blog.sojo.net/?p=7228#comment-85520 Eric, I don't think I disagree with any of the basic principles you set out here, but I would put them together differently.<br><br>If the "world leaders" come up with concrete policies that reduce the injustice done globally to the poor, it will only be because there has already been a change in the hearts of signficant numbers of people in their consituencies - lots of "importunate widows" making demands on behalf of others rather than themselves. A good result from the summit is, to me, a symptom rather than a source of a change in values. Eric, I don't think I disagree with any of the basic principles you set out here, but I would put them together differently.

If the “world leaders” come up with concrete policies that reduce the injustice done globally to the poor, it will only be because there has already been a change in the hearts of signficant numbers of people in their consituencies – lots of “importunate widows” making demands on behalf of others rather than themselves. A good result from the summit is, to me, a symptom rather than a source of a change in values.

]]> By: Eric77 http://blog.sojo.net/2009/03/23/rising-up-to-heal-a-sick-global-system/comment-page-1/#comment-85469 Eric77 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:28:01 +0000 http://blog.sojo.net/?p=7228#comment-85469 I fully agree that there is a role for Christians to play in politics and policy making and that we've seen a severe failure of values. However, the flawed implication in this commentary is that if a bunch of powerful "world leaders" get together and restructure world society to what they consider a more just society that the values of the world will have been changed. This is not the case though. Even if their goals are realized, which is highly unlikely judging by the sorry human history of what powerful people do, if hearts are not changed, values have not been changed.<br><br>To make it more concrete, if Person A does not show love to Person B and try to meet his needs there is injustice. If Person A is forced by powerful Person C to meet Person B's needs, there is injustice. Person B might be materially better off, but no one's values have changed. Only when Person A voluntarily decides to love Person B and meet his needs do we have a just society. We will continue to have flawed values until people voluntarily decide to show love to their neighbors.<br><br>“Those who have 'thought globally' have done so by means of simplifications too extreme and oppressive to merit the name of thought. Global thinkers have been and will be dangerous people.” - Wendell Berry I fully agree that there is a role for Christians to play in politics and policy making and that we've seen a severe failure of values. However, the flawed implication in this commentary is that if a bunch of powerful “world leaders” get together and restructure world society to what they consider a more just society that the values of the world will have been changed. This is not the case though. Even if their goals are realized, which is highly unlikely judging by the sorry human history of what powerful people do, if hearts are not changed, values have not been changed.

To make it more concrete, if Person A does not show love to Person B and try to meet his needs there is injustice. If Person A is forced by powerful Person C to meet Person B's needs, there is injustice. Person B might be materially better off, but no one's values have changed. Only when Person A voluntarily decides to love Person B and meet his needs do we have a just society. We will continue to have flawed values until people voluntarily decide to show love to their neighbors.

“Those who have 'thought globally' have done so by means of simplifications too extreme and oppressive to merit the name of thought. Global thinkers have been and will be dangerous people.” – Wendell Berry

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