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From: mat@hou4a.UUCP (Mark Terribile)
Newsgroups: net.religion,net.politics
Subject: Re: Religion and politics don't mix?
Message-ID: <1023@hou4a.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 6-Mar-85 00:50:12 EST
Article-I.D.: hou4a.1023
Posted: Wed Mar  6 00:50:12 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 7-Mar-85 05:11:33 EST
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Xref: watmath net.religion:5878 net.politics:7980


>> 		                     . . .  According to the Catholic
>> 		Defense League of South Africa, the WCC through its 
>> 		Program to Combat Racism gave nearly $200,000 to anti-
>> 		South-African terrorist groups, including over $75,000
>> 		to the Southwest African Peoples' Organization (SWAPO)."
>>		. . .
>> 	     I don't understand why a supposedly Christian organization is
>> 	giving support to an Antichrist organization.  There's an old axiom
>> 	that says anything that walks lie a duck, talks like a duck, lays
>> 	ducks' eggs, and hangs around with other ducks, must probably be
>> 	some kind of a duck.  If this news item has any veracity, then it
>> 	would appear that the WCC is not in fact an ecclesiastic organization,
>> 	but rather a front for the collection of funds to support the
>> 	international Communist conspiracy.  (Note to US readers:  the US
>> 	affiliate of the WCC is the National Council of Churches.)
>> 			Don Black
>
>Could you please explain why 1) it is the work of an "Antichrist organization"
>when racism is combatted?  2) it is a symptom of a world communist conspiracy
>when racism is combatted?  I half expect an answer along the Arndtian terms
>of "If you don't knwo, you're blind and stupid", but I'd like to see som
>substantiation for this.
>"It's a lot like life..."			 Rich Rosen  ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr

Rich, if you'd stop wagging your staff and LOOK at what you are criticising
then maybe ... No, I guess I'll have to explain it.

	It does not good to use violence to stop racism.  In fact, if it
weren't for the fact that violence is the only way to resist a war, violence
would never be acceptable.  (note acceptable, not good)  Even on THIS question
there is and will continue to be debate.

	Racism, even South African style, is not the same as war.  And
terrorism against individuals is not an acceptable way to bring about
social change.  Why?  Because it is an act of hate that channels that
hate into harm against particular individuals.  It is not self defense,
nor is ip (possibly justifiable) anger against a tormentor.  It is doing
harm to others for the purpose of doing harm, with the bad excuse that
somewhere else there is an injustice.

	That is why terror-based organizations and organizations that seek
power only to expand their own control are anti-Christlike.  I agree that
the term Antichrist leaves one with the feeling that the author expects one
of these people to beget Satan.  Well, that may be going far, but in using
good purpose to excuse their indulgence in violence and harm, these people
are working against Jesus and the Spirit.

	If you cannot see that the Ends do not justify the Means in a
world where morality matters, then I can't help you.  If you do not accept
the fact that morality does matter, then understand that the authors of the
article DO.  And if your point is that morality is immaterial, then say so
and let us go on to other things.

						Mark Terribile
						hou4b!mat
						(please send mail to me on
						hou4b, not hou4a)