As the Religious Right convened today in Washington, D.C., for the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference, prominent mainstream faith leaders challenged the misguided priorities and immoral economic agenda of Religious Right leaders and extreme right-wing politicians. Faith leaders criticized the Religious Right's adherence to cruel free-market ideology and culture of selfishness over the common good.

"The Religious Right's agenda of punishing hard-hit families with drastic, irresponsible budget cuts while giving trillions in tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires is immoral, and people recognize that," said Rev. Jennifer Butler, executive director of Faith in Public Life and Faithful America, which has sent thousands of petition signatures to Representatives Boehner and Ryan about their immoral budget priorities. "The radical economic agenda religious right political operatives are pushing has a lot more in common with the teachings of Ayn Rand than the teachings of Jesus Christ."

Jim Wallis, president and CEO of Sojourners, invoked the "Circle of Protection"--a campaign by dozens of nationally prominent religious leaders to defend programs that help the most vulnerable-- as an example of the loud chorus of diverse religious voices opposing the immoral budget pushed by GOP leaders in the House of Representatives.

"The real faith and values voters in this next election will be heeding God's call to protect the poor and vulnerable, children and the elderly, and not just serve the interests of campaign donors and corporations," said Wallis. "They will uphold the principle that a budget is a moral document. While some people who gather here this weekend still seem confused, the faith community has now recognized that God is not a Republican or a Democrat."

Recent polling shows that strong majorities of most religious groups think it's fair for wealthier Americans to pay more in taxes, and even white evangelicals are evenly divided on this question. Also, 62% of Americans and a majority of white evangelicals believe one of our country's biggest problems is that more and more wealth is held by just a few people. This is a pressing concern for the mainstream faith community, especially as the GOP budget gives trillions in tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans.

"In this political season, when people of faith speak, divisive rhetoric and partisan ideology should never take the place of genuine compassion and caring for all people," said Rev. Derrick Harkins, pastor of Nineteenth Street Baptist Church in Washington, DC. "Instead of statements that simply echo right-wing talking points that show concern for the wealthy and powerful, I would hope that Ralph Reed and those gathered with him would engage in the real and important work of seeking solutions to our nation's challenges that benefit all Americans."

Speakers rejected the idea that the wealthiest deserve huge tax breaks while vulnerable Americans endure harsh cuts, and challenged conservative political leaders whose budget priorities reflect Ayn Rand's ideology of selfishness rather than Biblical teaching about caring for the most vulnerable.

"Leaders in the House have given us a budget inspired by Ayn Rand, and now presidential primary contenders are lining up in support," said Father Clete Kiley, Director for Immigration Policy at UNITE HERE. "For us Catholics, the ethics of Ayn Rand and the teachings of our faith are completely incompatible. We urge our political leaders to drop Ayn Rand's books and pick up their sacred texts. We need leaders with a moral compass that promotes the common good and creates a better society - a better nation - for everyone. "

Fr. Kiley also echoed Catholic Bishops' concerns about federal budget cuts that hurt the poor, as well as a recent letter from 70 Catholic scholars to Speaker Boehner concerning his record of neglecting Catholic social teaching about caring for the poor.

In addition to these Catholic voices, more than 30 Protestant Bishops recently signed a statement calling budget cuts that harm seniors, women, and children "morally indefensible."

###