Church Ethics: The Case Against Neutrality
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. – Elie Wiesel No church I’ve ever been affiliated with ever claimed a position of moral neutrality (of course murder is immoral - Duh). And also, at least in my experience, these same churches were usually all-too-willing to declare political neutrality. But my question is this: When politics affect peoples’ ability to procure basic human rights, what’s the difference between moral and political neutrality? It’s an incredibly privileged position to be in to try to claim political neutrality, but not moral neutrality. That one would do so tells me that they don’t have to worry about where their next meal is going to come from; what will happen to them if they get sick; where they will find shelter. In other words, one is afforded the luxury of being apolitical when status quo politics don’t have any ...