Oklahoma State Representative Sally Kern believes that our economic crisis is a result of America's moral crisis. She has put forth  the "Oklahoma Citizen's Proclamation for Morality," which invokes the guidance of Almighty God and calls upon "Holy God, our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer, to have mercy on this nation, to stay His hand of judgment, and grant a national awakening of righteousness and Christian renewal as we repent of our great sin." 

That "great sin" stems from America being a world leader in promoting "abortion, pornography, same sex marriage, sex trafficking, divorce, illegitimate births, child abuse, and many other forms of debauchery." (Because let me tell you, every day I feel like America is trying to sell the idea of "abortion, pornography, same sex marriage, sex trafficking, divorce, illegitimate births, child abuse, and many other forms of debauchery to the world.")

It's a bit difficult to argue that any of these are responsible for the recession especially since the U.S. does not have businesses or corporations which are set up to profit from abortion, same sex marriage, sex trafficking, illegitimate births, or child abuse.  

Abortionists, sex traffickers, gays and lesbians, parents of illegitimate children, and child abusers never asked for a bailout; banking institutions and automakers did. 

Also, she makes no mention of widespread drug use in America. (Perhaps, because...)

RAW STORY highlights the fact that LGBT organizations are taking this proclamation seriously especially since its release coincides with Pride Sunday and the40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. 

RAW STORY also details how the proclamation condemns Obama: 

The document says the undersigned are “grieved that the Office of the president of these United States has refused to uphold the long held tradition of past presidents in giving recognition to our National Day of Prayer.”

The undersigned are also “deeply disturbed that the Office of the president of these United States disregards the biblical admonitions to live clean and pure lives by proclaiming an entire month to an immoral behavior” — referring to the Obama administration’s support of gay pride events this month.

Sally Kern thinks gays will be the "death knell of this nation" and that it poses a "bigger threat to this nation than terrorism or Islam." She believes they are trying to get our young children into the government schools so they can indoctrinate them. 

Kern's proclamation shrewdly cites quotes from the Founding Fathers of this nation who said things that could be used to argue America is a Christian nation. But, she omits these quotes which suggest otherwise: 

"The clergy, by getting themselves established by law and ingrafted into the machine of government, have been a very formidable engine against the civil and religious rights of man." – Thomas Jefferson, 1800

"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between church and State." – Thomas Jefferson, 1802

"What influence, in fact, have ecclesiastical establishments had on society? In some instances they have been seen to erect a spiritual tyranny on the ruins of the civil authority; on many instances they have been seen upholding the thrones of political tyranny; in no instance have they been the guardians of the liberties of the people. Rulers who wish to subvert the public liberty may have found an established clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just government, instituted to secure and perpetuate it, needs them not." -James Madison, 1785

John Adams, whom she quotes from the most, had this to say: 

"As I understand the Christian religion, it was, and is, a revelation. But how has it happened that millions of fables, tales, legends, have been blended with both Jewish and Christian revelation that have made them the most bloody religion that ever existed?" -John Adams, 1816

Perhaps, it would do Sally Kern some good to consult Benjamin Franklin, who had this to say about "Toleration": 

"If we look back into history for the character of the present sects in Christianity, we shall find few that have not in their turns been persecutors, and complainers of persecution. The primitive Christians thought persecution extremely wrong in the Pagans, but practiced it on one another. The first Protestants of the Church of England blamed persecution in the Romish church, but practiced it upon the Puritans. [The Puritans] found it wrong in the Bishops [of the Church of England], but fell into the same practice themselves in New England [in America]."

Kern, like many who base their cries against immorality in this nation on faith rather than reason, conveniently omit any condemnation of rising poverty, hunger, health care costs, or environmental degradation. 

No, because doing so would require confronting and challenging that other "religion" that Republicans believe in---the philosophy of the free market. 

One could argue that our economic woes are a result of a moral crisis. We just saw Bernie Madoff sentenced to prison for 150 years and it is people like him who committed such greedy immoral acts that contributed to our financial collapse. 

It is our government that repealed the Glass-Steagall Act, which allowed for the creation of too big to fail supergroups like Citigroup and AIG. Too big to fail corporations came crawling to Washington asking for bailouts so they could be saved from their own largesse and greed---their casino capitalism.

Honestly, each time a Republican uses Christianity to justify behavior, I now have to stop and think. 

That's why I wonder---Maybe this is all just a cover. Maybe Kern has someone crying for her in Argentina.