In Dallas, Good Friday march seeks “moral budget”

DALLAS — The Dallas Area Progressive Christian Alliance took the teachings of the Bible, and the need for relief from poverty and suffering, to the streets of Dallas here on Good Friday, April 22.

Activists alternated biblical scripture placards with those demanding solutions for the nation today. “Budgets are Moral Documents” was a popular slogan. “You cannot serve God and Mammon” was carried along with “17% of Texans live in poverty!”

Along the miles-long course, the group of 50 Texans stopped three times for short five-minute messages about the important message of Good Friday as it applies to our present situation. The Reverends Gerald Britt, Jo Hudson, and Ed Middleton were the three speakers.

Middleton spoke in front of the giant Comerica Bank skyscraper. He was not in a celebratory mood. In fact, he said, he had tired of hearing preachers and politicians deliver long scholarly treatises on Jesus’ simple statement “I thirst.”

Middleton said Jesus was not speaking metaphorically about being thirsty. He genuinely needed relief, just as millions of downtrodden people of America need relief today.
Another popular sermon topic, which Middleton disassembled was “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

He said that the perpetrators of injustice in America today could not hide behind their excuses of ignorance. They know what they are doing, the reverend said, and righteous anger, not forbearance, is our proper response.

Photo: Christian activists march in Dallas on Good Friday for a “moral budget” (Jim Lane/PW)