The group that has touted and supported Bush for so long have finally started to turn their back on his failed policies, including the war on terror. The National Association of Evangelicals represents nearly half of the approximate 60 million Americans that consider themselves Evangelicals. Their decision to go against the war is a signal that they will not stand idly by as Bush trampels on their principils of non-violence after only paying mock tribute to their socially conservative stands on issues such as abortion and gay marriage.
From Reuters:
"United States law and military doctrine has banned the resort to torture or cruel and degrading treatment. Tragically, documented cases of torture and inhumane and cruel behavior have occurred at various sites in the war on terror," the National Association of Evangelicals said in a statement.
"Current law opens procedural loopholes for more to continue," said the statement endorsed by the association's board of directors at its annual meeting in Eden, Minnesota, over the weekend. It was the first big NAE meeting since its former president Ted Haggard stepped down in November over a gay-sex scandal.
Evangelical Christians have been among the staunchest supporters of the U.S. war in Iraq and the broader war on terror and many rankle at criticism of the American military which they see as unpatriotic and even un-Christian.
Now the internal fight will further the schisms in the religious right and conservatism as a whole. For a while the divide began between fiscal and religious conservatives, now the cracks are opening up in brand new areas. The increase in ad hominem attacks is predicted to reach record heights as the ad hominem masters turn in on themselves. This battle should be entertaining to say the least as feelings get hurt and the anger of the 'pious' right shows its ugliness inward.
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