I am with you on this one. I think it is well established that that waterboarding is indeed torture. More severe than other forms? Perhaps not but it is torture nonetheless.
The fact that a Christian nation such as the United States has perpetrated this is in my mind, unconscionable. Even if we were not a Christian nation, we are at least supposed to be a civilized nation. Civilized societies cannot, by definition, torture.
We are an open and free society and that makes us vulnerable to terrorism, that is a fact and that comes with freedoms. Just like “shall issue” concealed carry states run the risk of one in a million having a gun legally and then that one going nuts with it and killing many. The risk is small but it is real and we weigh and allow that risk because of our love of the 2nd amendment and the RIGHT to carry concealed. I personally would not give up that right for a 100% guarantee of safety.
Terrorism can be combatted and prevented more efficiently and more effectively with brutality, tyranny, oppression....and yes, torture. There is absolutely no doubt about that. Saddam Hussein, Tito, Stalin, Bashar al Assad, etc. have proven that.
But we are a civilized country and more importantly IMO, a CHRISTIAN nation. That forces us to use the slower and perhaps less efficacious methods of good old fashion police work.
The use of the 24 hour ticking time bomb argument to me as justification for a Christian nation to torture is on par with the Reichstag fire. Use fear to win the ability to treat humans inhumanely.
And yes, that includes treating murdering, sociopathic terrorists humanely even though they would never reciprocate that sentiment.
We have laws and morals hard coded into our constitution and law books across the country to treat serial killers with civility because we are a Christian and civilized nation. We are even commanded by these ideals to use gentle, painless execution methods on savages that have committed unspeakable horrors on multiple women and children in our country. Thus our hands are forced by those same moral underpinnings to treat all, even the worst of humanity including terrorists, with the same civility.
I would like to say I am sorry for breaking with most conservatives and people like Dick Cheney on this but I am not sorry. I am a Christian first and a conservative second and therefore can never condone torture even on someone as despicable and vile as Hitler himself.
I respect your opinion based upon your Christian faith. Would your faith also prohibit you from killing the enemy of this country in battle?
You live in a fantasy world.
So you are saying that being a Christian means you can’t believe in torture.
Then what about killing for a government? Should Christians not do that? Do you turn your cheek when your own family is attacked? Have you ever fought back to protect yourself? And again, what is torture and when does a Christian say no?
Your logic unfortunately, when applied to similar instances, leads to outcomes you probably disagree. Therefore your logic is flawed. Irrespective of what
I think about this issue.
mmm your thinking says christianity = no torture.
Yet Christianity is built on the most cruel form of torture devised by man...ie the cross.
Hope you are wearing one around your neck