Reflecting on faith and torture

Is torture often or sometimes justified? If you are a regular churchgoer, you are 5% more likely than an average U.S. citizen to answer yes to this question, and you are 12% more likely than people who seldom or never worship to respond yes.

Shocked by these statistics, I went to many Minnesota United Methodist congregations in late 2009 to encourage them to reflect on torture and their faith. In adult Sunday school classes, young adult small groups and contemporary issues forums in urban and exurban areas, people faithfully reflected on the intersection of their relationship with Christ with their citizenship in a nation that engaged in torture.

What I learned was both surprising and rewarding.

It can be easy to assume with torture as the topic that people just want to stay away from it. They may fear the topic is too partisan or too dark.

300 in 30 campaign

I was not certain myself how people would react to it when I started working with the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) and its “300 in 30 campaign” to reduce the number of Christians in mainline congregations and other people of faith who believe torture is justifiable.

As part of my project, I showed the 20-minute DVD, “Ending U.S.-sponsored Torture Forever,” and then facilitated discussion around questions such as: “Believing that all are created with the image of God, how as Christians are we called to treat our enemies?” and “How can we overcome evil with good?”

As it turned out, people were very willing to think seriously about their faith as it relates to torture.

In a small suburban church in Brooklyn Park, a woman shared that for her the issue of torture is about how we treat the vulnerable. “God came to earth in the form of a little baby,” she said, “and I can't imagine anything much more vulnerable than that.

People were very willing to think seriously about their faith as it relates to torture.

“Prisoners in Guantanamo seem about as powerless and vulnerable as a baby. How can we torture them?”

In a large exurban church in a conservative community, we had a discussion about a “ticking-bomb” situation such as that often featured on the TV show “24.” This is a situation directly addressed in the NRCAT video, by the way. A lot of back-and-forth conversation weighed in on the value of information gained through torture.

Information from torture

A participant said that sometimes we need to torture when we're up against immediate and potentially massive loss of life. A lot of conversation went back and forth, weighing the value of information gained through torture.

Another member of the group declared: “It comes down to a question of what trumps faith? As a Christian I think the answer should be 'nothing,' and so we should not torture.”

Curriculum was perceived as a blessing by each group.

Uniformly, our conversations were respectful and enlightening. People have many opportunities to talk about politics and the news, but rarely do they get to specifically reflect on their faith and the news. In the exurban congregation I mentioned, an advocate of torture in a ticking time-bomb scenario even thanked me for bringing the topic to his congregation for their reflection. Not once in five presentations did I experience an uncivil moment.

The NRCAT curriculum was perceived as a blessing by each group. Many asked to keep the DVD and discussion guide for use with other groups in their church. Such discussions are a wonderful way to strengthen the voice of the body of Christ, and to help regular churchgoers rethink their stance on torture.

I encourage you to show this video in your congregation. To learn more about this video and to show it in your congregation, go to “Ending U.S.-sponsored Torture”. The video costs $5 and can be viewed online at ending torture.

Discussion guides are available in six perspectives: Evangelical Christian, Mainline Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, Jewish and Unitarian Universalist. You can download the guides at torture discussion.

The National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT)is committed to ending U.S.-sponsored torture, and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Since its formation in January 2006, more than 275 religious groups have joined NRCAT, including representatives from the Roman Catholic, evangelical Christian, mainline Protestant, Orthodox Christians, Unitarian, Quaker, Orthodox Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh communities. Members include national denominations and faith groups, regional organizations and congregations.

NRCAT has set a goal of having 300 congregations in at least 30 states make a commitment to show the revised video, “Ending U.S.-sponsored Torture Forever,” and hold a discussion among adults during this spring.