Sanity!

Turning its eyes to God, America's largest organized group of Evangelical Christians has condemned torture.

The National Association of Evangelicals has endorsed an anti-torture statement saying the United States has crossed "boundaries of what is legally and morally permissible" in its treatment of detainees and war prisoners in the fight against terror.

Human rights violations committed in the name of preventing terrorist attacks have made the country look hypocritical to the Muslim world, the document states. Christians have an obligation rooted in Scripture to help Americans "regain our moral clarity."

"Our military and intelligence forces have worked diligently to prevent further attacks. But such efforts must not include measures that violate our own core values," the document says. "The United States historically has been a leader in supporting international human rights efforts, but our moral vision has blurred since 9-11."

It is shameful that there is even a need to assert that Christians, of all people, oppose torture. That should go without saying, but in Bush's America, it does not. Some of the most prominent Christian activists in this country have, at best, looked the other way when it came to ruinous economic policy, disastrous environmental policy, and the unprovoked, illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq.

With respect to torture, I don't know why every Christian with a mouth has not been screaming toward heaven in opposition to it. It's not complicated. The Bible tells us all we need to know about how we are to behave toward aliens living among us.

When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 19:33,34

Thank God that the NAE has seen the light and has demonstrated the courage to speak out.