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Christians make the best torturers?
New for the Taboo Room (Politics and Religion) from Voxtropolis.com comes an interesting article sure to ignite debate. The Sojourner not only makes his case for the "aggressive questioning" (i.e. torture) of enemy combatants or criminals who hold information that endangers the public, he asserts that Christians are best suited for the task. What do you think? Read the article at the Sojourner link above and then chime in with your thoughts below. Do you agree? Do you disagree?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by derek webster on -
Having read both through Sojourner's post and the Navarro link, I've come to two conclusions: first, I would rather have a Christian doing just about anything than a non-Christian (the implication of the article was that the person administering aggressive techniques was truly a follower of Christ), including walking my dog or watching my children. This isn't the world in which we live and I think for Christians to line up down the block applying for the job of "aggressive questioner" is bothersome to me both for the implication of what it means to be Christian and what it means about God. I think that Christians should at least be aware that we have the propensity within us to just as easily run towards the establishment of another Spanish Inquisition in the name of the pursuit of truth. I can think of many Christian men and women who would love that job. So the issue isn't really about the pursuit of truth, as much as it is about the pursuit of truth in love.
Second, the issue for me is not one of aggression, but one of how far would one go to get to the truth? Reading Navarro's post, it seems that there are effective ways of getting to the truth without breaking legs. I leave that to the experts to discuss. Having been a rabid "24" fan, I assume that sometimes the quickest way to a result is a gunshot wound to the leg. ;)
As an "m" on the field, we have to go through a certain degree of "interrogation" training, complete with role playing and mild physical contact. The idea is that with enough preparation, it will help us with the shock value should interrogations turn aggressive. For this I am extremely grateful. The truth of the universe is that things will continue to deteriorate. The world will never be less violent. So how do people who believe in the supremacy of love exist in a violent society? Torture depends on the truth one needs to get and the urgency of that need. Societies from China to the U.S.S.R. to the U.S. have specialized in torture for years on the basis of their assessment of need fluctuating based on the politics or dogma of the day.
Bottom line: I think we should be against torture, but should be creative and proactive in assessing the truth in situations that require us to fight for the freedom of others. No one said that forging the future wouldn't be violent. But history will judge us by whether we are justifiably "cleaning out the Temple courtyards" or simply chopping off the ear of the nearest guard. Both are done in the name of love, but only one stands the test of history.
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Permalink Reply by Dan Wilburn on -
How do you theologically reconcile "the world will never be less violent" and "people who believe in the supremacy of love"? I suggest you come to grips with the role of Jesus followers and the new creation, that is, the kingdom of heaven on earth (you know, those words Christians use: "your kingdom come on earth as in heaven" - when was that supposed to take place? Many good Christians think this kingdom is not ours to build the foundation for now -- how? Love. Not kindness, love, via crux, sacrificial, die... like MLKjr. The force of love has changed, will change and is ours to carry now. Awake!
O yeah, and let's all realize there are lots of kind of Christians out there. After all, "some 150 Bush administration officials were graduates of Pat Robertson's Regent University..." (Economist, 8/11/07p22) -- these "Christian" idealogues don't understand Augustinian Just War, let alone peace and the way of the cross. IF one of them is walkin' the hound, I'm worried about my dog, bro.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Alexander McManus on -
interesting thoughts, but just because you are a follower of jesus does not mean you dont value human life, and vise-versa, i agree with you in theory, but i think people other than followers of jesus qualify just as much. many if not most of the jesus followers i know i wouldnt think are quite able to do that, emotionally at least.
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Permalink Reply by Vicki Sheehan on -
Not having any first hand experience with torture (thankfully), only tv, movies and written word, it seems cruel and painful. The truth can be cruel and painful to the person learning it. After the truth is known, from my experience, there is a peace and calm feeling. So if at the end of "aggressive questioning" a person can come out changed, then I'm all for it (less the actual physical violence part though). I think a person knowing the truth (who cares about the outcome of the present danger as well as for the person they are questioning) would be a great person to deal with such an important situation.
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Permalink Reply by John Gnotek on -
I side with Dan's comments totally. And not to be cliche, but WWJD? Can you imagine Jesus at anytime waterboarding some Pharasee? Seriously, how would Jesus handle a person like a terroruist? I would imagine he would preach Truth, show compassion, and love that individual. I can not even fathom the thought of the Big Guy harming anyone in the least!
Did Jesus save Jerusalem from the Roman onslaught and annihilation that followed a few decades later? Did he capture Roman soldiers and "interrogate" them? Jerusalem got decimated, Jews scattered throughout the world. And how many times have the Jews nearly been annihilated? Even by Inquisitors of the "Church!" Did torture work with the Inquisitors? Did proclaimations of faith (under torture) actually save their souls when it came not from their heart?
But you may say, "What about God's orders in the Old Testament for the ancient Israelites to annihilate every man, woman, child and living thing in the towns God gave them?" God-sanctioned geneocide? Well totally different circumstance. That was a situation where there were far more evil people--evil to the marrow. Evil-incarnate. This was a point in time were humanity could have rid itself of evil, but instead was seduced and infected by it-free-willingly.
Today, that evil is so integrated into the fabric of our world, society and being, we blindly fight to defend it--with as much fear of losing it as we would cutting off a gangrene leg. We ARE blind contributors to the evil we fight today on so many levels volumes could be written to examine it. Evil has infected this world in probably ALL its societies in many, many facets. If you don't think this country, its leaders and many of its peoples are just as culptable as those you call your enemies, you are either--an ostrich--or the same self-righteous type of individual that would drag a homosexual off the back of a pick up truck.
So to bluntly answer the question, no I do not think a follower of Christ should condone torture of any kind. That not the Big Guy's way. Sorry. A Truth: God never does evil--not even a little gray--not even for a good purpose. And neither should we to truly be a follower.
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