Bush's Church publicaly denounces Iraq War again

international | anti-war / imperialism | other press Saturday November 12, 2005 02:47 by anon

United Method Call to Repentance and Peace with Justice

A bishops' letter in the fall of 2002 against war and a 2004 statement urging United Nations' involvement in finding peace in Iraq were not enough, 95 bishops of the United Methodist Church said in a "Statement of Conscience" released Wednesday.

The latest statement - a "Call to Repentance and Peace with Justice" - urges church members to work for peace and confesses the church's silence and inaction as the United States went to war.

"We confess our preoccupation with institutional enhancement and limited agendas while American men and women are sent to Iraq to kill and be killed, while thousands of Iraqi people needlessly suffer and die, while poverty increases and preventable diseases go untreated," reads the statement. "We commit ourselves to peacemaking as an integral component of our own Christian discipleship."

President Bush is a member of the United Methodist Church.

The 11-million member church is led by 50 full-time U.S. and 19 international bishops. Retired bishops also belong to the Council of Bishops.