Christianity Today-- War Against Iraq is an Act of Christian Charity

[TexasLawyer]

It is interesting in light of such revelations as the Downing St. memo, information from Richard Clarke, Paul O'Neill and other insiders, the torture at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, the massacre in Fallujah, and on and on, to go back and look at some of the editorials supporting the war that were published prior to invasion of Iraq.

Here is the editorial that, so far, has most seriously turned my stomach. It's a justification by Chuck Colson (of Watergate fame) of the need for Christians to support war against Iraq as an act of Christian help to our neighbors.

I hope that historians hang on to the editorials, sermons, transcripts, white papers and such written by American war pimps, so that the sheer madness, hubris and hypocrisy of this time can be documented for future generations.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2002/013/41.72.html

Christianity Today, December 9, 2002

Just War in Iraq
Sometimes going to war is the charitable thing to do.
By Charles Colson | posted 12/10/2002


<snip>

Unlike the Cold War, when early warning systems could detect missile launches, terrorists give no warning. If Saddam Hussein were to prepare a missile for launch, the U.S. would certainly be warranted in firing in self-defense. Giving a terrorist a dirty bomb to be delivered in a suitcase is no different—except for delivery time—from a missile launch.

Of course, all of this presupposes solid intelligence and the goodwill of U.S. and Western leaders. I find it hard to believe that any President, aware of the awesome consequences of his decision and of the swiftness of second-guessing in a liberal democracy, would act recklessly. (????!!!!????)

Christians should remember that the just-war doctrine is not grounded in revenge, punishment, or even justice. Thomas Aquinas discussed it in Summa Theologica—not in the section on justice but in the section on charity (that is, the love of God). As Christian scholar Darrell Cole writes, "The Christian who fails to use force to aid his neighbor when prudence dictates that force is the best way to render that aid is an uncharitable Christian. Hence Christians who willingly and knowingly refuse to engage in a just war … fail to show love towards their neighbor as well as towards God."

Out of love of neighbor, then, Christians can and should support a preemptive strike, if ordered by the appropriate magistrate to prevent an imminent attack.

[cdb]

1. Thats exactly what Jesus said

pre-emptive strikes mean you love your enemy.

[struggle4progress]

23. Nothing says "Jesus loves you" quite like bunker busters do. eom

[sam sarrha]

2. here is a Link on the "Corporate Jesus Logo" Christians..Exceptional!!

http://www.insider-magazine.com/ChristianMafia

it draws a frightening picture of a Nazi philosopher who is instermental in creating Hitlers momement and escapes Germany because he is Jewish, then creates a New Christian religion after the war ... and it worms its way into the very defination of our government.. The Christian Fellowship.

a sister link: http://www.indybay.org/print.php?id=1719333

A state favored religion is one of the 14 aspects of Fascism

[kliljedahl]

3. "Giving a terrorist a dirty bomb"

That line got to me. Although this is a very dated article, many in Amerikkka still beleive Saddam was connected to 9-11.


Keith’s Barbeque Central

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. Christianity Today is a right-wing evangelical magazine, and

Charles Colson served time for his role in the Watergate scandal. He came out of prison "converted," and he's devoted his life to prison ministry, but evidently, he overlooked the part in the Bible about "thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor," "thou shalt not kill," and "blessed are the peacemakers."

[TexasLawyer]

7. Chuckie knows where his bread is buttered...

and who is doing the buttering. It ain't God.

[meegbear]

5. This is fucking sick!

This is like when the Spanish came to the Americas and said it's just to emslave these people.

[Kikosexy2]

6. Evil...

Christians never seize to amaze me---bless their Anti-Christ ways!

[triguy46]

13. 'Christians' ??? What about Christianists?

My son sent me a summary from the NYT magazine yesterday. It suggested the term "Christianists." Like "Islamists". Denoting those who use the name as a reason for all they do.

[Kikosexy2]

14. No...

difference...still evil hypocrites that they are---Evilangelicals.

[The Icon Painter]

15. Christianists

Yes, good old Safire. As long as he sticks to words and avoids politics, he is useful. I have added this word and its companion opposite "Christophobe" to my vocabulary. Useful words, these.

[tanyev]

8. Dear Chuck,

Put your money where your mouth is. There's got to be something you can do to "help" in Iraq. Have a nice trip.

[CJCRANE]

9. Love = War

[intheflow]

10. 1) I think Chuck Colson need to volunteer for a Bagdad chaplaincy.

2) You'd think that an evangelical Protestant in the 21st century would not use 13th century Catholic teachings to make his case.

Oops! I forgot! He wants us to go back to the Middle Ages, if he can be the new Pope to Chimpy's Emperor.

:banghead:

[hatrack]

11. I often turn to convicted WH felons for spiritual and theological advice

But hey, doesn't everyone? :eyes:

[triguy46]

12. Of course, this is all make believe

Snip:
If Saddam Hussein were to prepare a missile for launch, the U.S. would certainly be warranted in firing in self-defense. Giving a terrorist a dirty bomb to be delivered in a suitcase is no different—except for delivery time—from a missile launch.
///////

No comment as to exactly where the dirty bomb would come from, or what it would be dirty with. And his missles at best could be lobbed to
Israel. So the make believe threat is continued to be the reason.
I ask Mr. Colson, what would Jesus do? Not what Thomas Acquinas suggested, but what Jesus would do? I think I know his answer, "Jesus would join his local National Guard, and serve his country and then come home and take advantage of the excellent college tuition bonuses that he was promised when he signed up."

It is apostasy for anyone to suggest that Christ would support war.

[grasswire]

16. I know someone.....

....who worked quite closely in Chuck Colson's prison ministry and came away telling of the political power base built into the non-profit organization and the conflicts with rules for non-profits when Chuck gets that White House bug in his britches regularly. There isn't a man who adores power more than Colson.

There's a lot of scandal told by a lot of disaffected employees.

[TexasLawyer]

22. Maybe you can convince him/her to

write up the story and get it published somewhere, perhaps on an indy media site.

[kenny blankenship]

17. Killing 100,000 innocent civilians is Christian charity?

Trying to manipulate their political self-determination and control their country's one saleable commodity (to your own benefit not theirs) is Christian charity?

Covet not thy neighbor's OIL you fucking hypocritical scum.

[TexasLawyer]

18. You GO, Kenny! n/t

[Jack Rabbit]

19. If Colson had written this two years ago, it would have gone down better

We could just say that Colson, a lifelong Republican, chose to swallow the party line.

It's a little late for that. There were no weapons; the Bushies knew it; they were simply making intelligence and facts fit the pre-determined policy.

If Colson wanted to say this two years ago, he would have been willfully misinformed. In saying it now, he's just being stupid.

[muriel_volestrangler]

20. It's dated Dec 2002

but I think you're letting him off lightly with "willfully misinformed".

[Jack Rabbit]

21. Thank you. My bad.

OK, he got it wrong. Just like most Americans did because he was listening to the US corporate media instead of reliaable news sources.

[GOPFighter]

24. I liked him better when he was a crook

"Sometimes going to war is the charitable thing to do."
Colson

Yeah, and sometimes attacking warmongering idiots and ripping out their tongues is the patriotic thing to do.