For an unequivocal condemnation of torture, it's hard to beat the late John Paul II, who said in his encyclical "Veritatis Splendor" that it can never be justified, no matter what the reason. The pope placed it on the moral level of abortion and euthanasia. U.S. bishops have followed that lead. Who does that leave? Evangelical Christians. I've done a couple of Google searches, plus a search of the excellent Christianity Today Web log, and I can't find one statement by any evangelical leader or organization condemning the use of harsh techniques by American forces. Where are the voices -- so otherwise outspoken on policy matters -- from the National Association of Evangelicals, from the Family Research Council, from the Southern Baptist Convention?
It gets worse. One thing that did turn up in Christianity Today was a portion of an article last year by Tony Carnes that found evangelical complicity among both administration and military personnel justifying the kind of treatment uncovered at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo.
Of course, Mr. McMullen must not read BlueChristian, or realize our vast influence over evangelicalism worldwide! (Ha!) At any rate, make sure and read the whole thing. Then get to writing your evangelical leaders, denominations, and media voices.
3 comments:
I love the broad paint brush with which you paint "evangelicals". Exuse my sarasm but I'm not sure that term means a whole lot right now. Spiritually speaking, I mean. How can a Godly man say torture is ok? According to what I know, in your writings you have been anti-stereotype. What is evangelical but a seperate stereotype?
I am an Evangelical and I am against torture so there is at least one for you.
Mark,
I didn't quite track your last sentence. Are you suggesting that my usage of the term "evangelical" is a stereotyping of a people group? However marginally, I myself consider the word "evangelical" to be self-descriptive. Jimmy Carter, for instance, is to me an evangelical, though certainly not a run of the mill one in these strange days.
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