Berkely, Home of '60s Fiberalism

Tikkun.org, is a Berkely based group, and part of a "Spiritual Activism Conference" beginning today and running through Saturday at the All Souls Unitarian Church in Washington D.C. (Note previous post/May 9 "Progressive...isn't that a soup?"). I have major concerns of any organization that has Cornel West, National Co-Chair, and Cindy Sheehan associated with it. What no Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton? That's not P.C. Their plan is to help fiberals infuse God into their politics, a "spiritual covenant with America"an alternative to Newt Gingrich's "Contract With America" that is credited with helping Republicans take back the House of Representatives in 1994. The "covenant" says Congress should gear all its legislation, tax policies, budgets and social programs towards being "loving and caring for others". This "Network of Spiritual Progressives (NSP) Advocates a New Bottom Line in America. This bottom takes into consideration not only how well institutions and the economy maximize money and power, but how well they maximizes love and caring, ethical and ecological sensitivity and behavior, kindness and generosity, non-violence and peace, and the extent to which they enhance our capacities to respond to other human beings in a way that honors them as embodiments of the sacred, and enhance our capacities to respond to the earth and the universe with awe, wonder and radical amazement." Of course like most groups and individuals I've encountered who preach "diversity" and "open mindedness" they have a tendency to keep their own minds closed. Part of their "New Bottom Line" challenges the misuse of religion, God and spirit by the Religious Right. Now that doesn't sound like a response that "honors human beings as embodiments of the sacred" as well as "maximizing love and caring". To paraphrase a slogan of the '60s...Peace, Love, Dope(s)!!