As Senate Votes On Gonzales Nomination, Faith Leaders Seek Forgiveness

[struggle4progress]

Torture Survivor, Rabbi, Princeton Theologian Offer Prayers Asking Forgiveness For Leaders Voting To Confirm Gonzales

Sister Dianna Ortiz, a US-born survivor of torture in Guatemala, Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Director of The Shalom Center, and Dr. George Hunsinger, Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and organizer of Church Folks for a Better America, today offered prayers seeking forgiveness for the US government's complicity in torture and for confirming a man who contributed to such an inconsistent policy.

The three were part of a group of more than 225 religious leaders who last month signed an open letter to Gonzales asking him to embrace and advance standards of international law and honor the dignity of all God's creation. Organized by Church Folks for a Better America, the list of signatories to the letter includes Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh leaders from across the United States. The letter and full list of signatories is available at http://www.cfba.info.

Dr. Hunsinger explained the impetus for offering the prayers, "As we continue to lament our government's refusal to abolish torture in all its forms, we pause to ask God to forgive us for our failures." Hunsinger continued, "While we cannot stop his confirmation, we can ask for forgiveness for our inability to stop it and for our leaders' who have in effect endorsed torture by voting for him." <snip>

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=42604