Tom Fox's Natural Born Killers

Tom Fox, the only American hostage who was among four Christian activists kidnapped last year in Iraq by the previously unknown Swords of Righteousness Brigades, has been killed. Tortured, shot and dumped on the side of the railway track in western Baghdad. More @ Michelle Malkin.

Al-Jazeera television aired footage of the three other activists this week, purportedly appealing to their governments to secure their release. The hostages seen in the brief video dated 28 February were Canadians James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32; and Briton Norman Kember, 74, who I have written about here.

Christian Peacemaker co-directors Doug Pritchard and Carol Rose issued a statement:

[...]We morn the loss of Tom Fox who combined a lightness of spirit, a firm opposition to all oppression, and the recognition of God in everyone.[...]
In response to Tom's passing, we ask that everyone set aside inclinations to vilify or demonize others, no matter what they have done.

Eh? I don't think we can be talking about the same God. Media Lies agrees:

I sympathize with Mr. Fox's family. They must be in incredible pain right now. But the stupidity of pacifists amazes me. If you recognize God in the people who killed Mr. Fox, for no more reason than he's an American, then I categorically reject the God you worship and I guarantee you that God is not the God of Christianity.

The organization's teams host human rights conferences in conflict zones, promoting peaceful solutions, and Tom Fox in particular worked on three major projects: helping families of incarcerated Iraqis, escorting shipments of medicine to clinics and hospitals in Fallujah and helping form Islamic Peacemaker Teams. This is the thanks he received.

As for the inclinations to vilify and demonize, we need to remember that the reason the Christian Peacemakers organization were there since 2002, was  to investigate allegations that U.S. and Iraqi forces had abused detainees. It seems however that the organization is more prepared to forgive the murderers, than to give the benefit of the doubt to the US Government.

During a news conference, the Rev. Carol Rose, a Christian Peacemaker Teams co-director, said she forgives Fox's kidnappers...

Gina Cobb writes a brilliant must read, scathing attack: "If we can't condemn those who deliberately abduct, torture, and murder an innocent man, who can we condemn?

Can it be that Doug Pritchard and his fellow activists are such advanced souls that they can forgive anybody for anything?  After all, Jesus taught us to forgive our enemies. Is superhuman forgiveness behind Doug Pritchard's statement that nobody should be vilified or demonized, "no matter what they have done"?

To answer that, we must ask whether Pritchard's call to "set aside inclinations to vilify or demonize others, no matter what they have done" includes, say, the United States and the Iraqi government.

Unfortunately, the answer to that question is no:

"We were the first to publicly denounce the torture of the Iraqi people held by occupation forces," CPT co-director Doug Pritchard told the BBC.  (BBC News, 11/30/05)

“Much of the goodwill that came with the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime has been thrown away by the brutality of the US occupation,” said Doug Pritchard, co-director of Christian Peacemaker Teams . . . . (Ekklesia, 1/17/06)

That's right.  This bunch of activists have no problem with vilifying and demonizing the United States by claiming that it "tortures" the "Iraqi people" and is engaging in "brutality" and "occupation."

Puzzling indeed.

Apparently if the U.S. wants to avoid vilification, it needs to do exactly what the "Swords of Righteousness Brigades" did to Tom Fox.

Instead of trying to hold, feed and clothe detainees, provide them with access to Muslim clergy, supply Korans, etc., the U.S. should just kidnap innocent people at random, release videotapes threatening them with death, and then torture and kill them in cold blood and leave their bodies in the streets. "

In the three years since the US-led coalition invaded Iraq, insurgents have kidnapped at least 250 foreigners and killed at least 40 of them.

Wretchard @ The Belmont Club: "The question that always bothered me was whether that person -- or any man -- had any right to expect someone else to do the dirty job for him. Can we ever simultaneously acknowledge the necessity of a deed and the absolute immorality of doing it? That in a nutshell is the Problem of Evil: that evil exists and that by and by we will have to face it. The question Tom Fox should have posed is "how do you stand firm against a car-bomber headed straight for a schoolbus?" And if you say, "shoot to save the children" ask yourself if it ever justified to be glad that God had sent someone else to shoot the bomber and go hell in your stead. Tom Fox stood for his beliefs to the bitter end. And now the men who killed him are out there, waiting to kill again."

Islamic websites carry al-Qaeda's last warning

More @  Mudville Gazette, The Moderate Voice, Dr. Sanity, The Jawa Report, A Blog For All  Ace of Spades

Comments

[Troy Anderson]

I am appalled at the absolute lack of gratitude these peaceniks have for our forces who saved their lives. Shame on them and the complete lack of manners. You cannot expect us to help when you take on the challenge of idiocy.

[MT]

Got it. :)

[MT]

Can someone please help me with how to trackback...I'm relatively new to this but seems like the appropriate courtesy. I just don't know what to do...maybe blogger doesn't allow.

Great posts Alexandra. LOVE your site.

MT

[Huan]

good choice with the Brom.

[Dave Schuler]

Eh? I don't think we can be talking about the same God.

I don't think that's quite it, Alexandra. When a dispassionate description of the acts of others reveals the acts to have been demonic, we do not demonize them by the description. They have demonized themselves through their acts.

[neo-neocon]

On forgiveness: a very interesting article that explores different points of view.

As far as Quakers and pacifism go, I have written several posts on the subject. One of the things I uncovered is that the Quaker founders were not pacifists in the same way that many Quakers later became, and that, even today, there is a split among Quakers on this subject. See here for more.

[josh]

They werent teaching Jesus there...
They are interfering. They dont belong there!
And the leaders of this group forgave his murderers...what a bunch of FOOLS!!!!

[DavidByron]

Quakers deserve a lot of respect. They are the most antiwar people out there. They are the peacemakers that Jesus blessed. Regardless of their theology these people are risking their lives to enact the hard teachings of Jesus and you are not.

[DavidByron]

I thought Sikhism was the religion of the sword:

The Kirpan (ceremonial sword) worn by followers of the Sikh religion sometimes raises questions or concerns among people who are unfamiliar with the religion or it's tenants. The Kirpan is an ingrained part of the Sikh religion and is in many ways it’s religious symbolism is similar to the Cross in Christianity. Just as a Cross is worn be devout Christians, baptized Sikhs are required to wear the Kirpan.

[RL]

Reports coming out of Baghdad have mentioned that there were signs of cruel and severe torture all over his dead body. May the good, gracious, merciful, holy, and living God of the Good Book Bless his soul and spirit. my prayers are with his family and friends.

The religion of the sword (Arabian flag) has been getting away with this sort of barbaric savagery for much too long now. It is comforting to know that the Living God is a perfectly just Judge, and as the Scriptures clearly teach us,

"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (in Christ)
Galatians 6:7-10

[josh]

Dont tell me that anybody is surprised by what these animals did..
Why are these people in a war zone???
They know the chances they are taking..
And of course everything America does is wrong

Nice pictures!!!