Commenter on CNN blog, talking about waterboarding: If even one American life is saved, it’s worth it.
As Steve Ridgell said to me the other day, if you’re not a Christian, you shouldn’t have any problem with torture. (Unless it’s done by others to your people, of course) That fits with this Pew research report that shows that 23% of Americans view American lives as being more valuable than others.
Rush Limbaugh: It works, is the bottom line.
As Christians, however, how should we react to the use of torture? Does the end justify the means?
Jonah Goldberg, National Review: Debating whether it was worth it still seems open to debate, depending on the facts.
It should be no surprise that worldly people support “whatever it takes.” What I’m curious about is, how do Christians see it? If you have a problem with torture, well, why? If it works and saves lives, why not use torture? Is it morally different than other military acts? I’d really like to hear your thoughts.
Mt:25:40: And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
I kinda tend to think that if I couldn’t personally do something, I probably shouldn’t support it being done either. Then again, I haven’t really thought that out very well. LOL. Anyway, in this particular case, I wouldn’t be able to do that to someone, so I wonder if I could support it? (By the way, I also do not follow the news very well and don’t know why I am seeing “waterboarding” a lot this morning. I’ll have to go look that up. Maybe I can come back with a less ignorant response later.)
Now there you go again, Laymond, bringing the Bible into a perfectly good discussion… :-)
Lisa,
It’s good to know that you don’t feel that you could torture someone. I’m sure your kids will be relieved.
I love the quote from Rob Bell in his book, SEX GOD (p. 23-24)–
“I just received an email asking if I would sign a petition protesting the issue of tortue to get information from enemy soldiers caught in battle. The email said this issue is being debated among politicians right now and that the public needs to speak up on the matter.
“There’s a debate about this? The issue isn’t just what torture does to the person being tortured, it’s what torturing does to the person doing it. We’re already in trouble when people debate the use of tortue as if it’s only about what it does to the enemy.
“Our own humanity is at stake.”
Some book I read this year quoted Nietzsche:
“When you stare into the abyss the abyss stares back at you.”
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if people could only see all the things we do that put our own humanity at stake. Bell’s comment is dead-on.
Studies also support the common-sense idea that torture will make you say whatever you think the interrogator wants to hear. It does not work, despite what the captain of the conservative flagship says.
I just can’t reconcile torture with New Testament Christianity. If we are to bless those and pray for those who persecute us, where does torture enter the picture? How is one behaving meekly or humbly when torturing someone else?
Did Paul or Peter inflict harm on other to preserve their own skins? (Well, there was that one time with Peter, but Jesus fixed it.) Did they ever beat possible informants to find out where the next stoning would come from next?
Wait, I guess Paul did torture those he opposed…BEFORE he was converted. So, as far as I’m concerned, torture is sin.
Personal and National freedom is never used as the exception to God’s rule for overcoming evil.