The sermon that I gave this morning deals with the question, Is it right that our society self-consciously and self avowedly employs the method of torture in the effort to keep us safe?
Without repeating the entire sermon here…the thesis is this: the use of torture in any form is incompatible with the clear teaching of the scriptures, and Christians can never countenance the use of torture in our name as a means toward the end of attaining national security.
I offered a bit of reflection on utilitarian ethics as contrasted with Biblical ethics, and used as an illustration Ursula Le Guin’s short story, “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas“.
The question at stake: for a Christian, is national security, or even happiness, the appropriate prime value that ought to govern our national conduct – and can we justify any act as a means toward achieving this end?
If we do, we will be able to countenance the torture of both the potentially guilty and the innocent. The logical extreme of this moral calculation is exemplified in that story – where the happiness of an entire society depends on the suffering of one child; it is the same logic with which we justified the torture and death of Jesus.
Caiaphas’s word exemplify this secular ethical philosophy all too well. He says, “You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation be destroyed.” (John 11:50) Of course, these contain a uniquely double Johannine meaning – we know what Caiaphas is thinking, but he does not know that what he is saying is fulfilling the divine purpose.
How is it possible that we find so many evangelical white Christians taking the same position as Caiaphas?
I left out of the sermon the point that even from a utilitarian standpoint, torture may not stand up. There are many (most notable among them John McCain) who claim that torture does not produce the desired result of good intelligence that prevents harm to the majority. More often than not, this intelligence is unreliable. A point one could argue, but the argument of the sermon doesn’t hinge on it. Torture is wrong even if it produces good results.
What do you think? Is there any justification based on scripture with which we might be able to say that torture is right?
And lastly, for those who wish to exercise their conscience in expressing their thoughts to our elected leaders, or to find some good additional material to reflect upon, I would direct them to the National Religious Coalition Against Torture (NRCAT). Would also welcome others to share links of useful information.
Let’s see if we can’t break the record in number of responses!
In Christ,
Jeff Vamos
