Posted by
Harp on Thursday, September 07, 2006 10:29:25 PM
I was in the library the other day and was shocked to see an article in Christianity Today titled "5 Reasons Torture Is Always Wrong." http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/002/23.32.html
The first reason the article gives that torture is wrong is that it violates the dignity of the human being. Doesn't immoral killing of innocent people constitute a violation of this same dignity. Even more so. We are made in the image of God, as the article states. Thus I would conclude that human beings living is more valuable than a human being having to endure broken fingers or scalding burns.
The second reason the article gives that torture is wrong is that it mistreats the vulnerable and violates the demands of justice. I can't believe these reasons were used in the same sentence and the author didn't make the connection that usually those that we "torture" are out to KILL the vulnerable. Which demands justice.
I could go on about the absurdity that this article is arguing for. But I am perplexed at the stance that torture is ALWAYS wrong.
Torture is wrong when it is unjustly done to innocent people. Unjustly would be when there is no chance of good to come from the torture. Deviating the plans to murder our troops, citizens or innocent people who don’t hold a certain point of view IS GOOD. And often "torture" or "enhanced interrogation techniques" leads to information that prevents such plans. Which justifies this "torture."
The author concludes by stating...
It is past time for evangelical Christians to remind our government and our society of perennial moral values, which also happen to be international and domestic laws. As Christians, we care about moral values, and we vote on the basis of such values. We care deeply about human-rights violations around the world. Now it is time to raise our voice and say an unequivocal no to torture, a practice that has no place in our society and violates our most cherished moral convictions.
The author is forgetting a superseding perennial moral value - the sanctity of life.