Christians & Torture.
A new report from CNN shows that 54% of Christians who go to service at least once a week support torture to gain information from suspected terrorist. That number blows me away. That number also grieves me. I will not write a long post about why we should be the exception rather than the majority, but give you one passage of scripture that deals with how we should treat those persecuting us. Read this and pray that God will allow us to show the same mercy he has given us.
Filed under other |Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.
Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord.
BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
8 Responses to “Christians & Torture.”
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What greives me even more is the torture that these “victims” have put innocent children and families under. Just recently an 8 year old Iraqi girl was gang raped..by who? Her male relatives…why? because she spoke to a US Soldier who gave her a piece of candy. I wish I possessed the type of love that it would take to “pray and bless” these evil men…of whatever nation…but honestly, I do not. That will only come when Jesus finishes the work he has created in me.
I am curious though…if Jesus/God preached and taught to “bless those who persecute you”..then why do we have hell? Seems like a longggg step away from forgiveness regardless of the crime theory? Also, why did God himself send “his army” into “enemy” lands to “kill every man, woman and child..beast of the field”??? Was there not ANY innoncent people in the town that may not have agreed with what or how their leaders were disobeying God? I see a double standard.
Open for any explanations, though…always wanting to see and learn more.
Cyn
Cyn, the bottom line is that torture is wrong, regardless of how one chooses to justify it. Once you start down the path of the ends justifying the means, then any means can be justified. A tragic crime committed by Iraqis doesn’t justify our government torturing people, it only highlights that by torturing we have sunk to their level.
Torture is not only morally wrong, it is also illegal. The US is a signatory to a treaty with other nations stating not only that we will not torture, but also that we will act to investigate and prosecute acts of torture.
At the end of World War II, the US tried and executed Japanese who tortured Americans, and those tortures included waterboarding.
It should grieve all Americans that war crimes were committed in our names. We are better than that.
I know that this passage and topic is a VERY hard one. I ans trust me I do not take it lightly.
Hell was created as a punishment for God’s creations who turned from him, that includes the angels and men. Now all men deserve that punishment, every one, but God in His mercy sent Christ to die for his people, thus paying for our punishment. We did nothing for that, in fact we were enemies of God when he gave us faith in him. So I do not deserve God grace at all, but he still gave it to me. So when we look at horrible evil people, understand that we are no different from them in our sin, and we should pray that they too will repent and worship our Lord.
Now, we still do have justice. God is also a God of justice, and he has put that in us. But how far can we go with that? In dealing with this topic of torture is our freedom more important than how the bible says we should live? God did order the Israelites to kill entire cities, but we need to remember that was a commandment from God. God has not commanded us to do that, but he has commanded us to love and pray for those who persecute us.
I hope that helps understand where I am coming from with this. Again, I do not take this lightly.
Adding to what Corey touched on, in the Old Testament, when God commanded the Israelites to conquer a certain people or city, they were typically in a position where they were the “underdogs” and were forced to trust that God would empower them to overcome the great odds that they faced.
Over and over again God delivered the Israelites from battles where they were far out numbered and up against bigger and badder enemies. In the end, when the Israelites were victorious in claiming the land that was promised to them by God, the honor and glory of victory was given TO GOD becaues they knew that it was through him they were able to achieve the impossible.
Furthermore, it’s important to note that Christ is the “new covenant”. This doesn’t mean that the old covenant, or Levitical law, is completely irrelevant (see Romans 14:19-21), it does mean however that it is through Christ’s payment of death on the cross that we are redeemed.
The double standard that you might be feeling could be coming from comparing certain characteristics of God outside of the context of the narrative in which they belong. For example, in the Old Testament Leviticus 24:19-20 basically says whatever wrong is done to you should be repaid to he who did it (”eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”). In contrast to this Jesus teaches in Matthew 5:38-42 to “turn the other cheek.”
How can the Bible offer two such opposing views? The simple answer is that in the time when Levitical law was created that was all there was for the people of Israel to set themselves apart to be “clean” for God. Sacrifices, rituals, and law.
Jesus came on the scene to fulfill that law, and provide everyone with the opportunity for salvation and purification through his payment of our debts on the cross. In Romans, Paul tells us that the law was created to help the Israelites to recognize their own need for righteousness, a righteousness that only God could provide. Ultimately this law leads us to Christ, and allows us to see that it’s only through God’s grace and Christ’s death that we can truly find redemption.
I could not agree more.
For some reason the Church in American has forgotten to teach enemy love and forgiveness. We need to prepare Christians to love in tough circumstances before they happen.
If we do not condition ourselves in the ways of love, forgiveness and compassion, how can we expect to “do everything in faith” according to the Spirit when the occasion arises.
We miss the core message of the Gospel, and exchange truth for a lie.
Sorry, I still see circular thinking…why cannot torture be a form of “punishment” as is ‘hell’? I do not suggest these questions for strife or argument, but to get a basis for the rational of God’s thinking. Believe, I am VERY thankful that Jesus died on the Christ for my doubt…and I know that he welcomes my honest questions. I believe and serve a God of justice as you say, but who is to say God does not approve of this form of “punishment”? He himself gives us the example that if we “choose’ to NOT believe..or comply with his Word….we will end up in an ETERNITY of burning flesh never to be consumed and gnashing of teeth and every filth you can think of. And that is only from my “human” mind…can you imagine the kind of torment a God who created my very life could make???
I appreciate the comments..and will take them to heart and with an open mind to delve into this further. Just want to be honest from my heart with what I believe.
**the Japanese did not perform waterboarding torture as the US has done it. If there IS such a level, we are more humane and do not “kill” the person…unlike the Japanese who tortured first….allowed the person to gain a sense of safety and relief…and THEN continued the torture followed by a verrrrrrrry painful death.
Apology with my grammar in the earlier post…exhaustive day…will try to do better. Thank you all again for your awesome insight…I’m trying to understand this from a “parent” point of view, instead of the reality that I am but dust. God’s mercy and grace are coveted in my life, believe me. I know that if not for His gifts I would be forever lost and separated.
I’d love for Christians to come from a morally grounded place on torture, which per CNN’s poll we do not. But I’d also love for us to come from a place of reason and intelligence, which we also are failing in. There’s little credible intellectual basis for embracing torture (Typical arguments like <a href=”http://news.yahoo.com/s/uc/20090428/cm_uc_crpbux/op_339796″this one from Buchanan depend on such factual mismanagement that’s it’s appalling any major news source would allow it to go through their wire service) yet we continue to fail to lead not just with our hearts, but also with our heads.