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Martin Luther King Jr. really understood the role of the churches when he said, 'The church is not meant to be the master of the state.' We don't sort of take power and grab the levers of government and impose our agenda down people's throats.

Jim Wallis

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Jim Wallis
Age: 76
Born: 1948
Born: June 4
Theologian
University Teacher
Writer
the United States of America
James E. Wallis junior
People
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King
Grab
State
Master
Impose
Church
Meant
Martin
Power
Kings
Luther
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More quotes by Jim Wallis

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I believe in the separation of church and state, absolutely. But I don't believe in the separation of public life from our values, our basic values, and for many of us, our religious values.
Jim Wallis
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What is my calling? What am I supposed to do? I think running for office, public office, can be a divine calling. I mean, Ive wrestled with that very question myself.
Jim Wallis
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When evangelical leaders can persuade the president to be concerned about what's happening in Sudan, or sex trafficking around the world, or HIV-AIDS, that's a very good thing. I am completely supportive of that.
Jim Wallis
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A billion dollars every week for Iraq, $87 billion for Iraq. We can't get $5 billion for childcare over five years in welfare reform.
Jim Wallis
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So when the only domestic social policy is tax cuts that mostly benefit the wealthiest Americans, we say, 'Where is faith being put into action here?'
Jim Wallis
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This year - today - I am repenting of my dependence on fossil fuels.
Jim Wallis
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The great thing about social movements is everybody gets to be a part of them.
Jim Wallis
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If the president is going to use so much language of theology and the Bible, then let's use that language for a serious discussion about the war in Iraq. And that was never done.
Jim Wallis
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But when we place God on our side of things, that we are now ridding the world of evil - that's very dangerous, that one nation has this role to rid the world of evil. What about the evil we have committed, that we are complicit in?
Jim Wallis
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Sometimes it takes a natural disaster to reveal a social disaster.
Jim Wallis
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I think it's a good thing for a president or political leaders to want to put their values or their faith into action. Desmond Tutu did that in South Africa. Martin Luther King Jr. did that here. This is a good thing.
Jim Wallis
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The best response to bad religion is better religion, not secularism.
Jim Wallis
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Hope is believing in spite of the evidence, and then watching the evidence change.
Jim Wallis
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Pat Robertson is an embarrassment to the church and a danger to American politics, .. It's time for Christian leaders of all stripes to call on Robertson not just to apologize but to retire.
Jim Wallis
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Two of the greatest hungers in our world today are the hunger for spirituality and the hunger for social change. The connection between the two is the one the world is waiting for, especially the new generation. And the first hunger will empower the second.
Jim Wallis
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To dig our heels in and say no to a present madness is a good thing, but to walk a new path and say yes is a better thing.
Jim Wallis
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Some people believe the alternative to bad religion is secularism, but that's wrong . . . . The answer to bad religion is better religion--prophetic rather than partisan, broad and deep instead of narrow, and based on values as opposed to ideology.
Jim Wallis
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But when one believes that you've been appointed by God for a particular mission in history, you have to be very careful about that, how you speak about that. Where is the self-reflection in that? Where is the humility in that?
Jim Wallis
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I don't think we should discriminate against an organization or congregation because they're religious, if they're doing good work. But government can't subsidize proselytizing or worship or religious activity. It can't.
Jim Wallis
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You change society by changing the wind. Change the wind, transform the debate, recast the discussion, alter the context in which political discussions are being made, and you will change the outcomes... You will be surprised at how fast the politicians adjust to the change in the wind.
Jim Wallis