[net.religion] Religion and politics don't mix?

black@nisysg.DEC (03/01/85)




	     I always thought that religious organizations were supposed to
	preach peace on earth and goodwill to Man.  I found a little news
	item that disturbs me quite a bit, and I thought the net might 
	appreciate it for further thought or clarification.

		"If you're one of the millions of Americans who fills 
		church collection plates, you might want to check if your
		denomination and congregation contributes to the World
		Council of Churches (WCC).  According to the Catholic
		Defense League of South Africa, the WCC through its 
		Program to Combat Racism gave nearly $200,000 to anti-
		South-African terrorist groups, including over $75,000
		to the Southwest African Peoples' Organization (SWAPO)."

		("Soldier of Fortune," April 1985, p. 102; Omega Group Ltd.,
		Boulder, CO)

	     I don't understand why a supposedly Christian organization is
	giving support to an Antichrist organization.  There's an old axiom
	that says anything that walks lie a duck, talks like a duck, lays
	ducks' eggs, and hangs around with other ducks, must probably be
	some kind of a duck.  If this news item has any veracity, then it
	would appear that the WCC is not in fact an ecclesiastic organization,
	but rather a front for the collection of funds to support the
	international Communist conspiracy.  (Note to US readers:  the US
	affiliate of the WCC is the National Council of Churches.)

	     Have a good weekend.

	     Don Black

	     Path:  ...decvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-nisysg!black



rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Professor Wagstaff) (03/03/85)

> 		"If you're one of the millions of Americans who fills 
> 		church collection plates, you might want to check if your
> 		denomination and congregation contributes to the World
> 		Council of Churches (WCC).  According to the Catholic
> 		Defense League of South Africa, the WCC through its 
> 		Program to Combat Racism gave nearly $200,000 to anti-
> 		South-African terrorist groups, including over $75,000
> 		to the Southwest African Peoples' Organization (SWAPO)."
> 
> 		("Soldier of Fortune," April 1985, p. 102; Omega Group Ltd.,
> 		Boulder, CO)
> 
> 	     I don't understand why a supposedly Christian organization is
> 	giving support to an Antichrist organization.  There's an old axiom
> 	that says anything that walks lie a duck, talks like a duck, lays
> 	ducks' eggs, and hangs around with other ducks, must probably be
> 	some kind of a duck.  If this news item has any veracity, then it
> 	would appear that the WCC is not in fact an ecclesiastic organization,
> 	but rather a front for the collection of funds to support the
> 	international Communist conspiracy.  (Note to US readers:  the US
> 	affiliate of the WCC is the National Council of Churches.)
> 			Don Black

Could you please explain why 1) it is the work of an "Antichrist organization"
when racism is combatted?  2) it is a symptom of a world communist conspiracy
when racism is combatted?  I half expect an answer along the Arndtian terms
of "If you don't knwo, you're blind and stupid", but I'd like to see som
substantiation for this.
-- 
"It's a lot like life..."			 Rich Rosen  ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr

mat@hou4a.UUCP (Mark Terribile) (03/06/85)

>> 		                     . . .  According to the Catholic
>> 		Defense League of South Africa, the WCC through its 
>> 		Program to Combat Racism gave nearly $200,000 to anti-
>> 		South-African terrorist groups, including over $75,000
>> 		to the Southwest African Peoples' Organization (SWAPO)."
>>		. . .
>> 	     I don't understand why a supposedly Christian organization is
>> 	giving support to an Antichrist organization.  There's an old axiom
>> 	that says anything that walks lie a duck, talks like a duck, lays
>> 	ducks' eggs, and hangs around with other ducks, must probably be
>> 	some kind of a duck.  If this news item has any veracity, then it
>> 	would appear that the WCC is not in fact an ecclesiastic organization,
>> 	but rather a front for the collection of funds to support the
>> 	international Communist conspiracy.  (Note to US readers:  the US
>> 	affiliate of the WCC is the National Council of Churches.)
>> 			Don Black
>
>Could you please explain why 1) it is the work of an "Antichrist organization"
>when racism is combatted?  2) it is a symptom of a world communist conspiracy
>when racism is combatted?  I half expect an answer along the Arndtian terms
>of "If you don't knwo, you're blind and stupid", but I'd like to see som
>substantiation for this.
>"It's a lot like life..."			 Rich Rosen  ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr

Rich, if you'd stop wagging your staff and LOOK at what you are criticising
then maybe ... No, I guess I'll have to explain it.

	It does not good to use violence to stop racism.  In fact, if it
weren't for the fact that violence is the only way to resist a war, violence
would never be acceptable.  (note acceptable, not good)  Even on THIS question
there is and will continue to be debate.

	Racism, even South African style, is not the same as war.  And
terrorism against individuals is not an acceptable way to bring about
social change.  Why?  Because it is an act of hate that channels that
hate into harm against particular individuals.  It is not self defense,
nor is ip (possibly justifiable) anger against a tormentor.  It is doing
harm to others for the purpose of doing harm, with the bad excuse that
somewhere else there is an injustice.

	That is why terror-based organizations and organizations that seek
power only to expand their own control are anti-Christlike.  I agree that
the term Antichrist leaves one with the feeling that the author expects one
of these people to beget Satan.  Well, that may be going far, but in using
good purpose to excuse their indulgence in violence and harm, these people
are working against Jesus and the Spirit.

	If you cannot see that the Ends do not justify the Means in a
world where morality matters, then I can't help you.  If you do not accept
the fact that morality does matter, then understand that the authors of the
article DO.  And if your point is that morality is immaterial, then say so
and let us go on to other things.

						Mark Terribile
						hou4b!mat
						(please send mail to me on
						hou4b, not hou4a)

mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor) (03/08/85)

>>>                                   . . .  According to the Catholic
>>>              Defense League of South Africa, the WCC through its 
>>>             Program to Combat Racism gave nearly $200,000 to anti-
>>>              South-African terrorist groups, including over $75,000
>>>              to the Southwest African Peoples' Organization (SWAPO)."
>>>              . . .
>>>           I don't understand why a supposedly Christian organization is
>>>      giving support to an Antichrist organization.  There's an old axiom
>>>      that says anything that walks lie a duck, talks like a duck, lays
>>>      ducks' eggs, and hangs around with other ducks, must probably be
>>>      some kind of a duck.  If this news item has any veracity, then it
>>>      would appear that the WCC is not in fact an ecclesiastic organization,
>>>      but rather a front for the collection of funds to support the
>>>      international Communist conspiracy.  (Note to US readers:  the US
>>>      affiliate of the WCC is the National Council of Churches.)
>>>                      Don Black
>        Racism, even South African style, is not the same as war.  And
>terrorism against individuals is not an acceptable way to bring about
>social change.  Why?  Because it is an act of hate that channels that
>hate into harm against particular individuals.  It is not self defense,
>nor is ip (possibly justifiable) anger against a tormentor.  It is doing
>harm to others for the purpose of doing harm, with the bad excuse that
>somewhere else there is an injustice.
>
>        That is why terror-based organizations and organizations that seek
>power only to expand their own control are anti-Christlike.  I agree that
>                                                Mark Terribile

While I agree with most of Mark's comments in principle, the original
author was talking about SWAPO, which is not, as I understand it, a
terrorist organization.  Rather, it has conducted a more military
campaign against the illegal S. African hold on S.W. Africa.  I don't
know to what degree SWAPO is supported by the USSR, and I don't really
care.  S.Africa holds S.W.Africa contrary to UN resolutions and contrary
to the stated policies of most nations.  Why support of SWAPO should
be equated with either AntiChrist or the international communist
conspiracy is beyond me.

Isn't this the same Don Black who was so confused that he thought
accepting World Court jurisdiction meant US citizens would be subject
to foreign laws?  I don't see why people bother to respond to his
postings; they contain no colour of fact.
-- 

Martin Taylor
{allegra,linus,ihnp4,floyd,ubc-vision}!utzoo!dciem!mmt
{uw-beaver,qucis,watmath}!utcsri!dciem!mmt