By Adelle M. Banks
Religion News Service
(RNS) An Army Reserve chaplain has decided to do his individual part in the war on terror: He’s co-founded an Internet ministry to pray for terrorists.
“Adopt a Terrorist for Prayer” was launched in March and features a catalog of photos of people designated by the FBI or the State Department as participants in or sponsors of terrorism.
“In a sense, it’s a spiritual conflict and we’re not using spiritual resources,” said Thomas Bruce, a co-founder and spokesman for the ministry at www.myatfp.com. “I felt that the church of Jesus Christ was not engaged.”
Bruce, whose ministry is based in Colorado Springs, Colo., said he was inspired to start the effort after attending a conference of Christian military ministries last year. Soon, he will have to leave the work to other co-founders — who include a retired school administrator and a retired Coast Guard officer — when he is deployed to Iraq.
Bruce’s voice is on the two-minute YouTube video that promotes the idea of praying for terrorists.
“If they start converting, as did the Apostle Paul, then terrorism as a strategy for advancing militant Islam will fail and the whole world will know something spectacular about the one true God,” he says in the video.
The Web site encourages readers to choose from a catalog of dozens of photos of people labeled as “at-large” or “captured” terrorists or terrorism sponsors. Each photo includes a link to more information, such as an FBI poster.
“Select and pray daily for a change in the heart of your chosen terrorist!” the site recommends. “Enlist others to join this initiative!”
Bruce said he has received mostly positive reactions to the project.
“Some people are very enthusiastic and can’t wait to participate,” he said. “No one has told me that it’s stupid or wrong, but some have told me it won’t be for
them.”
Copyright 2008 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
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posted April 4, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Well…somewhat weird, but then, completely logical from a religious perspective. Hmm…maybe I’ll take a peek at that website…
God bless.
posted April 4, 2008 at 9:13 pm
OK, this is definiately a unique way to stop terrorists. It won’t work, but it is original…sort-of. Isn’t there something in the Bible about “loving thy neighbor?”
posted April 4, 2008 at 11:43 pm
Terrorists are people too.
Uh, why am I NOT surprised that the guy behind this is from Colorado Springs. It seems to be conserva-central.
posted April 5, 2008 at 6:25 am
Oh lordy, there’s one way to make an angry person even angrier; tell them you’re praying for them.
This is gonna tick those terrorists off big time.
I can’t argue with them doing it but how does it make you feel when someone tells you they are “praying for your conversion”.
And with fundamentalists like these, I hate to see what the repercusions are for the rest of us.
posted April 5, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Robert Bruce is a fundamentalist Christian who believes these beheaders, and baby bombers will react over there in Iraq as bibical people did thousands of years ago and God will win these people over!! He is going over to Iraq soon, will he continue this with the fighting men over there I wonder, didn’t take too long to wonder, of course he will. The same type of mentality and religious fervor of pray my child well so Jesus will heal her, or him because we must please our God. I really dislike seeing my Christian religion used in this way, and I’m sure millions feel the same way.
posted April 7, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Have any of you ever studied the Bible? Do you know what it is to love your neighbor? Do you trully understand what God did for you on the Cross? How can you be against praying for anyone, even a terrorist? God died for you, even when you were an enemy of His. So if I love and wish for God to change someones heart over killing them you label me a fundamentalist, conservative, right-winger, etc. You show your own heart by your own words. You claim to follow Christ and do not believe in the power of prayer? I dare say you are either ignorant of your professed religion or not a true christian at all.
I have to paraphrase it, but Abraham Lincoln said, “Do I not eliminate my enemies by making them my friends.”
posted April 7, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Kevin: “Have any of you ever studied the Bible?”
As a matter of fact, yes. But I’m not a Christian, since the first 17 years of my life. However if I was, I’d certainly not be asking folks to pray for terrorists.
Just a question, Kevin, why is it necessary for anyone to be a Christian? All religions have validity. There are extremists in all religions, including Christianity. Extremists in all religions give the religion a bad name…as it shows that they feel that their personal faith is the ONLY ONE. There is no “best” religion…The one that agrees with the person is the one for them.
posted April 7, 2008 at 10:47 pm
No matter what your religion or what you truly believe God would have you to do for your enemy, You are to first Trust In HIM and lean not to your own understanding. Whatever understanding you have of this type of prayer or whether you THINK you would or wouldn’t have YOUR Christianity involved in it is your own affair. You have NO RIGHT to stop or criticize someone else for trying to do what he feels will help an ailing people, as long as it’s not hurting anyone. Last I checked, praying for someone didn’t hurt them. Don’t like it? Don’t participate in it. I for one would love to now that a terrorist was losing sleep at night because GOD was stirring his soul to conversion. Whether or not it will “WORK” as someone posted, Is up to GOD. No matter what we think!
posted April 8, 2008 at 12:34 pm
I for one would love to now (sic) that a terrorist was losing sleep at night because GOD was stirring his soul to conversion
Why does converstion to Chritianity have to be the end result of the prayer for these terrorists? It appears you think that Christianity, and only Christianity, goes hand-in-hand with love, non-violence, and tolerance.
Why not pray instead God simply to stir their souls for “conversion” to a life of non-violence, love, tolerance?
posted April 28, 2008 at 8:37 pm
It’s not necessary for the terrorists to become Christians, but I don’t see the moderate Muslims being very successful at changing them. Materially, terrorists are one of the weakest enemies civilization has ever faced, but they are wielding a weapon to which civilization is most vulnerable – fear.
Jesus’ instruction to love enemies and pray for persecutors offers a symmetrical counter offensive. The antidote to fear is love. Love for country helps soldiers risk their lives. Love for children enables parents to discipline them without being intimidated. Love for us took Jesus to the cross. Love for terrorists will give courage to face, overcome, and transform them. When we hate, we are victims. When we love, we have the initiative.