We’re FEMA.
CHRISTIANITY AND TORTURE: An emailer vents:
I read with interest your latest entry concerning Alberto Gonzalez’ shuffling reply to Jackson Diehl’s question on Bush’s policy on foreign prisoner treatment. As I read the question, the reply and your following brief commentary, I began to wonder – if Bush is the Christian he claims to be, if he has one small iota of compassion for others in him, how does that influence his condoning or allowing cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment of foreign prisoners? Where is the compassion Christians are supposed to have for others? Where is there evidence of the Golden Rule here? Why have we not heard the Christian fundamental base rise up in loud, vocal anger over the poor and abusive treatment of these prisoners? Simply put, would Jesus treat the prisoners this way? Obviously not. Should a self-proclaimed follower of Jesus treat prisoners, or allow prisoners to be treated, this way? Definitely not.
To be fair, some evangelicals have indeed protested the shift in American policy toward allowing the abuse and cruel, degrading and inhuman treatment of detainees. But this president is an enthusiast for executing prisoners (I may be wrong, but has any living person in America signed as many death warrants as president Bush?) and has shown no qualms at all about using torture in the war on terror; and has promoted everyone involved in crafting the new abuse policy, including Gonzales. I don’t know how he squares this with Christianity. Maybe someone in the press could ask him.
The Dish 