A Pew survey reported at CNN.com found that evangelical protestants were the religious group most likely to say that torture of suspected terrorists is "often" or "sometimes" justified (54 percent) and the group least likely (one in eight of them) to say that torture is "never" justified.
So-called unaffiliated respondents (people who seldom or never attend church services) were less likely to say that torture is sometimes warranted (42%) and more likely (one in four) to say that it is never justified.
An unnamed atheists comments, “Interesting but I must say, not surprising. The blend of right wing politics (hawkish foreign policy, judgmental and intolerant social policy, and a screw the poor economic policy) and "Christianity" that finds expression in the American evangelical movement has always contained enough hypocrisy to gag a horse. Still, when you see data like these, you still get left shaking your head. And to think, we atheists are supposed to be the ones lacking a moral compass.”
Too often we evangelicals so align ourselves with the political right that we do not see the plank in our own eyes. Matthew 7:3 says, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye an pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”
I remember my boyhood years of the 1950-60’s hearing evangelicals rant against civil rights legislation. As a pastor I have witnessed evangelicals showing racial prejudice against those of different color and race.
There are some questions in my mind for evangelicals?
1. Where do these views of inhumane treatment, social injustice, and racial prejudice come from?
2. Are we so afraid of any political view that is not politically aligned to the right that we accept any and every thing the political right does?
3. Don’t we need to think for ourselves and ask the question, “What would Jesus do”?
4. Do we need to pray and ask forgiveness from God for holding and expressing views that clearly are unscriptural?
What do you think? Leave a comment.
5 days ago
Pastor Darrell,
ReplyDeleteI'll give you this: this is a timely subject and a though-provoking blog. There's no way I could comment on all of the points you raised succinctly.
I do agree with you that we sell out to conservative politics too much - I know I've done it in the past, and am probably not immune to it in the future.
But the catalyst for your thoughts is the issue of torture. Here are some thoughts I have on the issue:
1) The Bible doesn't specifically give a word on torture, but it does speak about violence. Romans 12:8: "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with all men." This verse shows us that peace should be our goal, even with our enemies, and that we should exhaust every means at our disposal to stay away from violence, including torture.
2) However, the same verse acknowledges the reality that there are times when it is not possible to stay at peace - other people force us into a place we'd rather not go. Sometimes enemies have to be defeated through violent means (see WWII). Preserving peace through violence and war, though paradoxical, and hopefully limited in scope, seems to be a function of living in a fallen world.
3) Another verse that has to be brought into the discussion: "Love your enemies, and do good to those who hate you" (Luke 6:27). So, how can we love our enemies if we torture them? Admittedly, it's not an easy question to answer. Put another way, "Would Jesus torture someone?"
To say 'yes' doesn't seem in keeping with the idea of Christ's grace and mercy, and so most people would avoid that answer. To say 'no' doesn't take Christ's actions as part of the Old Testament Godhead into account when God (with whom Jesus was one in essence) ordered radical things - including killings - done to preserve the nation of Israel.
It's just not a simple question.
At this time, my belief on torture sounds like Obama's belief on abortion: it should be rare but legal. I can't help but think that
if Ahmed knows where the nuke is and we can stop it's detonation, then Ahmed should undergo some discomfort to save millions of lives.
Just thinking out loud.
Brent T.