Torture

In general, I'm not a fan of the National Association of Evangelicals. For too long, they have been closely identified with a neocon political agenda and have reflected a theology a lot more narrow than mine, especially regarding women's rights and GLBT issues. That said, even though many or most of them might not consider me an "evangelical," it is term that were it not for the above associations and a few others, I could use to describe my own theological position.

All that said, the board of the NAE has taken a wonderful and courageous step. They signed The Evangelical Declaration against Torture: Protecting Human Rights in an Age of Terror . While I don't agree with some of the references to abortion in the document, I am thrilled with an application of theology and moral argument to the issue of torture from a conservative Christian point of view. Bottom line for the document is that there are no circumstances that allow for torture and that as conservative followers of Jesus, the signatories stand against any abridgment of human rights in the name of a war on "terror." (quotes are present in the document)

I'm sure the board will catch a lot of heat for signing but there is no question that signing the document is a first step that Jesus would have taken and to which any evangelical is called.