How Moral is the Iraq War? 
"How moral is the Iraq War? That's the question Lutherans in the Pacific Northwest asked in their recent regional meeting, concluding that the war is neither moral nor just. They voted to take a public stand against the war in Iraq.
"The evangelical Lutheran Church in America covers a geographical area that runs from Kent/Des Moines to the Canadian border, from the Cascades to Puget Sound."
There are 52,000 Lutherans in this area, and 112 congregations.
Church organizations dedicated to peace such as the Mennonites, Amish, Quakers and Church of the Brethren have opposed taking up arms to kill other human beings.
However the traditional majority of churches in the U.S. have accepted what can be called "the just war doctrine."
With this view, war can only be accepted as a last resort. A war is considered just only when declared by legitimate authority in the U.S.A. That means only can a war be justified if Congress declares war, which is required by the Constitution.
Only to redress a wrong can a war be justifiably declared. Of course self-defense against an armed attack is considered a just cause to go to war.
A just war can only be fought when there is a reasonable chance of success. The death and the injuries that cannot achieve legitimate objectives for going to war in the first place if the war cannot be justified.
When the conflict continually worsens and generates either a civil war or a sectarian war it becomes glaringly apparent it is a hopelessly tragic war.
If there are no rules for conducting a war except "might makes right" we have plunged civilization back to barbarism.
Why does the Bush Administration ignore the rules of warfare established by the Geneva Convention? Why has this Administration ignored the U.S. Constitution, when they wanted to? Why have they ignored the centuries old just war tradition?
The Northwest Synod of the Lutheran Church in America has defined their opinion of the Iraq War.
Anthony B. Robinson explains exactly what the Iraq War is:
"The Iraq War was justified as a `pre-emptive war.' A pre-emptive war is fought on the basis of, `We better attack them before they attack us.' Just war teaching says `no' to a pre-emptive war."
If Christians, Jews, Muslims and all religions would rise up and demand an end to the Iraq War all over the world, their urgent voices might be heard.
May those responsible for the Iraq War and its death, destruction and debt be judged fairly at The Hague International Court of Justice.
It is not vengeance we seek but justice for all.
KEYWORDS: Lutheran Church of America on Iraq War, Pre-emptive War, Just War, Geneva Convention
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