Torture is Wrong

I haven't had much free time the past two days and won't really have much chance to post until the weekend (if I'm lucky), but since it's Friday I thought I'd throw a current events topic out there: torture. It's a huge a topic and I don't have time to comment, so I'll post a couple of links:

Andrew Sullivan writes a really good article in The New Republic:

WINNING THE WAR ON TERRORISM WITHOUT SACRIFICING FREEDOM.

The Abolition of Torture (registration may be required)

A few choice quotes:

"Torture is the polar opposite of freedom. It is the banishment of all freedom from a human body and soul, insofar as that is possible. As human beings, we all inhabit bodies and have minds, souls, and reflexes that are designed in part to protect those bodies: to resist or flinch from pain, to protect the psyche from disintegration, and to maintain a sense of selfhood that is the basis for the concept of personal liberty. What torture does is use these involuntary, self-protective, self-defining resources of human beings against the integrity of the human being himself. It takes what is most involuntary in a person and uses it to break that person's will. It takes what is animal in us and deploys it against what makes us human. As an American commander wrote in an August 2003 e-mail about his instructions to torture prisoners at Abu Ghraib, "The gloves are coming off gentlemen regarding these detainees, Col. Boltz has made it clear that we want these individuals broken."

...

"The infliction of physical pain on a person with no means of defending himself is designed to render that person completely subservient to his torturers. It is designed to extirpate his autonomy as a human being, to render his control as an individual beyond his own reach. That is why the term "break" is instructive. Something broken can be put back together, but it will never regain the status of being unbroken--of having integrity. When you break a human being, you turn him into something subhuman. You enslave him. This is why the Romans reserved torture for slaves, not citizens, and why slavery and torture were inextricably linked in the antebellum South."

...

"What you see in the relationship between torturer and tortured is the absolute darkness of totalitarianism. You see one individual granted the most complete power he can ever hold over another. Not just confinement of his mobility--the abolition of his very agency. Torture uses a person's body to remove from his own control his conscience, his thoughts, his faith, his selfhood."

One thing Sullivan doesn't discuss, at least to my satisfaction, is the affect of torture on the torturer. I would like to echo what I wrote last week about the death penalty - ensuring that torture or anything that resembles it is illegal keeps those who would be in the position to commit such acts safe. It is a mercy to the actors as well as the victim. I have more to say on this, but not more time. More later.

Wednesday's Big Idea: Rings and Robes

One of the most amazing things about God is His unending grace. It sounds cliche, but not only does he shower us with mercy (not getting what one deserves) He also follows it up with a sound helping of grace (getting a gift - unearned.)

The title of this post comes from the story of the prodigal son who, upon returning to his father's house, received not a stern rebuke or demotion to servanthood, but a robe on his back and a ring on his finger. Both items were signs of welcome and inclusion back into the family. The ring, especially, denoted authority likely being a family signet ring. Despite his mistakes and wanderings, the son was welcomed back into the family and given the authority to act in its name.

The best part of the story is that it is a parable of our relationship to God. The Father welcomes us back from our wanderings and wants to give us honor and authority as one of His sons, representative of His glory. As one welcomed back, however, it is too easy for us to hang our robes in the closet and put the ring in our pocket. We take them out periodically, admire them and think about how nice they are, but we don't wear them as a matter of routine. The problem with this is that the robe and ring were meant to be worn.

God has given us a robe like Joseph's, His glory should adorn us and we should put that garment on every day. Isaiah 61 is full of references to our clothing: a garment of praise, garments of salvation and a a robe of righteousness. There are constant allusions to the Father putting radiant clothes on His children which reflect His glory, His majesty and His love for us. He desires us to be arrayed in beauty, for He is a beautiful God. It is up to us to not only accept the gift, but to wear it, show it off to say to people, "Look! This is my God, my Father who clothes me as a prince, though I be only a pauper. He has a robe for you, too."

Adorning us in splendor, however, is not the end. He also puts a ring on our finger and gives us the power and authority of sons. Timothy tells us we have "a spirit of power, love and self-discipline." Jesus told His disciples that "whatever you bind on earth will be bound and what you loose will be loosed." This is authority granted to them (and us) by the only one who may grant it. Peter tells us (1 Peter 4:11) that "[i]f anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God." exhorting us to claim our authority, Peter is saying that we must speak carefully, but definitively.

As I pursue this thing called faith, I am confronted with the fact that God wants me to be His representative and ambassador on this earth. He has given me the tools I need (grace, mercy, love, authority, glory...) but it is up to me to use them. He expects me to wear my robe and ring and use what they represent - wisely and with humility, yes, but use them. It is an extreme act of faith, but my prayer is that I would put on my robe and ring and never take them off.

Isaiah on Tuesday - Isaiah's Commission

Did you ever wish God would come right out and give you your job assignment? The prophets always seemed to have a clear idea of what they were doing, where they were going and the words they needed to say. In today's look at Isaiah, we get to witness first-hand that revelation in stunning detail.

Isaiah 6 is one of my favorite chapters in all of the Bible. It encapsulates so much of the character of God and His relationship to us. Isaiah was likely praying in the temple when God came to him in a vision - a vision which was so visceral it took him through the spectrum of human emotions and was a defining point in his life.

Isaiah's Vision
At first, Isaiah witnesses the authority and majesty of God - He is seated on a throne and the vestments of kingship are so vast that the entire temple is filled with it. Six-winged seraphs fly above Him in a posture of worship singing the eternal song: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." The song illuminates the power and glory of God, the doorposts shake and the temple fills with smoke.

In the presence of a holy God, Isaiah's fallenness is exposed - he cannot help by cry out, "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." I can't imagine standing in the presence of God - all my human failings exposed, every thought, every relationship bright under the light of His glory. Yet, it is what follows that always astounds me. The nature of God is revealed and we understand His father-heart just a little bit more. God does not deny Isaiah's sinfulness, but forgives it and purifies the man preparing him for his commission.

Isaiah's Responses
In the first eight verses of this chapter we are exposed to the glory and power of God, followed by His great mercy and finally His grace. What must have seemed like an eternity for Isaiah, seems only minutes to us, yet in those minutes we witness what I think God has for all of us. As we enter into His presence, He exposes our sin. We can try to hide or deny it, but that leaves us undone. Isaiah confessed to all present not only his own sins, but the sins of his nation. God knew them before he uttered a word, yet I believe the confession allowed for atonement. The atonement prepared Isaiah to receive the the precious gift of a clear purpose - words and actions which would guide his life.

Let me elaborate a little further on the exchange, because I think it is so important. Experiencing the overwhelming glory, power and holiness of God, Isaiah confesses his iniquities. The confession leads to atonement, after which God asks a question, "Whom shall I send?" Isaiah answers, "Here am I. Send Me!" and God makes Isaiah His messenger. At several points Isaiah had the opportunity to hide, deny the truth or refuse to answer God's question. At each point, he chose wisely, and as we read further, this allowed Isaiah to ask a clarifying question of God (verse 11.)

Lessons Learned
I have yet to experience such a revelation from God. I both covet and fear such an encounter, I wonder if I may just get stuck at "Woe is me." I often wish for such a clear idea of what my next steps should be. I long to hear the question, "Whom shall I send?" and my hope would be that I would reply as zealously as Isaiah, "Send me!" Meantime, the lessen remains for me: come to God in worship, confess my sins, accept His mercy and submit to His sovereignty.

Listening to God seems much more of a deliberate, active pursuit these days and I try to make times and places specifically for that. I don't know if I will ever see seraphs flying over the throne of God (at least here on earth!) but I believe that in seeking Him, my mission and purpose here becomes clearer and better defined. In the end I think I share that desire of all - to hear my Father say, "Well done."