A Pastoral Letter on the Iraq War (EXCERPTS)
from the Collegium of Officers of the United Church of Christ
God expected justice, but saw bloodshed; righteousness, but heard a cry.
Isaiah 5.7
The war in Iraq is not in its fifth year. Justified as a means to end oppression, this war has imposed the new oppression of terror on the people of Iraq. Justified as the only way to protect the world form weapons of mass destruction, this was has led to the massive destruction of communal life in Iraq. Justified as a means to end the rule of terror, this war has bred more terror. Every day we look for justice, but all we see is bloodshed. Every day we yearn for righteousness, but all we hear is a cry.
Thousands of precious lives have been lost; thousands more have been altered forever by profound injuries. We grieve each loss and embrace bereaved families with our prayers and compassion. Tens of thousands more innocent Iraqi lives are being offered on the altar of preemptive war and sectarian violence. They, too, are precious and we weep for them. In our name, human rights have been violated, abuse and torture sanctioned, civil liberties dismantled, and lives destroyed. Billions of dollars have been diverted from education, health care, and the needs of the poor in this land and around the world. Efforts to restrain the real sources of global terrorism have been ignored or subverted.
We confess that too often the church has been little more than a silent witness to evil deeds. We have prayed without protest. We have recoiled from the horror this war has unleashed without resisting the arrogance and folly at its heart. We have been more afraid of conflict in our churches than outraged over the deceptions that have killed thousands.
Today we call for an end to this war, an end to our reliance on violence as the first, rather than the last resort, an end to the arrogant unilateralism of preemptive war. Today we call for the humility and courage to acknowledge failure and error, to accept the futility of our current path, and we cry out for the creativity to seek new paths of peacemaking the in the Middle East… Today we call for repentance in our nation and for the recognition in our churches that security is found in submitting to Christ, not by dominating others. To this end we join in prayer, support ministries of compassion for victims here and in the Middle East, cast off the fear that has made us accept the way of violence and return again to the way of Jesus. Thus may bloodshed end and cries be transformed to the harmonies of justice and melodies of peace.
John H. Thomas Linda Jaramillo Edith A. Guffey José A. Malayang Cally Rogers-Witte
The national United Church of Christ has launched a national petition drive to get 100,000 signatures calling for an end to the war in Iraq. Rev. John Thomas, General Minister and President of the UCC, plans to take these 100,000 names with him to Washington D.C., just after World Communion Sunday on October 7th, and present them to Congressional leaders and members of the Administration.
The petition will be available at the Community Church on September 16th, 23rd and 30th. You may also view the full text of the pastoral letter on line at http://www.ucc.org/news/significant-speeches/a-pastoral-letter-on-the-iraq.html. To view and sign the petition on line, visit: http://www.ucc.org/100kforpeace.
