Similar actions for similar reasons had previously been affirmed when the issue concerned the former Yugoslavia (when Bill Clinton was President).
Given the complex moral circumstances of the US invasion of Iraq it is nothing short of theological arrogance for one group of Christian leaders (known to be overwhelmingly liberal, who have repeatedly demonstrated their opposition to any policies enacted by Republican Administrations while remaining suspiciously quiet when it comes to policies lead by Democrats) to declare such sweeping and condemnative moral absolutes in the name of Christ.
In the face of the terrorist bombings of subways, trains, airports, hotels, nightclubs, airplanes, mosques, synagogues, Hindhu temples, Christian churches and the almost gleeful slaughter of women, children, humanitarian workers, journalists, United Nations personnel and the video-taping of the execution and beheadings of civilian hostages from many different nations, hearing these denominational representatives charge the United States with "raining down terror" on the people of Iraq and for "the violence, degradation and poverty our nation has sown" is nothing short of incomprehensible.
Just to show that the above quotes have not been taken out of context, here they are as written and signed by leaders of 34 US denominations:
We lament with special anguish the war in Iraq, launched in deception and violating global norms of justice and human rights. We mourn all who have died or been injured in this war. We acknowledge with shame abuses carried out in our name . . .
Our country responded (to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks) by seeking to reclaim a privileged and secure place in the world, raining down terror on the truly vulnerable among our global neighbors ... entering into imperial projects that seek to dominate and control for the sake of national interests. Nations have been demonized and God has been enlisted in national agendas that are nothing short of idolatrous.The statement also asks forgiveness for a world that's
grown weary from the violence, degradation and poverty our nation has sown.
The Rev. Sharon Watkins, president of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), worried that some may interpret the statement as undermining U.S. troops in Iraq.
Article comments
1 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Bird, stop making sense! I guess if anyone needs to be lectured about "the dignity of the human person," it's us.
2 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
There you have the WCC, BoP. Empty churches, empty headed church administrators (I won't insult you by calling any of them pastors).
Reform Judaism, and more and more, Conservative Judaism, is not much different.
Another case of everyone jumping into the same garbage bin.
3 - Bird of Paradise
A friendly comment from Wesley Pattillo at my website has identified a major error in my post. I had conflated the representatives of American churches attending the World Council of Churches with the National Council of Churches. 34 US churches signed the statement and 35 churches are members of the NCC. This coincidence also added to my error. As requested I offer my apologies to the NCC and will attempt to make appropriate corrections to my posting. Given, however, the fact that the US/American churches attending the WCC are virtually identical to the churches that are members of the NCC the position adopted by them this past week obviously reflects the position of member churches in the NCC although not serving as an official position of the latter. An example of this can be found here, where the President of the NCC has initiated a letter (now signed by over 13,000 people) in support of the UNs call for the US to close the prison facility at Guantanamo. It would seem that the only difference between the American churches attending the WCC and the NCC itself is the letterhead.
Further Note: According to the WCC website there are 33 member churches from North America (including Canada). The NCC website shows 35 member churches, 21 of which are WCC members.
4 - sr
World council of churces my ass. Thats the equivalence of the liberal god CNN. Monkey see, monkey do.
5 - Chromatius
"universally held belief that Iraq still possessed WMD"
Not around here. Which is why somewhere between one and wo million people marched against the war in London, the biggest in history. That incumbent politicans and most of the corporate media said so doesn't make it universal, or even near universal.
Not even universal in the UK or US intelligence community, actually. As we're discovering.
Not in much of the world actually....
6 - Chromatius
"Similar actions for similar reasons had previously been affirmed when the issue concerned the former Yugoslavia (when Bill Clinton was President)."
Just demonstrates US criminality n foreign policy is not confined to the Republicans or neo-cons. No surprise there.
Different techniques and mood music is all... "international community", UN strongarm stuff, lies, provocation, media complicity (notably what I'd call "liberal" media in particular - the Guardian, Independent - as well as the usual suspects) etc etc.
There's a very good reason Bosnia and Kosovo have become major staging points for what most of you would probably call "Islamic Terror": they were patronised by the US in the campaign against Yugoslavia, just as in Afghanistan.
For me Yugoslavia was the moment when things went really wrong in quite a new way. The Gulf War had its obvious horrors and crimes, but a new alignment of lies and liars came into being with that one. The NGO-isation of the business of war and propaganda, is one element. And the liberal media propaganda, is another.
7 - cmcintosh
I still can't see in the Christian gosples--which are supposed to provide moral guidance for our lives--where Christ gave justification for any violence let alone war!
8 - adam
"I can hardly wait to hear what they will have to say about Hamas as the new governing party in Palestine. I won't be holding my breath."
We built the Taliban
We built Hamas
Whatever we do in the Middle East
Comes back to bite us in the ass
Let’s get out of the Middle East
Before we have no ass.
9 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Amen, Adam! Go on! Get out of here!
10 - Mar
Thanks for exposing the World Council of Churches!
I have been trying to do that for years!
11 - adam
Ruvy, you are so right.
"Amen, Adam! Go on! Get out of here!"
But we need you to come with us or it won't work.
12 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Adam writes,
But we need you to come with us or it won't work.
This old goat has to stay in his home. He made too many sacrifices to leave the land of the "free" and the home of the "brave." This is my home, now.
So you guys go home... I stay home.