NEW YORK – Calling torture an "instrinsic evil" that must be "absolutely" rejected, four faith group leaders signed a joint letter Thursday urging President Bush to change his mind and approve the Intelligence Authorization Act.
"Nothing could be more urgent in a democratic society than to uphold the fundamental values of democracy," the letter reads.
"'Enhanced' interrogation practices – like waterboarding, hypothermia, long-time standing, sleep deprivation and the use of psychotropic drugs – which are part of the CIA interrogation program, contradict our democratic values as well as essential principles of morality and faith."
The signatories of the letter are the Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, general secretary of the National Council of Churches; the Rev. Dr. Richard J. Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary; Dr. Ingrid Mattson, president of the Islamic Society of North America; and Rabbi David Saperstein, director and counsel of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.
The four faith leaders also requested, in the letter, to meet with the president before he proceeds with his threatened veto of the anti-torture bill. Bush is expected to veto the intelligence bill next week, the Congressional Quarterly reports.
Torture is an "intrinsic evil" that will doom a society to "moral breakdown" if it is embraced, the faith leaders state in the letter.
"Our scriptures couldn't be clearer in their condemnation of cruelty and abuse," Kinnamon said Thursday. "The letter we have sent sums it up very succinctly: torture is an intrinsic evil."
The faith leaders urge in the letter for torture to "be repudiated absolutely."
"There can be no exceptions to this rule. It is a rule that unites religious conscience with reason."
The plea was prompted by the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, of which NCC is a member.
On Wednesday, the national anti-torture group sent its own letter calling the president to pass H.R. 2082 and repudiate forms of torture. The United Methodist Church and Presbyterian Church (USA) also signed the NRCAT statement.
"Abolishing torture throughout the world is an essential part of our Christian calling because it violates the timeless truth that all persons are created in the image of God and therefore have basic inalienable rights," said Bill Mefford, staff member of the UMC Board of Church and Society.
"We have a unique opportunity before us to ensure this year that the U.S. halts its use of torture as a form of interrogation," he added.
Last week, the Senate approved the intelligence bill that limits the CIA to using 19 less-aggressive interrogation tactics outlined in a U.S. Army Field Manual.
Over 18,000 people have also endorsed a shorter statement by NRCAT that says torture undermines the basic human dignity people of all faiths hold dear.
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In this day and age of modern drugs, I find it hard to believe that anyone could defend torture as a Christian method of dealing with prisoners or that it is a reliable method of obtaining information. One could use an amnesiac type medication such as Versed mixed with a sedative and a native speaker and probably get a lot more information. After all, people who withstand torture are often viewed as martyrs or heroes to the cause (whatever the cause may be). But if you knew that if the US were to capture you, that they would wring all of the intelligence that needed from you and all you would have to show for it would be a bandaid on the IV site. Wouldn't this eliminate martyrs or heroes? Or do some merely want to torture as a form of punishment?
The problem with different kinds of torture as humane as it may be, is that the culprit often times will say anything because of their fear or pain.
If you could get past your hatred, you might try reading the posts and actually talking to real Christians, and you would find out your assumptions are wrong.
I'm following the lead of another poster on this site. I'll be saving my drafts to repost when flagged by those who simply disagree.
My post read:
You can not be pro-torture and a Christian, if you think you can, you fool yourself.
If you think it's possible, please show proof from God's Word .
We got Hambali there in Guantanamo and his parents and friends live at Cianjur not far from here nearBandung. We dont see them complaining about Hambali's condition over there as US treehuggers.
Hmmmm, seems someone found the gospel of Jesus to be "inappropriate." Well, it's the gospel nonetheless, and it is decidedly NOT pro-torture.
You can not be pro-torture and a Christian, if you think you can, you fool yourself.
If you think it's possible, please show proof from God's Word.
"Knee jerk" is right. When I was a little kid in Sunday school, I never would have imagined that years later there would exist such a thing as a "christian" pro-torture caucus. Yet here they are: the angry, angry Bush voters (I'm guessing) denigrating those who speak against the torture of other human beings. All while congratulating themselves on how holy and "christian" they are.
truthfulwitness, Jesus commanded us to love our enemies, not to treat them roughly. He commanded us, when our enemies want to kill us, to turn our cheeks to receive the blow. It's a difficult gospel to embrace, perhaps, but that's what He said.
Truthfulwitness: Do you know anything about the love of Christ? Based on every post I've read of yours I would say no.
If these so-called "religious leaders" would get half as concerned about the slaughter of innocent babies by abortion as they are about the rough treatment of enemies who want to kill us all, they might have some credibility.