disciples action center

Join the '10 in 10' Campaign

2008-12-21T00:20:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, July 24, the federal minimum wage increased from $5.85 to $6.55 an hour, providing a much-needed but inadequate boost to workers and our economy. The $6.55 minimum wage will still leave workers with less buying power than they had in 1997 at the start of the longest period in history without a raise. Even after the recent increase in the minimum wage, it will be far below the minimum wage of 1968, which is worth $9.86 now.

As part of the Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign (a nonpartisan coalition of more than 90 faith, community, labor and business organizations), DJAN (the Disciples Justice Action Network), the Disciples Center for Public Witness, and DAWN (the Disciples Advocacy and Witness Network) have joined with other groups to launch the “10 in 10” campaign to raise the federal minimum wage to $10 an hour in 2010.

The '10 in 10' campaign is beginning with a call to faith leaders across the nation to endorse a letter that will be delivered to the new Congress in January in a groundswell of support for a minimum wage that lifts people out of poverty. In combination with the faith letter, Let Justice Roll is organizing "Living Wage Days" services and community events across the nation January 10 and 11.

To sign a letter for religious leaders, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To sign a letter for the general public, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To sign a letter for business leaders, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To support the work of The CENTER on this issue,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.

HELP OBAMA END TORTURE!

2008-12-21T00:15:00.002-08:00

Some people still question whether the U.S. should engage in torture. For the followers of a tortured and crucified Savior, torture is unambiguously wrong. Whether physical or psychological, torture is destructive of the human spirit for both the tortured person and the torturer. Moreover, intelligence experts question whether information derived through torture is useful, and these practices degrade the standing of the U.S. as a beacon of democracy and weaken its moral authority at home and abroad.

Torture is one of the worst agonies that one human being can inflict upon another. As Christians, we believe that each human being is made in the image and likeness of God, and that whatever is done to the prisoner (one of the least of these) is also done to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. So when someone tortures another child of God, they also torture Christ.

The fastest way to halt U.S.-sponsored torture is for President-elect Obama to issue an executive order after he is sworn in as our new President on January 20th.

President-elect Obama has consistently stated his opposition to torture. But now we must encourage him to live up to his words by quickly acting to end our country’s use of torture.

To read the Sense-of-the-Assembly resolution calling for the elimination of torture, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To support an executive order banning torture, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To read a declaration of principles about banning torture, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To download sample prayers that can be used in your congregation, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To download an insert for your congregation's Sunday bulletin, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Note: Please let us know that you've used our prayer or one of your own in one or more of your worship services by telling us so on the sign on form or by emailing us at disciplescenter@comcast.net. Many thanks and blessings!

Disciples Against Torture is a project of The Disciples Center for Public Witness in partnership with DJAN (Disciples Justice Action Network) and DAWN (Disciples Advocacy and Witness Network in the Christian Church Capital Area).

To support the work of The CENTER on this project and this issue, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Urge Obama to Support Health Care for Everyone

2008-12-21T00:10:00.000-08:00

As people of faith, we envision a society where each person is afforded health, wholeness, and human dignity. This vision embraces a system of health care that is inclusive, accessible, affordable, and accountable.

More specifically, we believe that health care is a basic human right and human need which includes every person. Therefore, all persons should have access to health services that provide necessary care and contribute to wellness. Furthermore, health care must contribute to the common good by being affordable for individuals, families and society as a whole. And finally, our health care system must be accountable, offering a quality, equitable and sustainable means of keeping us healthy as individuals and as a community.

To read a statement expanding on these principles, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To sign a letter to President-elect Obama affirming these principles and asking him to keep them at the center of health care reform, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To support the work of The CENTER on this issue,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Show Your Support for Reproductive Choice

2008-12-21T00:05:00.000-08:00

The ability to plan and care for one's family is central to addressing the myriad social, political and economic concerns we face. Accessing comprehensive health care services safely and legally is inextricably linked to the ability of our country's citizens and families to thrive.

Join a broad array of religious groups, faith communities, and people of faith who have come together to urge President-elect Barack Obama to make reproductive health a priority in the first months of his administration.

To read the entire letter, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To sign the letter, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To support the work of The CENTER on this issue,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.

END TORTURE NOW!

2008-12-02T00:15:00.000-08:00

Torture is wrong. The issue of torture has been much in the news lately including questions about whether the U.S. should engage in torture. For the followers of a tortured and crucified Savior, torture is unambiguously wrong. Whether physical or psychological, torture is destructive of the human spirit for both the tortured person and the torturer. Moreover, intelligence experts question whether information derived through torture is useful, and these practices degrade the standing of the U.S. as a beacon of democracy and weaken its moral authority at home and abroad.

Torture is one of the worst agonies that one human being can inflict upon another. As Christians, we believe that each human being is made in the image and likeness of God, and that whatever is done to the prisoner (one of the least of these) is also done to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. So when someone tortures another child of God, they also torture Christ.

The 2007 General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), meeting in Fort Worth, TX, passed Resolution 0721, a sense-of-the-assembly resolution calling for the elimination of torture. Among other things, this resolution urges all Disciples members, activists, and leaders to engage in "serious consideration of this issue," and invites individual Disciples to join 30 heads of communion, more that 80 other communities of faith and faith-based organizations, and over 18,000 individual people of faith in endorsing a Statement of Conscience prepared by the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT).

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Disciples Center for Public Witness, the Disciples Justice Action Network, and the Disciples Advocacy and Witness Network in the Christian Church Capital Area are among the institutional signers and supporters.

Please join us in signing this statement and declaring your opposition to torture.

To read the Sense-of-the-Assembly resolution calling for the elimination of torture, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To read the Statement of Conscience Against Torture,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To sign the Statement of Conscience Against Torture,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To help Obama end torture, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To support the work of The CENTER on this issue,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.

HELP END TORTURE

2008-06-01T08:59:00.000-07:00

PLEASE SIGN THIS STATEMENT OF CONSCIENCE AGAINST TORTURE

Torture violates the basic dignity of the human person that all religions, in their highest ideals, hold dear. It degrades everyone involved--policy-makers, perpetrators and victims. It contradicts our nation's most cherished ideals. Any policies that permit torture and inhumane treatment are shocking and morally intolerable.

Nothing less is at stake in the torture abuse crisis than the soul of our nation. What does it signify if torture is condemned in word but allowed in deed? Let America abolish torture now--without exceptions.

To sign this statement of conscience against torture,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To read the General Assembly resolution on eliminating torture,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To support the work of the CENTER and its volunteers on this issue,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.

HELP US END TORTURE

2008-06-01T07:57:00.000-07:00

The issue of torture has been much in the news lately including questions about whether the U.S. should engage in torture. For the followers of a tortured and crucified Savior, torture is unambiguously wrong. Whether physical or psychological, torture is destructive of the human spirit for both the tortured person and the torturer. Moreover, intelligence experts question whether information derived through torture is useful, and these practices degrade the standing of the U.S. as a beacon of democracy and weaken its moral authority at home and abroad.

Torture is one of the worst agonies that one human being can inflict upon another. As Christians, we believe that each human being is made in the image and likeness of God, and that whatever is done to the prisoner (one of the least of these) is also done to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. So when someone tortures another child of God, they also torture Christ.

The 2007 General Assembly. of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), meeting in Fort Worth, TX, passed Resolution 0721, a sense-of-the-assembly resolution calling for the elimination of torture. Among other things, this resolution urges all Disciples members, activists, and leaders to engage in "serious consideration of this issue," and invites individual Disciples to join 30 heads of communion, more that 80 other communities of faith and faith-based organizations, and over 18,000 individual people of faith in endorsing a Statement of Conscience prepared by the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT).

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Disciples Center for Public Witness, the Disciples Justice Action Network, and the Disciples Advocacy and Witness Network in the Christian Church Capital Area are among the institutional signers and supporters.

Please join us in signing this statement and declaring your opposition to torture.

To read the Assembly resolution calling for the elimination of torture,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To read the Statement of Conscience prepared by the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT), PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To sign the Statement of Conscience Against Torture,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To support the work of The CENTER on this issue,
PLEASE CLICK HERE.