From Deseret News archives:
Text of the statement from Utah faith leaders regarding torture
We affirm the Nov. 9 statement from the National Council of Churches, which says in part: "Torture turns its face against the biblical truth that all humans are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27). It denies the preciousness of human life and the dignity of every human being by reducing its victims to the status of despised objects, no matter how noble the cause for which it is employed."
The General Assembly of the National Council of Churches and Church World Service voted unanimously to approve the statement (see below) disavowing the use of torture in any form.
We urge the members of our faith communities to contact their respective members of Congress advocating passage of the 2006 Defense Appropriations bill with the "anti-torture provisions" from the Senate's bill be included.
While this statement comes from a national group of Christian churches, we believe that all of our faith traditions can uphold the same intent to "love our neighbors as ourselves," a common thread found in nearly every world religion.
Signed:
The Right Rev. Carolyn Tanner Irish, Episcopal Bishop of Utah
Father John E. Norman, Roman Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City
Rev. Carla Gilbert, United Church Christ, Congregational, Ogden, Utah
Rev. Tom Goldsmith, Salt Lake Unitarian Church
Ms. Dee Rowland, Roman Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City
Ghulam Hasnain, Muslim Community, Salt Lake City
Rev. Scott Weisser, First Baptist Church, Salt Lake City
Rev. Catherine Putnam, Wasatch Presbyterian Church, Salt Lake City
Rev. Marvin L. Groote, Executive Congregational Consultant, Utah Presbytery
The Very Rev. William Maxwell, Dean Emeritus, St. Mark's Cathedral, Salt Lake City
Ms. Raven Simons, Utah Pagan Clergy Association, Salt Lake City
Rev. David Henry, Wasatch Presbyterian Church, Salt Lake City
Pastor Kevin James, Seventh-day Adventist Church, Ogden
The Rev. Jessica Hatch, Episcopal Community Services, Salt Lake City
The Rev. Len Evans, Grace Episcopal Church, St. George
Ms. Sue Marquardt, Wasatch Presbyterian Church, Salt Lake City
The Rev. W. Lee Shaw, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, West Valley City
The Rev. Robin James. St. Mark's Cathedral, Salt Lake City
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