,,, because while I applaud a society that becomes more open to intellectual, philosophical, and theological diversity, my non-believing friends have a got a long way to go before they become a more significant political minority than, say, the 14% of Americans who self-describe as holding Libertarian views (what? oh. ouch.)...
What I want Christians--especially Christians--to remember is this:
Believing in torture as a legitimate weapon of the State--under any cicumstances--is not consistent with Christianity.
Read Tom Eddelem's post and get back to me on a helping of waterboarding with your Eucharist:
He also suggests that if you are a self-identified Christian you come to grips with Matthew 25:34-46.
I'll leave tracking that one down as an exercise for the virtuous.
What I want Christians--especially Christians--to remember is this:
Believing in torture as a legitimate weapon of the State--under any cicumstances--is not consistent with Christianity.
Read Tom Eddelem's post and get back to me on a helping of waterboarding with your Eucharist:
How do some so-called Christians justify their very unchristian position in support of torture? "These people don't respect human rights. They behead not only enemy soldiers, but also the civilians they capture."
And if we do the same thing to innocent detainees that will make it right, they seem to imply. Here's an alternative counter-argument I hear: "We can not afford to give full rights to detainees. That's suicide."
Our Founding Fathers and laws state otherwise. Moreover, the principles of Christianity the faithful claim to uphold also say the opposite. Do they really think it's okay to occasionally torture an innocent detainee in order to save thousands? Occasionally, I do get a virtual "yes" to that question; it goes something like this: "I think it's unfortunate if an innocent person is detained, but that's the price we have to pay in the modern world for our safety. Yes, torturing one to save thousands is the tough choice we have to make."
Ironically, Pontius Pilate might also have reasoned that he would save thousands who would have otherwise died in a violent rebellion by crucifying one innocent. Whenever I mention this, I always hear the following response: "You are really stretching things if you are comparing these scum-bag terrorists to Jesus Christ."
He also suggests that if you are a self-identified Christian you come to grips with Matthew 25:34-46.
I'll leave tracking that one down as an exercise for the virtuous.
Comments
Replace "torture" w/ "usury" and you also have a true statement.
There are lots of individual words I could put into the sentence.
But my (current) motivation is the re-separation of Church and State, and the pursuit of a religion that does not subordinate itself to the State's objectives.
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For the left:
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
No wonder the Left is upset.
"11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. "