Those on the left are reluctant to identify anyone that might speak prophetically. Experience has taught them to be suspicious of anyone who presumes to speak for God.
Those in the mainstream or middle believe that, on occassions, God speaks prophetically through one of his servants. At times the prophet speaks in the tones of unyielding morality, but more often the prophet gives voice to an unrelenting demand for justice.
On occassions the voice of the prophetic speaks both in the tones of unyielding morality and the unrelenting demand for justice. Today is one of those days. Today, Ethics Daily has published an essay by Miguel de la Torre in which he speaks out against the Southern Baptist academics who have offered justifications for the use of torture. Here's a little of what De la Torre says:
When this past January the president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (along with three of his professors) defended the use of torture, they represented the antithesis of Jesus' mission found in John 10:10, to "give life and give it abundantly."
To be satanic is to exchange the glory of God for the pride of humans. Religious leaders serve the forces of darkness when they justify death, destruction, torture and thievery with high-sounding words like democracy, liberty and patriotism.
Like the false prophets of old, who prostrated themselves before kings and tickled their ear with flattery so as to carve out for themselves a sphere of power and influence, today's leaders of the Religious Right have traded serving the Prince of Peace for the emperor of war.
2 comments:
Well said
While the Southern Baptist should have kept their big traps shut, I don't find Miguel's words to be any less apolitical or spiritually illuminated. Using his interpretation of John 10:10, Jesus's "gift of living water" would mean some sort of church run pharmacy.
I've read through the Bible enough times to realise that God has commanded his people to do some pretty dirty deeds in the past. And since God's nature is not only unchanging but unchangable, I have no problem believing he may call upon his people to get their hands dirty again. Whether he has done so in this case is entirely up for debate.
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