You make certain assumptions about my political leanings, but I think it would surprise you to learn then that I have no political affiliation. Nor do I have any axe to grind against Sojourners other than the fact that they seem to have lost their center. Sojourners has routinely come to the aid of individuals, but why not Terri?

Christian publications MUST speak out on this. You may consider this just a political battle, but that is shortsighted. The Schiavo case is NOT a political issue—it is a religious issue and always has been. This makes Sojourners’ lack of comment on the case even more damning since it is not only a justice issue (their raison d’etre #1) but a religious one as well (their raison d’etre #2.)

It’s hard to find a Christian publication that has NOT said something about the specific case of Terri Schiavo. If you want to talk about Sojourners GENERAL position on similar (but not exact) cases to Terri’s, their position today is this: None. They take no position other to say that it’s a difficult one. Yes, in 1997 they ran an article against physician-assisted suicide, but this is not a physician-assisted suicide case. The recent article on PVS that came out a day after my initial post takes no stand. Is that the best they can do? Does God take no stand on this?

That’s all too convenient, if you ask me. By taking no stand, Sojourners does not alienate their base. But this is not what the Lord asks.

A case dating back fifteen years, yes. But a case that is not at all uncommon and was all but invisible until it snowballed into the media event that it has become in the last month. Your search was of the magazine archives. Sojourners is a monthly mag. Why is it such a disgrace that a story only very recently exploded on the national news scene does not appear in their archives? Try searching for �euthanasia,� �end of life,� or �physician assisted suicide.� They have not been silent on this issue.

The case is mentioned in their recent weekly newsletters. You’re right in saying that it’s not portrayed as “one of the most important justice issues of our time”, but that’s because it’s not. It’s a tragedy, yes. But it’s been politicized and transformed into a club to bludgeon opponents with and a real moral discussion is all but impossible. This thread is an example of that.

QUOTE: The choice to use Schorr’s quote as their “Quote of the Week” in which nothing is argued for Terri’s life, but everything is argued against President Bush, could not be any more politically motivated. Nothing of what Schorr said had anything to do with giving justice to Terri Schiavo and everything to do with picking a ridiculously inopportune time to slam the Bush administration.

To those who do not believe that this was “one of the most important justice issues of our time” but was a terrible tragedy and very important case hijacked by ideologues and political opportunists (i.e. those who see the dying forest rather than the one tree we’ve decided to enshrine and protect) the quote is not at all inappropriate. There�s no untruth in it and, as Mr. Schorr said, this case is full of irony. But I agree that it was insensitive.

Quote: Just as Paul called out Peter for caving to the Judaizers, I am calling out Sojourners. They need to be called out for their silence.

But you’re not calling them out. You’re not challenging them directly. You’re putting words in their mouths and condemning them based on your biased presentation of their position; because they’re not giving the same weight as you to this year’s sacrifice on the national altar of self-righteousness.

Considering the focus of Sojourners and the fact that not a single article appeared on the Schiavo case is both odd and silent. You have not shown anyone otherwise.

QUOTE: “The fact that they didn’t drop everything and immediately focus all of their energy on the “tsunami” that hit one woman does not show that they are hypocrites or politically motivated.”

1. Again, not a single article on the Schiavo case—one of the most important justice issues of our time. I am not asking for five hundred articles. But what explains not a single one in the course of history of this case dating back almost fifteen years?

2. The choice to use Schorr’s quote as their “Quote of the Week” in which nothing is argued for Terri’s life, but everything is argued against President Bush, could not be any more politically motivated. Nothing of what Schorr said had anything to do with giving justice to Terri Schiavo and everything to do with picking a ridiculously inopportune time to slam the Bush administration.

It is obvious to me that we will not see eye-to-eye on this. Just as Paul called out Peter for caving to the Judaizers, I am calling out Sojourners. They need to be called out for their silence.

Your tsunami analogy betrays the falsehood that makes your passive-aggressive attack on your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ at Sojourners slanderous/libelous. Sojourners responds to the massive “tsunamis” that strike the people of the earth every day. The fact that they didn’t drop everything and immediately focus all of their energy on the “tsunami” that hit one woman does not show that they are hypocrites or politically motivated.

If I were in their shoes I would have avoided this situation with a ten-foot pole as well because it was made so political and both the facts and morality of the situation were anything but clear.

Like this whole ugly situation your post makes a nice political tract but morality and Kingdom living are taking a back seat to political exploitation, rhetoric, and the opportunity to smear your perceived enemies.