We here at The Cleft of the Rock, Inc. steer away from hot-button topics. Mainly because Queen of the Rock doesn't do confrontation well (and avoids it if at all possible). I want all of my readers to be happy, happy, happy. This post may stir up some exuberant debate. I only ask that you remember you are replying to actual humans -- mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, someone's child-- when you write your reply/ answer.
Last week I turned in this article to the local paper about security in churches, based on the horrible story out of California where a young girl was kidnapped, assaulted, and murdered. The woman who did it turned out to be a local Sunday School teacher. That was a tough article to dig into and write about.
So this week I was assigned an article about this study that shows Christian's response to using torture politically during times of war, etc. So from child abuse(rs) to torture -- I have requested a bake sale next.
First, about the study, let me say: it is a ridiculously small, skewed sample size and has only served to stir up a fire storm. An example: it shows that 'white protestant males' are twice as likely to support torture 'sometimes or often' as those who are not affiliated with any church -- but they interviewed twice as many white protestant males as unaffiliated. I'm not saying the results are inaccurate, but I, personally, don't put a lot of weight into ANY poll of less than 1,000 people and even 1,000 is too small to fire up all the finger-pointing this study has.
CNN has, of course, featured it because it makes Christians appear to be two-faced and mean-spirited.
So, I have been asked to join in the firestorm and find out what local folks say around here (feel free to call me if you have an opinion! -- I can't use anyone with my same last name as a source, though!)
Let me say, too -- this is a topic I steer completely away from. I haven't thought through it enough to come down on either side, mainly because I know I wouldn't come down on the same side of the people I am closest to. I was very blessed by the first person I interviewed who expressed her thoughts kindly and articulately and with a scriptural reference to support her thoughts. Blessed my socks off. Oh -- she wasn't who I called to talk to. She was his wife, but I had to not use him so I could use her! You'll have to look at it on Friday to hear about it.
She mentioned the study, "Oh, yeah, that guy wrote about it in the paper yesterday." So I had to go dig through the paper to see what had already been said in the same paper that I was going to write an article for.
Man, oh man, I am glad I did. I ended up reading Leonard Pitts' column about Christians silence or tolerance of the issue. The thing that struck me the most was his invoking the memories of several other times in recent history when Christians SHOULD have been outspoken for the right and weren't: Germany in the late 1930's and early 1940's, the Southern States in the late 50's and early 60's, the early 80's through the AIDS threat.
I REALLY encourage you to read his article. And I'm always happy to hear what you think, as long as you remember to keep it kind.
