By David Gibson | Religion News Service
Even as some prominent Christians are calling on the U.S. to take more forceful military action against Islamic extremists in Iraq and Syria, more than 50 mainly Catholic and Protestant leaders are telling President Obama to halt American airstrikes and pursue solely peaceful means to resolve the conflict.“While the dire plight of Iraqi civilians should compel the international community to respond in some way, U.S. military action is not the answer,” the 53 clergy, theologians and religious sisters and brothers write in the Aug. 27 open letter.
“Lethal weapons and airstrikes will not remove the threat to a just peace in Iraq,” they continue. “As difficult as it might be, in the face of this great challenge, we believe that the way to address the crisis is through long-term investments in supporting inclusive governance and diplomacy, nonviolent resistance, sustainable development, and community-level peace and reconciliation processes.”
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In the guise of promoting peace, these moralists are enabling genocide.
What sort of letter do you think these comfortable first-worlders would have written about European tensions in the 1930s?
If I was a PC(USA) Presbyterian, I would be proud that Mr. Parsons regularly speaks out on issues of compassion, peace and justice in troubled areas around the world. Compassion, peace and justice are important themes in the Bible and all serious Christians should engage those issues in the world around us. But I would wonder why Mr. Parsons declines to speak out against the harsh, un-Christlike ways some of his own presbyteries are treating churches departing the PC(USA), an issue on which his views, unlike his views on Iraq, would have enormous influence.
I’d rather he spoke against ISIS, how they are martyring Christians, beheading journalists, and non-muslims, and generally committing genocide against entire groups of people who have lived in that area in harmony for centuries.
Parsons is an increasing embarrassment to many of us in PCUSA. He sounds like British Prime Minister Chamberlain in 1938, calling for “Peace in our time”.
Perhaps the ideal Christian response is just inadequate for the harsh realities of this world. We can kid ourselves that we just need to keep increasing our efforts in humanitarian causes, and — oh, yes — don’t forget to pray. I was praying for the Christians in Mosul, until I ran into pictures on the Web of 3- and 4-year-old beheaded Christian children.
It is a false, and even humanistic, hope that we can all build a better world by just giving more, praying more, investing more, negotiating more …..
The Islamic State is akin to Hitler’s “SS”. Eventually, you just have to kill the Nazis.
“” But I would wonder why Mr. Parsons declines to speak out against the harsh, un-Christlike ways some of his own presbyteries are treating churches departing the PC(USA), an issue on which his views, unlike his views on Iraq, would have enormous influence””
Why, he is an apostate with a delusional mind, a double minded man unstable in all his ways writes James, the Holy Bible, book of James.
Peace-loving liberal Christians misunderstand scripture.
God commanded the Israelites to kill every inhabitant before entering the promised land. They did not obey.
Luke 22 “But now, let he who has no sword sell his outer-garment and buy one”.
If you’re getting bombed and murdered daily it is acceptable (biblically) to fire back.
The organizational/management establishment of the PCUSA applies the same selective bias of most political liberals. The US, much like Israel, are free and open societies which value individual freedoms and free expression, Hence, very easy targets for their selective bias and criticisms. ISIS, Hamas and other terrorist, criminal organizations hide in the dark and shadows, behead or execute those who oppose them, they frighten establishment liberals, hence the PCUSA has very little to say. OGA and their paid mouthpieces are nothing more than moral and ethical cowards, who are silent when events call for speaking, and speaking only when its safe and nothing is on the line for them. Cowards one and all. And one pays attention to them/
Can we send parsons to cut a deal with isis, Please?
What Peace in Iraq?
There is a genocide of all non Moslems in progress. There is nothing moral about calling on the defenders of the innocent to cease their defense – assenting to slaughter and advancing the interests only of Satan.
Anyone who does is so lacking in judgement that they are unable to make a moral judgement on anything, forfeiting all credibility. They should immediately resign whatever position they may hold, pleading the sudden onset of mental incapacity.
This is both a sin and a shame.
This is nothing new under the sun. The Confession of 1967 advocated US disarmament, even if that were to risk national security (which, of course, it’s an understatement to say it would have done). That same type of hopelessly muddled thinking still prevails among PCUSA leaders almost a half century later.
The Mainline Churches have been taken over by wacky liberals who are clueless about terrorism. Christians are being slaughtered in the Mid East.
Since Parson’s head is apparently buried in the sand, he may not have heard of ISIS & the fact that they’re beheading Christians..
I’ve reconsidered my previous comments. These signatories are worse than useful idiots. They are self-righteous evildoers. May God have mercy on their souls.
When I served in Iraq we would always play hosts to the traveling junkets of US congressmen and staff who would come get some war time on their resume before the next election cycle. As soon as the bullets would fly they were the first to seek shelter in the CP of 2nd Marine Division and hunker down until it was safe again. Then bravely walk about while the cameras rolled and some very big folks with guns would watch their backs.
I can see the signatories and their staff being dropped into ISIS territory or Gaza City or the Bekka valley. They would be put up against the wall and before they can say how much they were in solidarity with the masses or how much the PCUSA loves them, they would be relieved of their heads. Their last thoughts would not be of God, or family. They would hope and pray that the United States Marine Corps or Navy Seals would be just around the corner to rescue them. Sorry, they would not be coming as soon as hoped. End of story and commentary.
“All you need is love” didn’t work for us in the 60’s and 70’s unfortunately and it won’t work now. The radical Islamic extremists like ISIS aren’t stupid; it’s not that they don’t understand; no one need explain how pure western motives are; they just aren’t interested. They want to kill us, including these pastors and every member of their families and they wouldn’t blink in doing so. It should come as no surprise that modern-day hymnals sometimes exclude “Onward Christian Soldiers” in their selections for being “too militaristic.” Well, boo hoo, it’s time to open our eyes. Turning the other cheek never meant becoming a doormat.
General Colin Powell said it best in so many words, “You have to cut off the head to kill the snake,” something this nation is forgetting. ISIS has to be killed sending those demon possessed killers to the depths of Perdition, one day to be sent to the Lake of Fire, Rev. 21, the Great White Throne Judgement.