US Christian Leaders Apologize For Iraq War

[ProSense]

Now for the impeachment trial.

Published on Saturday, February 25, 2006 by the Inter Press Service

US Christian Leaders Apologize For Iraq War

by Ximena Diego

NEW YORK - Christian leaders from the United States lamented the war in Iraq and apologized for their government's current foreign policy during the 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Porto Alegre, Brazil, which ended Thursday.

"We lament with special anguish the war in Iraq, launched in deception and violating global norms of justice and human rights," the Very Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky, the moderator of the U.S. Conference for the WCC, told fellow delegates from around the world.

Kishkovsky is the rector of Our Lady of Kazan Church in Sea Cliff, New York, and is an officer in the Orthodox Church of America.

Taking an unusual stand among U.S. Christian leaders, the United States Conference for the World Council of Churches (WCC) criticized Pres. George W. Bush's actions in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.


http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0225-03.htm

[lldu]

1. If we use Cheney logic......

shouldn't the Iraqis apologize for shrubs effing up their country?

[AussieDave]

2. If only "people of faith" were this forthcoming........

[SeaBob]

3. War

Fighting for peace is like F*&king for virginity

[Wrinkle_In_Time]

4. Too little. Too late. Too self-serving.

[stop the bleeding]

5. Yep, they should be ashamed. n/t

[Kurovski]

13. They spoke out prior to the war, too. No shame there.

"Our leaders turned a deaf ear to the voices of church leaders throughout our nation and the world, entering into imperial projects that seek to dominate and control for the sake of our own national interests. Nations have been demonized and God has been enlisted in national agendas that are nothing short of idolatrous."

[Kurovski]

12. No, it isn't self-serving. Christian leaders spoke out strongly prior to

the invasion. Other religious leaders as well. They knew it was both illegal AND immoral.

Bush didn't give a flying fuck that HIS OWN church was against it.

The only Christians with a boner for war were the deep-fried, nutjobber, armageddonist mother fuckers.

Please make a note of it. :-)

[gratuitous]

6. Except this isn't an "unusual" stand among U.S. Christian leaders

It's just "unusual" in that it's being reported. The only "Christian leaders" who get extensive face time on the nation's televisions are vile hucksters such as Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and Fred Phelps. John Shelby Spong, Marcus Borg, Cliff Kindy, and Virginia Ramey Mollenkott need not apply.

[sundancekid]

7. needs to get to Greatest Page to let us focus on harnessing these truths

-so many true christians must feel deeply ashamed indeed - and they too want to help speak truth to power ... it's happening every day in the circles most evident to me (dems and repubs alike)

[philly_bob]

8. About traditional religions challenging the Religious Right

This subject has been on my mind a lot:

1. A recent article by Richard Dawkins on 'Is Religion the Root of All Evil': <http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/13736462.htm>

2. A recent book by philosopher Daniel Dennett on Why People Believe in Religion. <http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/politicsphilosophyandsociety/0,,1717035,00.html>

3. An upcoming conference on how to challenge misuse of religion by the Religious Right -- and also how to challenge "the many anti-religious and anti-spiritual assumptions and behaviors that have increasingly become part of the liberal culture. <http://www.spiritualprogressives.org>

I'm glad that in Item #3, they're holding a Spiritual Progressives conference on how to counter the Religious Right, and my liberal religion is considering sending someone. But talk to me about "challenging anti-religious behaviors" among fellow progressives after the Religious Right has been publicly repudiated by mainstream religions, not before.

[Turn CO Blue]

11. You might be interested in checking out this DefCon site:

<http://www.defconamerica.org/>
DefCon is an online grassroots movement combating the growing power of the religious right. We will fight for the separation of church and state, individual freedom, scientific progress, pluralism, and tolerance while respecting people of faith and their right to express their beliefs

Edited to add: there are a lot a liberal churches that help form this organization.

[EVDebs]

9. Feb 2006 Christianity Today articles show US intell Christians unsettled

with recent articles on torture policy and Iraq. A very enlightening issue

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

10. Yesterday I saw for the first time a Christian evangelical group's tv ad

in support of halting global warming.

I said to them or actually the tv: "Thank-you. Thank-you. Thank-you."