"Ninure Saunders" <> wrote in message news:< namic.covad.net>...

Pastoral Statement from Rev Troy Perry on treatment of Iraqi Prisoners

A Pastoral Statement From Metropolitan Community Churches

Statement by

The Reverend Dr. Troy D. Perry

Office of the Moderator

May 2004

The members of Metropolitan Community Churches share a collective sense of horror and indignation at the images taken from within prisons in Iraq and at allegations of abuse by United States troops.

When Jesus himself was arrested, he condemned the use of violence and said, "No more of this!" (Luke 22:51). As Christ's followers, we echo his words and speak them now to the governments responsible, particularly to the United States as the leader of the war in Iraq, and say, "No more of this!"

As people of faith, we adamantly believe that all people are entitled

to humane treatment, free of torture, degradation and abuse. Metropolitan Community Churches joins a growing chorus of international voices in condemning the conduct that occurred in the Iraqi prisons as violations of commonly held moral tenets and accepted

international standards.

Metropolitan Community Churches especially condemns the use of sexuality as an instrument of torture, shame, and intimidation. Our physical bodies and sexuality are good gifts that God has given us, to

be used wisely, for our pleasure and wholeness. There can be no justification for forcing sexual acts upon human beings against their will. That prisoners were forced to perform sexual acts that violate their religious principles and personal consciences is particularly heinous.

It is also a sign of our society's deeply troubled relationship with sexuality that homosexual acts were considered by the perpetrators to the acceptable forms of torture, shame and humiliation.

We are further deeply disappointed to learn that the governments of United States, Great Britain and Australia were informed of the prison

violations many months ago, yet took no public action to stop it.

In response to these horrific events, we encourage all people of good will to call upon their governments to ensure a full investigation of the conditions under which prisoners in all coalition-run facilities are detained, to hold accountable those who are responsible for these gross violations of human rights, and to work diligently to prevent such conditions in the future. We fully condemn the use of torture, including physical abuse and sexual violation, as part of any strategy

in any war.

As a Christian denomination with churches and ministries in 22 countries, Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) pledges to continue to work for a world in which all people are treated with dignity and equality and where sexuality is celebrated, respected and used for good.

/signed/ The Reverend Dr. Troy D. Perry Moderator, Metropolitan Community Churches