Public Theology: No to torture, yes to truth

Dear Supporter,

Last week we shared with you the shocking video of former Bush advisor Marc Thiessen using his religious faith to justify torture -- on the faith-based TV network EWTN!

The faith community is demanding a stop to torture spin. We've already sent thousands of emails to EWTN as part of our new "Don't Spin Our Faith" campaign to hold religious media accountable on torture -- but we think we can do even better.

Click here to email EWTN and urge them to stop spinning their faith to promote torture.

In case you missed it, I've forwarded our original message below.

Thanks for all you do.

--Beth

Catholic cable network EWTN gave a former Bush staffer a platform to defend torture.

Religious media have a moral and journalistic obligation to tell the truth.

Tell EWTN: don't spin your faith, tell the truth about torture.

Dear Supporter,

We couldn't believe our eyes.

We just saw video of former Bush administration staffer Marc Thiessen on the Catholic cable network EWTN defending torture …and EWTN refused to correct the pro-torture spin.

Thiessen repeatedly tried to cover up the truth by calling waterboarding and other inhumane tactics "enhanced interrogation" instead of what they are -- torture. And EWTN even let him get away with claiming torture is consistent with religious values.

Email EWTN: torture spin shouldn't mix with faith.

While this kind of spin goes on every day in mainstream sources like the New York Times and even NPR, religious media is different.

Millions of people of faith rely on religious media to stay informed about the pressing issues of the day in a manner consistent with their values. That's why religious media have a moral and journalistic obligation to tell the truth about torture. We can't let them off the hook.

EWTN: Don't Spin your faith, tell the truth about torture.

Now is a critical moment. Torture proponents like Thiessen and former Vice President Cheney have launched a media blitz to win the hearts of the American people to their side - dangerously dragging down our moral standing in the world. Religious media need to counter this spin with the truth.

That's why Faithful America is launching the "Don't Spin Our Faith" campaign to monitor religious media of all traditions and hold them accountable for pro-torture spin.

Email EWTN: we need the truth about torture from religious media.

With polls showing that people of faith support torture in greater numbers than those of no faith, there is no better place to counteract pro-torture spin than religious media. [2]

This time our focus is on EWTN, but you can bet the next time a religious media outlet lets torture slide we'll hold them accountable, too.

Torture is ineffective and just plain wrong. Let's make sure that's something we never forget.

Thanks for all you do,

Beth, Katie, Dan, Kristin and Jennifer

The Faithful America Team

Sources:

[1] http://coalitionforclarity.blogspot.com/2010/02/scandal-ewtn-and-pro-torture-interview.html

[2] http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1210/torture-opinion-religious-differences

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