This Letter to the Editor appeared in the Greensboro News & Record on Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006. Link: http://blog.news-record.com/staff/letters/ I'd be interested in your responses. I know the writer. LETTER BEGINS... He was accused of inciting insurrection and arrested surreptitiously. He was convicted in a military court, sentenced to capital punishment and turned over to endure extraordinary interrogation techniques to force a confession and to name confederates. His execution was brutal. His confederates, a pitifully small band of frightened men, hid and cowered, afraid that they, too, might be seized by the most powerful government on earth and suffer the same fate as their lost leader. Then, miraculously, the Master returned. His instructions to his followers were amazing. He did not demand revenge or even condemnation of his persecutors. He forgave them instead and instructed his apostles to adhere to the principles of life he so carefully described during his lifetime. He instructed them not to waiver, even though as followers they would be subjected to torture and death for spreading this gospel of love. For 2,000 years, his ministers spread his teachings to believers who would rather die than deny them. Today, many Christians turn away and even condone torture, capital punishment and unprovoked war as long as their temporal government, the most powerful government on earth, asks them to. But then, they are not apostles.
The problem here is that some people confuse America with Christianity; it couldn't be further from the truth.
An interesting piece and a good moral argument against torture from a Christian viewpoint. I think there are plenty of good arguments against torture that don't require a religious basis but to the point that this would make Christians who haven't thought of the issue or tacitly support torture in the name of national security think I think its a good point. I know this is your thread Giddyup but I really hope Rhester comments on it.
