In Opposition to Waterboarding

The Oracle agrees with Joe Carter of Evangelical Outpost that it is unfortunate that conservatives have all to frequently lined up in defense of the administration's position on the use of waterboarding. I also agree with Mr. Carter that the silence -- or in some cases, I would add, acquiescence -- of Christians on the issue is deplorable.

It would be wise for the religious right to learn that the role of Christian belief in American politics should not be to sanctify whatever those claiming to be conservatives happen to be promoting.

With regard to the use of waterboarding and other forms of torture, advocates like to point to hypothetical encounters in which extreme measures must be used to obtain information to stop an attack. However, it is just as likely that such extreme measures will result in the victim (I use the term advisedly) telling the torturers whatever he thinks will get them to stop. Thus, the use of torture is as likely, if not more, to result in the receipt of false information as true.

Besides, that type of pragmatic argument could be used to justify any sort of inhumanity to man. Christians -- and American conservatives -- should reject it.