finding Monsuun | est. 2005

According to my interpretation of the scriptures he did not. In fact, he stated quite the opposite as recorded in Matthew 5:43-48 and in Luke 6:27-30. Do these statements relate to torture specifically. Absolutely not. However, they do relate to our relationships with our enemies. Deductively I reason the following: If terror is conducted by our enemies, then our role as Christians (followers of Christ, not the neo-political religious affiliation) is not to war with, to torture, to slander, to prejudice against, but to love our enemies — to love those that conduct terror.

But “America is not a Christian nation anymore” one might argue, and I would agree. We never have been, nor are now, a Christian nation. Founded on a smattering of Christian and masonic principles? - Yes. Looked upon by the rest of the world as a “Christian nation”? - Yes. But Christian we are? - No (see above argument alone for support - or take a moment and look around at the culture we live in). So then, if we are not a Christian nation one could argue that we are not bound by these statements made by Jesus, and I would agree. However, our country is currently headed by a President that very explicitly stamps himself with the Christian moniker. And though President of the United States he may be, his relationship with Jesus Christ should take precident over his role as Chief of State. As our relationship with the Christ should take precident over our role as citizens of the United States.

Do we live in the United States? - Yes. Are we safe and secure because of our government’s current war on terror? - We can believe so, yes. However, those of us who call Jesus our Lord, must follow the example laid before us–even if that means risking alienation and ridicule for our stance against torture. We are Christian Americans, not American Christians (more on that later).

Zach at Finding Rhythm has a great commentary on the recent torture legalization issue and provides a link to the website of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) with the hope that his readers will sign their Statement of Conscience:

Torture violates the basic dignity of the human person that all religions hold dear. It degrades everyone involved –policy-makers, perpetrators and victims. It contradicts our nation’s most cherished ideals. Any policies that permit torture and inhumane treatment are shocking and morally intolerable.

Torture and inhumane treatment have long been banned by U.S. treaty obligations, and are punishable by criminal statute. Recent developments, however, have created new uncertainties. By reaffirming the ban on cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment as well as torture, the McCain amendment, now signed into law, is a step in the right direction. Yet its implementation remains unclear.

The President’s signing statement, which he issued when he signed the McCain Amendment into law, implies that the President does not believe he is bound by the amendment in his role as commander in chief. The possibility remains open that inhumane methods of interrogation will continue.

Furthermore, in a troubling development, for the first time in our nation’s history, legislation has now been signed into law that effectively permits evidence obtained by torture to be used in a court of law. The military tribunals that are trying some terrorist suspects are now expressly permitted to consider information obtained under coercive interrogation techniques, including degrading and inhumane techniques and torture.

We urge Congress and the President to remove all ambiguities by prohibiting:

• Exemptions from the human rights standards of international law for any arm of our government.
• The practice of extraordinary rendition, whereby suspects are apprehended and flown to countries that use torture as a means of interrogation.
• Any disconnection of “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment” from the ban against “torture” so as to permit inhumane interrogation.
• The existence of secret U.S. prisons around the world.
• Any denial of Red Cross access to detainees held by our government overseas.

We also call for an independent investigation of the severe human rights abuses at U.S. installations like Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, and Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan.

Nothing less is at stake in the torture abuse crisis than the soul of our nation. What does it signify if torture is condemned in word but allowed in deed? Let America abolish torture now –without exceptions.

I have signed my name to this and if their Statement so moves you, I encourage you to do the same as well. Torture in most religions/cultures is perceived inhumane and it sickens me to know that our “Christian” legislators and President would endorse anything that goes against the love of our enemies that Jesus Christ taught while on this Earth–even under the guise of national security.

I recently read the article Are Churches Good Neighbors in the East Valley Tribune and it brought to memory a scrap that I scribbled while on my Pacific Northwest roadtrip with my wife. The basis comes from a conversation with an old friend regarding a quote from one of the authors of the book, The Shaping of Things to Come:

Would your community grieve your loss?

Or to expound, is your church so entrenched in its surrounding culture, that if it were to disappear it would leave a gaping hole of need–that the surrounding community would truly desire for the church to return because of the loving, compassionate, creative, faith-driven influence that the church had on it. Sadly, this is not the case for many metropolitan churches. Instead we find churches suing city governments and neighbors rallying against multi-use permit requests (see above article).

The problem and the solution comes down to love. Do neighbors complain when the church feeds the homeless? When it takes care of widows, the elderly, orphans? No. Neighbors complain when the church begins to assume a position of superiority–that the people in the surrounding community should have to bow to its whims and wishes. But if I remember the scripture properly, Jesus’ second greatest commandment is to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39). And since so many churches love themselves so much, then there should be plenty of neighborly love to go around. That is, if those same churches are wholeheartedly following Jesus’ commandments.

So the next time you or your church decides to pursue an avenue of ministry, I implore you to discern whether your community would grieve the potential loss of your ministry or celebrate it.

And on an unrelated note and in my usual rant style:

Please do not wear the One Campaign bracelet (*note the yuppy reverend in the center) unless you truly support the movement either physically, monetarily, foundationally. Because if you only wear it because it’s the trendy, hip, Christiany, I-care-about-social-justice-issues thing to do, you would do more good to the actual cause (i.e. the thousands that die from AIDS every day) if you were to cut off your hand at the wrist and donate it for AIDS research. And yes, we can smell your bleeding insincerity from miles away.