Most evangelical leaders still support the war in Iraq and want the United States to “stay until the job is done,” according to a survey released Monday.
Even those who say the invasion of Iraq was a mistake based on faulty intelligence believe that it would be wrong to now leave, according to the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE)’s February 2008 Evangelical Leaders Survey.
“We should not have gone in,” said one respondent, who was only identified as a denominational CEO by the NAE. “But we are going to need to stay in long enough to prevent chaos and to stabilize the country.”
Other evangelical leaders insisted the war is just, President Bush was right in his decisions, and the United States should stay the course.
“Iraq represents that existential threat we have from global Islamic Jihadists,” responded another unidentified leader. “We must defeat it in Iraq, Afghanistan and then act preemptively to destroy it wherever it emerges.”
Still others said they have no opinion about the start of the war, but believe that the United States cannot now just leave.
“Most evangelicals in America subscribe to the theological position called ‘Just War Theory,’ that it is morally justified to go to war under certain conditions,” explained Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, in a statement.
“However, there is also a strong evangelical voice in the ‘Peace Church’ tradition that opposes all war.”
A number of vocal Christians have condemned all violence and point to the Bible saying the New Testament shows that Jesus is opposed to war.
In November, the United Methodist Council of Bishop called for the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq and not to deploy any more troops to the country.
The bishop said their position is based on the denomination’s position that “war is incompatible with the teachings and examples of Christ,” and Jesus Christ’s call for “his followers to be peacemakers.” President George W. Bush is a member of the United Methodist Church.
There have been 3,954 U.S. deaths in Iraq, according to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count, and over 28,773 wounded, according to Global Security.org.
Currently, the United States is in the process of withdrawing 22,000 troops, which will be completed in July.
On Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters in Baghdad during his unannounced visit that a pause in the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq after the current reduction “makes sense,” according to CNN.
U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, is said to believe that a careful review is necessary before any decision is made about further troop withdrawals. Petraeus is scheduled to come to Washington in April to brief President Bush and Congress about the situation in Iraq.
The Iraq war has had detrimental affects on the country’s small population of Christians. It is estimated that Christians make up nearly half of all refugees leaving Iraq, although they make up less than three percent of the country’s population. There are only about 600,000 Iraqi Christians left in the country, down from 1.2 million before the 2003 U.S.-led offensive.
Persistent instability and violence in Iraq has also led to increased attacks on Christians. Last month, 10 churches were bombed within two weeks. Christians are also the target of kidnappings, mostly for ransom money.
Overall, the majority of evangelical leaders support the war, but almost as many expressed serious reservations, according to the NAE survey.
“I am also very concerned that the ardent support by Evangelicals for the war in Iraq, and unquestioning support of President Bush has made Evangelicals appear as if we are ‘pro-war.’ The increasing battle cry among Evangelicals to fight radical Islamists is also troubling to me,” said one leader.
Other concerns of evangelical leaders include the damage to the image of America; miscalculation of Islam; and the war being used a “major recruiting tool for Islamic extremists.”
The Evangelical Leaders Survey is a monthly poll of the 100 board of directors of the National Association of Evangelicals. They include the CEOs of 60 denominations and representatives of a broad array of evangelical organizations including missions, universities, publishers and churches.
Comments
what is worse? you finding hipocracy in my post, or your support for policies that have killed hundreds of thousands, and displaced millions of people from thier homes?
My point is proven.
I'd just like to point out that I find it a bit ironic, WhatwouldJesusdo, that you have "LET GOD JUDGE" sandwiched squarely between calling anyone who supports war not a Christian and a "diseased Yak that needs to be penned up separately from the herd."
Maybe you should focus a bit more on that plank in your eye......
Any Christian who supports this or any war is NOT A CHRISTIAN.
Jesus didnt come to say "hey, turn the other cheek.... execpt if your cause is just"
In fact, Jesus came and told us "LET GOD JUDGE" there is NO human representative of Jesus' here on earth. There is NO human being out there with a direct line to God.
Jesus gave us all the direction and knowhow to truly KNOW what it is that God wants out of us.... that is 'love thy neighbor' help the poor, sick , hungry, the stranger.....
Any person who claims they are a Christian and supports this war is a diseased Yak that needs to be penned up separately from the herd.
Correction on the remark regarding Stalin, grattitude is a disease of dogs, not democracy.
You seem to overlook the fact that we attacked a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. Most of the terrorists were Saudis, our supposed allies, and that we launched the war to prevent WMDs from being used. They had none. You have no idea what I think from one post. Bush launched a campaign to question the patriotism of anyone who opposed hi war. I am a veteran (as are three of my brothers). I consider myself a patriot to the point that I believe that no soldier should be put into harm's way without a solid plan that includes the logistical and tactical support for pre-war staging, for on a war footing and post war scenarios. This was not shown. Bush launched the war as quickly as he could to insure support before it eroded. No one had any doubt as to the outcome of a war between Iraq and the US, but Bush has squaundered untold resources on a mistake. Leaving us with far less resources to face a real danger to the US, Iran. No we haven't had another attack on US soil, but what would be the point when they can kill US troops over there. Bush has become a poster boy for the anti-American terrorists and Iraq has become their training ground.
If you want something that's hard how about pulling away from the propaganda both sides are spouting and think for yourself. What country has ever gone into the middle east (regardless of how noble their intentions) and not gotten bloodied for their trouble? No one, ever. These people have the centuries old hatreds that they will not let go of. They have a religion that would be contradictory to democracy. These people have the same attitude towards democracy as Stalin, he said it was a disease of dogs. As a Christian I have hope that Christ may eventually impact their lives, but I do not believe that democracy can begin until that occurs.
you both can believe what you want but the reality is this we were attack on Sept 11 2001 and almost 3000 americans were killed by terrorist you all now seem to want to surrender to. President Bush said in more then one speach after wards that this would be a long war that would test our resolve. He was right. People such as yourselfs seem to think they will just go away if we leave. but that is the same attitude that Clinton had and it cost us 3000 lives on our own terriorty. We are at war, if you would even bother to read from those who lived uder these terrorist you will see that if we just go home and forget about them they will come home with us. This admistation has not had one successfull attack here in the US since 911. Why because thy chosed to attack these killers where ever we could and we did and now we have them bottled up in their own lands. Why don't you quit reading the propanda from the liberal left and search out the truth. Or is that to hard for you. You are like the blind leading the blind and just like you democratic leaders you will lead us all of the cliff. Boy am I glad you weren't around in the early days of the war of independance, we all still be British subjects God help us.
Gods Blessing
In Christ
Tom
They are too proud & arrogant to admit their mistakes! it is also called BLIND OBEDIENCE thinking that supporting a 'christian' president is doing god's work.
I have found that one's support for the war is often based on how one identifies one's self politically. Would the people who support the war have done so if a Democrat had launched it? Launched it on faulty intelligence? Even though the majority of the 9/11 terrorists were from Saudi (a supposed ally and the second worst country to be a Christian)? Supported a Dem president who hasn't caught Osama or the instigators of the anthrax attack? Who proclaimed Jesus to be the most influential person in their life, but advocated torture and holding prisoners indefinitely without trial? Who infringed upon the civil rights of Americans, but was unable to secure our borders? Calls into question the patriotism of anyone who doubts his agenda or his methods?
No, I think not. I think the current supporters of Bush would be howling in protest if a Democrat were in power and had made these same mistakes. I also find severe fault in the Democrats for failing to stand up for the American people and for our civil liberties and righjts. Their spinelessness has only worsened the situation we are in.
I believe that Bush has used conservative Christians to further his agenda and all they received in return were two Supreme Court justices. I beleive that Christians were so anxious to have one of our own in power that we were blinded to obvious faults. And we have no one to blame but ouselves, because from reading the Bible and knowing the nature of man, we should have realized we can not blindly follow a man or woman. You can only trust God to always do the right thing.
SusyQ where you for the civil war? how about ww1? ww2? how about Korea? Persian gulf?
Again we have always allowed the President to fight wars the way He/She and his generals think is best. War is nothing but confusion and mistakes are made agreed but do you listen to those who are returning home. How they talk about the Good we are doing over there? I guess not. But the kicker is these poor Muslims as you say came over here and killed almost 3000 of your fellow Americans, Some of who were Christian brothers and sisters. Jesus said blessed are the peacemakers. Sometimes to make peace you have to fight for it. For almost 7 years now these killers and murders of innocent man, women and children using the most despicable means. Having women, kids, and mentaly handicap blow themself up killing innocents. have not been able to hit the US again. Why because we have them bottled up in the middle east fighting us in their lands not our own. We are at war I don't like it any more then you do but if we don't fight them there we most certianly will fight them here. They have already proved the are willing to do so. God Help us if we forget.
Gods Blessing
In Christ
Tom
This report is very disturbing. We are .BelieversAgainstTheWar. We are 100% pro-life and are 100% against this undeclared, unconstitutional and immoral war. As Christians, we know that this is a blight on Jesus's people in America. It is wrong, wrong, wrong! And, we don't know why so many Christians in the U.S. don't recognize their error. Even pro-aborts realize the dichotomy of those that claim to be pro-life and yet favor hatred of Muslims to the point of killing, maiming, and destroying their land. Jesus said to "Love your enemies" How can Christians reconcile that with their war-mongering? I encourage other pro-life, anti-war Christians to join us at www. BelieversAgainstTheWar.org to stand strong for life and liberty.
I feel sorry for you oluc---I am against the killing of innocent unborn babies above, I said above the rights of anybody. I am against what Scriptures says is wrong and it says that Homesexaulity is wrong as well as other sins by the way. And I am agianst a hideous organization coming into my country and killing thousands of Americans, they declared war we didn't. If you would get off your high horse and research these people you may not be so quick to call the US a war mongering country. We are called to be peacemakers and in order to do that sometime you need to fight and defend yourself. It is apparent that other countries are not willing to do that, and look where that hs gotten them. Or don't you read the paper about the murders these people do? So you go ahead and support those who would seek to coddle these killers and to kill unborn children and destroy all that is good that this country was founded on. May God help us if they get in power
Gods Blessing
In Christ
Tom
How can one be a pro-death warmonger, a foetus-defender and against a woman's right to choose at the same time without being hypocritical and/or schizophrenic? Did I forget homophobic for good measure? The ultimate goal is to control women's bodies and reproductive rights through gay-bashing, right? That would explain your obsession with two topics Jesus never dealt with: homosexuality and abortion. But, then again, you don't care what your supposed leader stands for as long as you get your way and impose your ideology on others.
Last I heard this is still a volunteer miltary. As for the leaders having sons or daughters over there. I would bet that some of them do. As a point of referance i have 4 sons that are eligable to go. If they decided to I will support them in that decission. We are at war, one we did not start and one we darn well better win.
Gods Blessing
In Christ
Tom
Most Evangelical Leaders Still Support Iraq War
YEAH AND MOST OF THEM HAVE NO FAMILY OVER IN IRAQ EITHER, SO YEAH THEY THINK IT'S GREAT.
So shodan because you say it is not a just war, If there is such a thing, then we are suppose to believe you as opposed to all the others who say it was. Hmmmmmm The fact is and it remains that we are at war with a group of people bent on our destruction. In the past we have let Presidents fight our wars as they and the generals see fit. The same consideration should be given to Pres. Bush. He again has been successful in stopping these killers and murders in their tracks as far as attacking the US. That will be remembered by history should the Lord tary.
Gods Blessing
In Christ
Tom