Torturing the Least of These

by Jimmy McCarty 09-10-2008

photo by Ryan Rodrick Beiler Christians are people who follow a tortured and murdered God. This fact speaks clearly to what our values should be. One of those values should be a rejection of torture, violence in the name of “law” and the common good, and murder.

Currently, the U.S. government has been accused of torture at Guantanamo Bay and has refused to ban certain forms of torture (i.e., the waterboarding controversy) in their interrogation of accused terrorists. Fortunately, both of the presidential candidates speak out boldly against the use of torture. Christians around the nation are beginning to stand up and speak out against this grave sin, and those of us who have not yet joined the chorus should stand up and do so now.

Christians are a people shaped by the cross. We claim to worship a tortured God and follow a tortured Lord. One of the lessons humanity should learn from the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth is the depths to which humans can sink in their depravity. It should be a constant warning that we must never again resort to the methods of the cross. Much like the world responded to the Shoa (Holocaust) with the words “Never again,” Christians should respond to the cross with those same words.

Jesus spoke of the last judgment in Matthew 25, saying that what we do for “the least of these” we do to him. The least of these includes the hungry, naked, and homeless. It also includes the imprisoned. How we treat those who are in prison is how we treat Jesus Christ, and it is part of the basis on which God will judge our lives. In torturing those imprisoned for crimes they have not yet been found guilty of, we torture, again, our Lord and Savior. For people who claim to follow the one who said we are no longer to function according to “eye for an eye” ideology, but to “turn the other cheek,” to not speak out against those who would continue to use the methods of the cross is wrong.

In a few days, there will be a National Summit on Torture sponsored by Evangelicals for Human Rights and the National Religious Campaign Against Torture. Visit their Web sites, sign their petitions, and join the chorus of Christian voices around the country speaking out against this injustice.

For those of us shaped by what occurred to a political prisoner 2,000 years ago on a hill called Golgotha, what happens at Guantanamo Bay should pierce our souls.

Jimmy McCarty is a student at Claremont School of Theology studying Christian ethics, a minister serving cross-racially at a church in inner-city Los Angeles, and a servant at a homeless shelter five days a week.

Categories: Human Rights

Tags: Barack Obama, Cross, Crucifixion, Human Rights, Jesus, John McCain, Torture, Waterboarding

Jamaican

A few weeks ago there was this interview on CNN with both candidates.A question was asked about EVIL. In response to this question McCain only mentioned Muslim countries. I am not a Muslim but his response scared me and i think a lot of other people worldwide. His response was not about removing or alleviating the underlying problem but just simply 'DESTROY THEM'. His thoughts are clearly hatefilled and simplistic.

big guy

Posted by: JamesM | September 12, 2008 4:43 PM

Yeah, maybe you can try to find some "facts".

And I am the one who gets labeled as the snarkie - sarcastic guy.

Whatever -
.

JamesM

"I will see what I can find - Blessings to all -"
Posted by: big guy

Yeah, maybe you can try to find some "facts".

canucklehead

FREE OMAR KHADR FROM GITMO!!

big guy

Posted by: jonabark | September 12, 2008 12:35 AM

I will see what I can find -

Blessings to all -
.

jonabark

big guy
You are wrong that none of our prisoners have been killed and that according to US military documents, the red cross and the human rights groups. Quite a few have died in our custody, many violently mistreated according to military medical examiners. As far as returning home well after their mistreatment this is a cruel lie. The main purpose of the questionable current interrogation techniques is to destroy the persona and render the prisoner fearful, broken and compliant. You need to do honest research into this topic before making more misstatements based on wishful thinking. Many of the US military's prisoners have reported lasting psychological damage which severely impairs their normal functioning. You are also ignoring the widespread practice of extraordinary rendition, in which prisoners are secretly and without judicial process turned over to authorities in other countries which are known to practice torture and in which many prisoners die without accountability.
Have you read the Geneva conventions? They are very simple and clear.
McCain could have been a potent force to restore this standard of military ethics, but instead he buckled to the pressure of the White House. He was willing to allow innocent people to be tortured for political support. Obama needs to make a more clear and emphatic stand on this, including renouncing the extraordinary rendition program begun by Clinton.

Our current bad example has emboldened repression around the globe.
Many tyrants are pointing to our practices as a way to justify theirs.

JamesM

"OH - and make sure that our tires are inflated correctly. Blessings to all" -Posted by: big guy

Uh, and make sure that they tighten those loose screws, right Big Guy?

dlowen

WWJT

Who Would Jesus Torture...

Sister Marie

"Letting Saddam and others attack our barricks and other buildings used by our military and deploymatic core.
Posted by: big guy | September 10, 2008 11:10 PM"

Hey Big Guy,

Where are you getting all this information? Saddam did not attack our barracks. The attack on the Marine Barracks in Lebanon occurred during the 1980s when Reagan was president. (That also was the period during which the United States was actually assisting Hussein in his war with Iran and also the period during which we supplied Stinger missiles to the Afghan rebels so that they could overthrow the Soviets and you can see what the consequences of those actions are.)

You might want to acquaint yourself with the facts before you write future posts.

Peteyk

Wow!

What a bunch of WHINERS!!

Step AWAY from the COMPUTER and go outside! Go talk to your neighbor.

Be useful...

JamesM

"You don't even have the guts to put your handle to your post - woosie. Posted by: big guy f/k/a moderatelad|

Sorry, Moderatelad. Much to my chagrin I had failed to put my name down.

"Typical liberal - out the person using any means you wish - the end always justifies the means. Enough of you and your lack of respect and guts.whatever" Postd by big guy f/k/a Moderatelad

Now you don't need to take an inadvertent omission on my part and turn it into a full-blown tirade against liberals. You could get kicked out of here for something like that. Uh, er...I forgot. You already have been kicked out.

"Whatever..."

"Blessings"

big guy

Posted by: Radical Moderate | September 10, 2008 7:39 PM

'...at Gitmo were guilty of nothing - were not terrorist, were not Taliban.'

But more than likely caught in the company of such and therefore were guilty by association. Yes - they were intorgated and they have been let go - they are alive to return to their family and friends. Not so for the people - military - media or civilians. I have a friend whose daughter in the service was spared along with a few of her group because of info gained from detainees. Detainees that are still alive and some who have been released.

If I could I would take the people that gained that info out for a drink.

You may not like it and I may not like it but they are alive and well not dead and disfigured like our people end up being. I wish this war had not happened but with 8 years of inactivity and dismantling our military. Not collecting the intel that we needed to know what was going on. Letting Saddam and others attack our barricks and other buildings used by our military and deploymatic core. I believe it was inevitable. I wish a Scud Missle had taken out UBL and his merry men 3 months prior to 9-11. But I believe that you are one of those who believe that we have to bleed first before anything can be done. I think that there are thousands on the east coast of our country and elsewhere that would disagree with you.

See well tonight -
.

big guy

Posted by: | September 10, 2008 7:04 PM

As you wish, Moderatelad.

You don't even have the guts to put your handle to your post - woosie. Typical liberal - out the person using any means you wish - the end always justifies the means. Enough of you and your lack of respect and guts.

whatever
.

dromedaryhump

Heheh...dromedary's are ONE hump. It's those disgusting bactrian camels that have two humps.
Please do not confuse us. ;)

Sister Marie

dromedaryhump:

Would that be one hump or two humps?

Sister Marie

Are you aware that our soldiers are trained in SEARS military school to endure this technique? Are we torturing our own military, or training them to endure and persevere through interrogation techniques that have proven results? Posted by: J | September 10, 2008 7:50 PM

J,

I've never heard of the SEARS military school that you mentioned. Could that possibly be the one operated by Sears Roebuck? Or were you referring to Search and Rescue (SAR) training?

J

The second paragraph starts out noting that there has been an accusation of "torture."

The author quickly in the ensuing paragraphs, turns that accusation into a "grave sin." Wow, talk about taking the role of judge.

Are you aware that our soldiers are trained in SEARS military school to endure this technique? Are we torturing our own military, or training them to endure and persevere through interrogation techniques that have proven results?

Two comments: Regurgitation without research is disgusting; "accusation" to "grave sin" in the space of a couple sentences reveals your agenda driven article. This is officially a very common error in the logical debate process termed as a "scarecrow" fallacy.

Intellectual honesty is a must, even if it is "Christian" site.

Radical Moderate

Big Guy
Did your mother never tell you it is not what others do to you, but how you respond. Is America the shining city on the hill? I know the typical ignorant conservative (stupid & wrong name, later) would say "Of course! America is the world's last, best hope." And when did you see the good guys in the movies do the things the evil ones do? Well, in The Dark Knight, I believe the message was that we become the evil one if we do evil things. Means matter! And as stated, most of God's children (that's right) imprisoned at Gitmo were guilty of nothing - were not terrorist, were not Taliban. Consider & think what THE BIG GUY requires of us.

As for the author saying both candidates are against torture - WELL - John McCain was against it before he voted to allow the CIA to use 'enhanced interrogation' this year. Both candidates are not equally good to me. That was the FINAL STRAW for me as far as McSame. He deserves that moniquer now. He has become Bush, destroyer of faith.

Radical Moderate

dromedaryhump

My, you theists certainly do go on. Here's a thoughtful post on the use of torture in violation of the zgreneva Convention common Western morality, and some of you pick up your condom, abortion, and "when does life begin" mantra. How bizarre.

Jimmy, a couple of comments on topic:
1)I wouldn't be too confident on McCain's anti-waterboarding position. In Feb. he voted against the measure that would have outloawed waterboarding, and also voted to support Bush's VETO of that measure. His position changes with the political winds, as do many of his positions.
He is a "maverick" and man of integrity like I am Jesus Christ.
2) I concur that jesus, if he existed, knowingly gave his life. Infact, since "god gave his only son" it was predetermined, pre-ordained if you like. Thus, as a willing participant it was more akin to voluntary abuse and suicide by cop, than it would be torture and murder.
And yes, since theists claim their God to be omnicient, he would indeed have known that adam and eve would be backsliders. To go further, since God created them in his image (aka "character") he would have known their actions in advance and they were simply fulfilling god's expected outcome.

3) Finally, one needs to be careful when using scripture such as "What we do to the least of these" we do to him. The intent was to encourage charity, empathy. To apply it to any and all situations would be an absurdity. I.e.: would imprisoning for life a murderer be wrong, since what we do to that murderer we are in effect doing to jesus? I think that there are indeed people who deserve punishment that one would not impose on an innocent like jesus. I proffer you need tobe more selective when trying to cut and paste verse to fit ones ethical, social or political perspective.

Thanks.
Dromedaryhump
http://atheistcamel.blogspot.com/

Anonymous

"I believe that she has answered a lot of these questions without saying a word - they are not above her pay-grade." Big Guy

Yeah, the silence is deafening and the inadequacy of the "answers" is astounding.

Well, then again, maybe one of these days the McCain campaign will allow to speak off script-- a very dangerous thing for a person that just two days ago didn't realize that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were PRIVATE institutions and not government entities. I can hardly wait for her to articulate her profound knowledge of the issues. But hey, I am sure that by moving in the Spirit, she'll be able to compensate for her utter lack of knowledge.

"The name is big guy - period. As far as the other guy - I believe he is dead - never to be heard from again." big guy

As you wish, Moderatelad.