Posted on 03/02/2003 10:45:38 AM PST by willieroe
In recent months, Americans have been asking each other a vital question:
Should we go to war?
Many of America's church leaders are responding to a different question that seems more to the point:
Should we start a war?
No, say leaders of the United Methodist Church, a denomination whose members include President Bush and Vice President Cheney.
"A preemptive war by the United States against a nation like Iraq goes against the very grain of our understanding of the Gospel, our church's teachings, and our conscience," wrote Sharon Brown Christopher, president of the United Methodist Council of Bishops.
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Should we start a war?
No, say leaders of the Episcopal Church, a denomination whose members include Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Powell.
"We believe a preemptive strike against Iraq, with the overwhelming force such a strike may require to attain an expedient victory, may have many unintended consequences, including unacceptable civilian casualties. Further, in this instance, we do not support a decision to go to war without clear and convincing evidence of the need for us to defend ourselves against an imminent attack," wrote the House of Bishops.
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Should we start a war?
No, say leaders of the Church of God in Christ.
"We do not find any moral justification for a preemptive strike in the absence of an attack, or real threat of an attack, upon the United States. A military strike of this nature puts the United States in the posture of aggressive warfare, not defense, which is precisely the behavior we, and your administration, deplore in the Iraqi regime," the COGIC Board of Bishops wrote to Bush.
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Should we start a war?
No, say leaders of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
"Our bishops' conference continues to question the moral legitimacy of any preemptive, unilateral use of military force to overthrow the government of Iraq. To permit preemptive or preventive uses of military force to overthrow threatening or hostile regimes would create deeply troubling moral and legal precedents. Based on the facts that are known, it is difficult to justify resort to war against Iraq, lacking clear and adequate evidence of an imminent attack of a grave nature or Iraq's involvement in the terrorist attacks of September 11," wrote Bishop Wilton Gregory.
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Should we start a war?
No, say leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Orthodox Church in America, the Christian Church (The Disciples of Christ), the United Church of Christ and the American Baptist Churches in the USA.
No, say leaders of the National Baptist Convention, the Progressive National Baptist Convention and the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
No, say the Quakers, Mennonites, Brethren and Unitarians.
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Should we start a war?
I can't find a single major Christian denomination that says yes.
Contact columnist David Waters at 529-2399 or e-mail waters@gomemphis.com. Faith Matters runs on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Try the Southern Baptists, Church of God, or Assembly of God.
dep
Witch Doctors and Tribal Chiefs - Faith and Force.
Then he ain't looked hard enough.
The Unitarians? When did they become a major Christian denomination? I must have blinked when it happened.
Many of the "churches" listed don't "say yes" to a lot of things: keeping pedophiles away from children, condemning abortion, allowing weapons for personal protection, and even ownership of private property.
A couple of of those nominally-Christian denominations listed also have a fair number of officials who have a hard time saying yes to the divinity of Jesus Christ and the primacy of Scripture-- which is why many people like me have an easy time saying "NO" to these organizations.
That is why the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops should issue restatements of the relevant timeless moral principles involved, but should refrain from issuing statements about particular, immediate, contingent matters.
Then he ain't looked hard enough.
It all depends on your definition of "major". < /smirk >
"War is evil. But it is necessary when peace and good order are threatened. This basic fact has been glossed over by years of leftist propaganda in the media and especially in education."
"America too was established by God-fearing men who founded that great nation on the basic Christian values, paying tribute to the virtues of sacrifice, honour and courage. Now we are being told that this is all bigotry and we have to consider other religions. We must not offend others with the truth. Not that the left cares about religion. The left hates absolutes except in its own godless religion of socialism."
"When I see the ‘No War’ stickers, I wonder whether these people driving their SUVs would start riding bicycles to avoid our need for oil. Would they stop flying in jets? Do they ever consider the brave men and women who gave their lives for the peace we enjoy?"
"Perhaps we as Orthodox Christians are waging a rear-guard action. Nevertheless it is our duty to sacrifice ourselves as did those before us for what is true, honest, just, pure, is lovely, or of good report.. (Phil 4: 8)"
Making such absurd statements makes everything else you say also look ridiculous.
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