Sign-ons & Petitions, are they faithful?
A quick guide for people of faith
Is it okay for people of faith to sign-on to letters and petitions outside their faith groups or from secular organizations?
I have thought about this and prayed over many a sign-on, and the short answer is yes. Yes, people of faith are called to be an active part of caring for neighbor, seeking justice, and working toward the wellbeing of others and the caretaking of creation. In that way, sign-ons can be part of an active expression of faith. And, unfortunately, too often the work of justice is happening more broadly outside the worship community than within it.
In thinking specifically of sign-ons, I believe we must be sure they reflect content that is respectful, truthful, and just, so our ‘sign-on’ is an action that flow from our faith. With that at the center, I find I need to attend to a few things to consider before I sign on:
Is the sign-on from a reputable organization?
Is there a comparable faith-led effort for that particular issue that I can also support? (Showing that people of faith care about climate justice is important.)
Is there already support for the sign-on from faith groups (check the signatories and sponsors). Are those signatories trustworthy and reputable?
Is there partisan language that demeans or dehumanizes other people, political parties, or groups? Does it boast? Does it engage in schadenfreude, or peddle outrage? Does it speak truth with clarity, or does it rely on denigrating others to ‘make a point’?
Is the sign-on truthful, or does it make use of lies or misleading information?
Does the sign-on offer a call for just remedy or good faith response? Is there a positive outcome that the sign-on is seeking?
Does the sign-on call out harm in a forthright way and call for justice?
Where does it land in terms of partisanship and policy? Is it about implementation of just practices and does it offer ideas that lead to wellbeing for community? Or is it about who ‘wins’ politically?
There is a lot more to say, and I hope I get back to this to revise and add in a little more.
Looking for a 101 on how to create/write your own sign-on letter, or one for your church or church group? This page is from Beyond Plastics, so you will need to think about it from a faith perspective. For example, some of your ‘supporting arguments’ will reflect your faith or faith teachings. All the same, the basics on this page has a lot that will be helpful to you.
Please add your thoughts—as a person of faith, how do you make choices about what groups and efforts you support?
(Thank you Marvin Meyer (above) and Lucia Macedo (modified) for the photos.)