Hunger

Almost three weeks ago I stopped eating and started fasting, calling people of faith and conscience to do the same.

Chuck Collins 4-14-2011

In the face of state and federal budget cuts, many of us have been fasting and contemplating the question: "What would Jesus cut?" In light of tax day, however, we might equally contemplate: "What would Jesus tax?"

After all, a great deal of our budgetary stress is the result of declining revenue, thanks to the economic downturn and decades of tax cuts.

A new report that I co-authored, "Unnecessary Austerity," argues that before we make draconian budget cuts at the federal and state level, we should reverse huge tax cuts for the wealthy and tax dodging corporations.

The Jesus I know would be concerned about the extreme inequalities of wealth and power that have emerged in our communities. He would rail against principalities and powers that rig the tax rules so the privileged pay less.

He would lament the destruction of God's creation through excessive consumption and pollution. And, he would be alarmed about financial and commodity speculation driving up the cost of food and worsening hunger. (In today's world of high finance, someone would be hedging investments on how quickly Jesus could multiply loaves and fishes.)

Jeannie Choi 4-13-2011

As artist and musician Moby states at the beginning of the video below, the Republicans have put forth a budget that gives tax breaks to big corporations and to millionaires, but hurts veterans, the elderly, children, and women.

Lisa Sharon Harper 4-12-2011
I've been fasting for 15 days in solidarity with the hung
Jeannie Choi 4-08-2011

The One Percent. Dear Fork. Budget Cuts. Here's a little round up of links from around the Web you may have missed this week:

  • Dear Fork, You have a son.
  • Let's thank our members of Congress for joining the hunger fast for a moral budget. (Call your member and ask them to join.)
  • Stay updated on the latest news from the hunger fast for a moral budget.
  • Watch this CNN report on the hunger fast for a moral budget.
In the tradition of the church, the season of Lent was observed through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Jim Wallis 4-06-2011

[Editors' note: During the season of Lent we will be posting excerpts from the Rediscovering Values Lenten Study Guide. We invite you to study God's word with us through these posts.]

In 1993 -- nearly 20 years ago -- I went on a water only fast to protest the lack of conscience of the U.S. Congress towards hungry people.

Ruth Messinger 4-01-2011
After my teenage granddaughter returned recently from a service experience in Uganda, sponsored by American Jewish World Service, she remarked that she would never again say she's "starving" on her
Jim Wallis 3-29-2011

Yesterday morning, Tony Hall, David Beckmann, Ritu Sharma, and I began a water fast because of what I call "selectively cruel" budget

Evan Trowbridge 3-28-2011

Facing scribbling reporters and flashing cameras at a packed room in the National Press Club, Jim Wallis and a band of faith leaders stood together this morning to declare the beginning of a hunger fast in response to immoral budget cuts that target poor individuals.

Jeannie Choi 3-25-2011

Food Prices. Aurora Borealis. Fasting and Prayer. Here's a little round up of links from around the web you may have missed this week:

  • Food and gas prices are rising again and anti-hunger activists are calling for financial reform.
  • Artist Theo Jansen has created skeletal creatures out of plastic pipes that are able to walk on wind and subsist on their own. Watch the footage. (It's incredible!)
  • Don't have time to watch the aurora borealis in Russia for a week? Yeah, me neither.
Arthur Waskow 3-24-2011
During the past week we have seen both the worst and the best versions of Palestinian action.

Alex Awad 3-07-2011

We have seen the collapse of Mubarak in Egypt and the regime in Tunisia. Turmoil continues in Libya and elsewhere.

Jim Wallis 3-03-2011

In a credit to both Republicans and Democrats, Congress just passed a measure that will avoid a government shutdown for at least the next two weeks. This means that there is still time to protect the poor and most vulnerable during the budget debate.

Elizabeth Palmberg 2-11-2011
[Editors' note: This post is taken from a letter Sojourners associate editor Elizabeth Palmberg sent to the folks who create National Public Radio's Planet Money podca
Rev. Thomas John 1-06-2011
In the wake of the horrendous tragedy of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami ever
Elizabeth Palmberg 11-29-2010
This year Congress finally passed reform that can get some of Wall Street's most damaging and harebrained schemes under control -- but only if the ground-level regulations written to implement the