Posted on 11/03/2001 7:21:57 PM PST by Jolly Rodgers
Washington Churches Call for Bombing End
November 3, 2001, 11:30
By AP Staff
The Washington Association of Churches has called for an end to the U.S. bombing in Afghanistan, saying the war is blocking humanitarian efforts as the harsh Afghan winter approaches.
The association, which represents more than 1,400 Protestant churches in the state, sent a letter to members of the state's congressional delegation and to President Bush.
The letter points out that relief organizations say as many as 7.5 million people may face food shortages or starvation if the groups can't distribute food within Afghanistan.
Democratic Congressman Brian Baird said he respects the association's concerns, but insisted the Taliban deserve to be punished and bear any responsibility for lives lost.
The UN World Food Program estimates that Afghanistan needs nearly 1,900 tons of food distributed every day. Since the attacks began about a month ago, the United Nations has increased shipments from around 770 tons a day to about more than 1,500 tons daily.
(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Member Denominations
Associated Ministries of Tacoma/Pierce County (click here)
The Rev. David T. Alger, Executive Director
Associated Ministries of Thurston County (click here)
Ms. Kathy Erlandson, Executive Director
Church Council of Greater Seattle (click here)
The Rev. Tom Quigley, President Director
Church Women United, Washington/N. Idaho (click here)
Ms. Twila Lewis, State President
Church World Service, Pacific NW Region (click here)
Ms. Lynn Magnuson, Executive Director
Gorge Ecumenical Ministries
The Rev. Joan Wilkins, Executive Director (click here)
The Greater Vancouver Interfaith Association (360)576-1157
Mr. John Berger, Executive Director
Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center (click here)
Sr. Linda Haydock, Executive Director
Interfaith Alliance of Washington State (click here)
The Rev. Walter John Boris, President
Interfaith Association of Snohomish County (click here)
Ms. Janet Pope
Spokane Council of Ecumenical Ministries (click here)
The Rev. Ron Green, Executive Director
Yakima Association of Churches (509)248-1911
The Rev. Tom Royce, Executive Director
So since the bombing started, the Afghanis have been getting more food? So the churches are against this? The Blue Zone really kills me with their lack of logic. The Afghanis need 1,900 tons of food daily. The UN is sending 1,500 tons daily plus the food being dropped by the US. Where was the concern of the churches last year when the Afghanis were getting much less food and the Taliban was starving the people?
But I asked our priest if he thought some people have to get their earthly justice at the point of a sword?
He wasn't thrilled with the question, but I got the impression he wanted to say yes but got the word from above (hierarchy, not the Lord) to stay off that topic.
When he stopped by my work later that week I apologized for putting him on the spot in front of all the other flock. He said "no problem, I don't have any problem with the question, just didn't want to answer it off the top of my head and leave people with the wrong impression.
He said we have the right to defend ourselves and the church recognizes it. They just can't endorse war.
You don't suppose they care more about getting their names on a press release than the Afghanis do you? Frankly, I'm not all that concerned about the Afghanis myself, but I do care about the US military lives and civilian victims of terrorism that would be lost by allowing the Taliban to regroup, recruit, re-arm and plan new offensives.
That's an interesting contradiction.
BOMBING MAKES ME VERY HAPPY,VERY HAPPY INDEED
I don't begrudge the churches their conscience. I just happen to think they are extremely wrong on this one. Bombing is a horrible thing, but stopping it in this case would lead to even more death. It would simply be immoral to show mercy to a gang that has sworn to kill us and has the means to do it.
Of course that is what I think. They are liberals, aren't they? It is part of their mantra, oh look at me, I care about the little people.
Frankly, I'm not all that concerned about the Afghanis myself, but I do care about the US military lives and civilian victims of terrorism that would be lost by allowing the Taliban to regroup, recruit, re-arm and plan new offensives.
Exactly, this is WAR.....not, let's take a break and start again in the spring. The terrorists started this. It is now our job to finish it and that means killing them before they kill more of us.
The Church is basically not rah rahing the bombs dropping (unless they signed on to this and I sent them an email asking a moment ago) but the Pope said himself a few weeks ago that every nation just as an individual has the right to self defense.
Certainly no Catholics are for stopping the bombing. My Pator thinks the bombing is needed.
Instead of putting an offering in the collection plate, you might consider leaving a little note instead that says you've prefer not to subsidize this kind of propaganda.
Awwwwwwww. What to do, what to do? Hmmmm, maybe they should have stopped the terrorists that massacred 5,000 people in the states.
The left really hit the jackpot when they gravitated toward the "chattering classes" (journalism, professors, law, philosophy, psychology, entertainment, ministry, etc.) and the right retreated into the hard sciences. They now hold a lock on the minds while we slave away to produce the technological civilization that they leach off of.
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