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Distant war, inner peace Mail Tribune / Jim Craven The Rev. Paul Robinson, pastor of the Medford Congregational United Church of Christ, says he believes the bombing of Afghanistan is wrong. Other faith leaders in the Rogue Valley agree with Robinson, but the majority support America's war effort. The leaders of the Rogue Valley's various congregations have found their fellowships, their faiths and even themselves in conflict By DANI DODGE I t was over long nights of prayer, reading and pondering his responsibility as a pastor that the Rev. Paul Robinson came to believe that America's bombing of Afghanistan is wrong. "It came down to this: What is the goal we are trying to achieve?" Robinson, of the Medford Congregational United Church of Christ, asked himself. "And if the final goal is a lasting and just peace, if that is the goal, then we can't win it by bombing. "It would be so easy to stand up and say, 'Let's bomb someone,' and get the anger out of ourselves, but that won't create the kind of world we want or need." Although polls show that 90 percent of the American public supports military action in Afghanistan, there are a few religious leaders in the Rogue Valley and elsewhere speaking out against the war in their churches and meeting houses. They look into history, the Bible, and their hearts and see no justification for America's military engagement in Afghanistan. Many other ministers express conflicted feelings about the war while still others believe wholeheartedly in President George Bush's military campaign of targeted bombing to root out terrorism. "I think most of the evangelical community understands what we are doing, why we are doing it and has no problems with it," said Perry Atkinson, general manager of KDOV 91.7-FM and president of Pacific Bible College. "There are plenty of biblical references to defending oneself and response to evil. "What I've heard is across-the-board support for what the president is doing." Since Sept. 11 when terrorists hijacked jets and flew them into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, killing more than 6,000 Americans, discussions of current events and their aftermath has become a common theme in sermons. Other than streakers running naked for peace, though, the most visible local war protesting has been focused at Peace House in Ashland, which has sponsored candlelight vigils and twice-monthly peace marches. But within their congregations, some churches are planning blanket drives for Afghans, forums for understanding the complexities of the situation and publicity campaigns for their political positions. Peace House director Molly Wetzel said their efforts to end the bombing in Afghanistan are heavily bolstered by the activities of local churches. She said it harkens back to church traditions of leadership in the peace and civil rights movements. "Today the religious leaders are putting the issues on the front burner and talking about the American policy and the repercussions of that policy," Wetzel said. "There's been a lot of networking with the churches and a lot of our volunteers are coming from the churches. " One religious organization that actually co-owns a building with Peace House is the South Mountain Friends - a Quaker group. The members believe there is the light of God in everyone, said member Bill Ashworth (the group doesn't have an official pastor or leader). "If you believe there is God in everyone," Ashworth said. "If you are bombing Afghanistan, you are bombing God." He said a guiding principal in this conflict should be from Matthew 25:40 in the Bible: "... whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (New International Version) Robinson, Ashworth and the Rev. Patt Herdklotz of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Rogue Valley said they believe the terrorists who attacked America need to be punished - but believe it is more appropriate to pursue them with an international police force rather than military action. They also favor economic sanctions over fighting. They suggested long-term solutions to conflict resolution should be considered, such as lessening America's dependence on oil and increasing the use of alternative energy sources. Robinson, an Air Force veteran, said the bombing campaign seems futile. "I think the problem we have with bombing Afghanistan is it's already been bombed back into the Stone Age - the Russians already did that," Robinson said. "Somehow we have to figure out how to end these terrorist cells, and the fear I have is the more bombing we do, the more we entrench them." Herdklotz said she believes people are in favor of the military action because it seems like a quick solution to the problem - but she says it won't work in the long run. "Violence begets violence," Herdklotz said. "In the long term, there has to be reason and compassion and those are the things that will sow the seeds of a world community." But unlike Herdklotz, many ministers believe there is a case for justified war. Although he says he wouldn't join a Peace march through downtown Medford today, Father Charles Christopher, an associate rector at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, said he may consider it if the bombing continues. "We were forced into a response, and I believe to a point it is appropriate" he said. "But there needs to be some limits on this thing and the limits are very soon." He said the war has left him with conflicting feelings, because "I look at the old saw stuff, 'What would Jesus do?'," Christopher asked. "I don't think he'd take up a gun. I'm sure he wouldn't approach it violently." He said a "touchstone" for him is Micah 6:8 "... And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (NIV) But many ministers say that the time for negotiations, economic sanctions and police actions is over. Like their pacifist colleagues, they don't want to see casualties, but believe America has to defend herself to remain strong and free. Dropping bombs on military targets like Bush is doing seems like a very appropriate response to the terrorist attacks. "If we were in a cold war, a war of words and politics, we could try sanctions, reasoning, international police force, all the things we have been doing until now," said Bob Gass, pastor of Harvest Baptist Temple. "But we don't have a war of words now." He said America must defend itself just as Israel was forced to defend itself in the Old Testament. "We don't retaliate just to retaliate," he said. "But we retaliate with a purpose and that is to bring terrorism to its knees." Pastor Craig Rench of the First Church of the Nazarene understands Father Christopher's concerns. He, too, can see this crisis from two different perspectives. A Navy Reserve chaplain, Rench supports the military action but also helps military personnel obtain conscientious objector status. "Jesus never defended himself - for people to extrapolate from that saying any war is wrong, I can respect their position. I can see where they are coming from," he said. "But on the other hand, I've had the privilege of chaplaining men of great rank and men of great faith who have bled in war and watched their buddies die and believe in all their hearts that the greatest guarantee of peace is a strong military." He quotes passages from Romans 13. "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. ..." But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer." (NIV) Rench says, to him, that passage means government is a tool in the hands of God, and God uses governments to avenge evil. "God understands human nature and without government authority that can yield force, we will run amok," Rench said. "We will have nothing but anarchy and total lawlessness." He said the military forces that are putting life on the line fighting in this war on terrorism are essentially fighting to preserve the right of those people who want to speak out against the bombing campaign. "It's amazing and thrilling to me we live in a country where people can hold a position like that," Rench said. "Do you think the Taliban are respecting conscientious objectors?" Reach reporter Dani Dodge at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.