Evangelicals and Torture

Friday May 1, 2009

From CNN.com.

The more often Americans go to church, the more likely they are to support the torture of suspected terrorists, according to a new survey. More than half of people who attend services at least once a week -- 54 percent -- said the use of torture against suspected terrorists is "often" or "sometimes" justified. Only 42 percent of people who "seldom or never" go to services agreed, according to the analysis released Wednesday by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

What do you believe? How would you answer the question at the bottom of this post?

White evangelical Protestants were the religious group most likely to say torture is often or sometimes justified -- more than six in 10 supported it. People unaffiliated with any religious organization were least likely to back it. Only four in 10 of them did. This is the question: "Do you think the use of torture against suspected terrorists in order to gain important information can often be justified, sometimes be justified, rarely be justified, or never be justified?"

Comments (110)

posted by Scot McKnight @ 3:09pm Permalink email icon

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steph

May 10, 2009 4:42 AM

I still don't understand what you mean. Are you saying people aren't entitled to their own religious beliefs? I don't believe Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic or a lord. I believe he was an apocalyptic Jewish prophet, a healer and an exorcist. So that's not your Truth - will you not tolerate it?

Michael

May 10, 2009 8:41 AM

You and I do not make up TRUTH, my friend. If I step out of a 10 story floor window..not believing in gravity...I will find out quickly how wrong I am. I'm not talking about preferences...one likes it cold,another hot or one likes blue and another red..I'm talking about transcendent TRUTH. Would you admit Jesus can't be God and not God. He is or He isn't. In our views I'm wrong or You are wrong or we are both wrong. We should seek for Truth respectfully. Yes, I'm tolerant of you, respect your views and would never blow you up or not be your friend because we disagreed like radicals do. But the politically correct"you've got your truth and I've got my Truth" is not logical or intellectually sustainable. Steph.. you are entitled to any thoughts you want but we should all want to have our thoughts anchored on a firm foundation.

Your Name

May 11, 2009 1:32 AM

Ah but I never called what I believed "truths". In fact I don't believe anybody "knows" the Truth.

Michael

May 11, 2009 7:47 PM

Steph, you are better than that statement. You are a Ph'd student who is trying to discover knowledge. You believe in gravity, you don't believe in terrorist extremism. If I said I was God you would believe I was a kook ( rightly so ). You do believe some things are true ..that's why you fight for your position. I've seen that and that is good. You don't believe just because someone is sincere that makes it true...like Jim Jone's sincere kool-aid drinkers. Steph, you are a Ph'd student...read the New Testament. Jesus said He was God over and over. ..not a god but the God and no one could come to the Father but through Him(john14:6). I think the evidence was overwelming that He is God and deserves my alligiance but it isn't my belief that makes it so. He is or He isn't. And your disbelief doesn't make it not ...He is or He isn't. 1John5:11-13 says the Bible was written that we may KNOW.

Your Name

May 12, 2009 1:18 AM

I never say what I believe is Truth. I believe it to be true but I don't know why you are trying to trap me it seems into meaning something I don't. I study the New Testament texts every day as my phd is in Aramaic sources of the synoptics - in particular I am debunking "Q" the hypothetical written Greek single sayings source magically reconstructed by the IQP who now have a text - just no manuscript... I'm looking at historicity as well but I don't believe the sayings attributed to Jesus implying he is God are historical so the evidence isn't 'overwhelming' to me. As I said, I believe the historical sources of Jesus, an apocalyptic prophet, exorcist and healer, called Jews to return to God and preached about the kingdom of God, and his own resurrection. He called twelve disciple and taught us to love our enemies but I do not believe the sayings in John are historical. I don't think the evidence supports it. Just because you think it true doesn't mean I should too if my research leads me to think otherwise. And isolating sayings to explain the whole bible doesn't rub well with me either.

I assume 'Jim Jone's sincere kool-aid drinkers' is an American thing. I haven't a clue what you're talking about.

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Scot McKnight is a widely-recognized authority on the New Testament, early Christianity, and the historical Jesus. He is the Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies at North Park University (Chicago, Illinois). A popular and witty speaker, Dr. McKnight has given interviews on radios across the nation, has appeared on television, and is regularly asked to speak in local churches and educational events. Dr. McKnight obtained his Ph.D. at the University of Nottingham (1986). Click to continue reading Scot McKnight's Bio...

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