Prominent Evangelical Leaders Condemn GOP Candidates’ Attacks on International Investment
Nationally prominent pro-life evangelical leaders are speaking out to criticize Republican presidential candidates’ claims at Tuesday night’s debate that our nation should cut critical international aid investments. At the debate, Governor Perry suggested defunding the United Nations, Governor Romney said we shouldn’t “borrow money from the Chinese to go give to another country for humanitarian aid,” and Congressman Paul incorrectly described such programs as “taking money from poor people in this country and giving it to rich people in poor countries.”
Megachurch pastors and other evangelical leaders, including Rev. Joel Hunter and Rev. Richard Cizik, released a statement today (available below) challenging irresponsible and immoral cuts to international development and relief efforts.
Statement from Evangelical Leaders on International Development Investments:
As pro-life evangelical Christian leaders committed to caring for our poorest neighbors around the world, we are called to protect them from cuts to programs that make a difference between life and death. The call for cutting “foreign aid” by several presidential candidates at last night’s debate undermines our nation’s moral commitment to humanitarian investment and is not in keeping with our values.
International development programs, which represent less than 1 percent of our federal budget, are practical and compassionate investments in global health. Minimal resources go a long way by providing malaria nets that save children’s lives in Africa, AIDS medication to tens of thousands who would otherwise die, and clean water to people in the poorest regions on Earth. Treating this critical aid as unaffordable is factually inaccurate. Viewing it as expendable is morally wrong. We call on all candidates for political office, especially the presidency, to protect life by preserving these crucial programs. The most vulnerable must be protected from irresponsible cuts, not imperiled in the name of political expediency.
Ron Sider
President
Evangelicals for Social Action
Rev. Joel Hunter
Senior Pastor
Northland, a Church Distributed
Rev. Gabriel Salguero
President
National Latino Evangelical Coalition
Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner
Co-Chair
National African American Clergy Network
David Gushee
Board Chair and Co-Founder
New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good
Richard Cizik
President
New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good
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