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Religious groups gather for 'Justice Wednesday' pray-in on budget
Washington, D.C., April 26, 2005--As Congress prepares to vote on the fiscal year 2006 budget this week, a coalition of religious and community groups is asking for a budget "that is more reflective of the moral values of our nation" than the budget resolutions passed by the House and Senate.
Let Justice Roll: Faith and Community Voices Against Poverty is asking people of faith nationwide to stop what they are doing at 2 p.m. EST on Wednesday, April 27, to pray for a budget that does more to support children, the poor, families, the elderly, veterans and persons with disabilities.
At the same time, a group from the coalition will gather outside the Senate Hart Building for prayer before going to the office of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and the offices of other key Senators to pray for a more just budget. The group will first go to Senator Frist's office because he has the power to stop the budget from being passed.
The coalition hopes that by calling this "Justice Wednesday" they will highlight the definition of "justice" outlined in biblical texts, particularly the words that inspired the name of the group, which were spoken by the prophet Amos to the people because of their misplaced focus and because they taxed the poor unjustly, "But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24)."
According to Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches USA, the proposed budget "is a slap in the face to anyone who believes in justice."
"There is no moral justification for cutting spending on services that benefit the poor, children, families, the elderly, people with disabilities, and impoverished communities while extending tax cuts and adding new ones for the wealthy," Edgar said. "There may be political and economic justifications but definitely not moral ones."
http://www.ncccusa.org/news/050427justicewednesday.html
Washington, D.C., April 26, 2005--As Congress prepares to vote on the fiscal year 2006 budget this week, a coalition of religious and community groups is asking for a budget "that is more reflective of the moral values of our nation" than the budget resolutions passed by the House and Senate.
Let Justice Roll: Faith and Community Voices Against Poverty is asking people of faith nationwide to stop what they are doing at 2 p.m. EST on Wednesday, April 27, to pray for a budget that does more to support children, the poor, families, the elderly, veterans and persons with disabilities.
At the same time, a group from the coalition will gather outside the Senate Hart Building for prayer before going to the office of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and the offices of other key Senators to pray for a more just budget. The group will first go to Senator Frist's office because he has the power to stop the budget from being passed.
The coalition hopes that by calling this "Justice Wednesday" they will highlight the definition of "justice" outlined in biblical texts, particularly the words that inspired the name of the group, which were spoken by the prophet Amos to the people because of their misplaced focus and because they taxed the poor unjustly, "But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24)."
According to Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches USA, the proposed budget "is a slap in the face to anyone who believes in justice."
"There is no moral justification for cutting spending on services that benefit the poor, children, families, the elderly, people with disabilities, and impoverished communities while extending tax cuts and adding new ones for the wealthy," Edgar said. "There may be political and economic justifications but definitely not moral ones."
http://www.ncccusa.org/news/050427justicewednesday.html
