The immorality of torture

There have been a lot of articles in the news recently about the Bush administration's policies involving torture. The administration allowed torture in several cases. This consisted of sleep deprivement, waterboarding, mild beatings, all the perverse sexual abuse at Abu Ghraib (I admit the last one has officially been said to have been not known about by high leadership) and other things. I've argued to friends for some time that the fact that we are threatened does not justify us using whatever means necessary to protect ourselves. We should still have rights, order, and morality. I want to prove this using the scriptures.

Moroni 9 is a hard chapter to read in the Book of Mormon because it tells the horrible crimes of the Nephites and Lamanites. In verse 8 we learn that the Lamanites are killing the husbands and fathers of prisoners and feeding them to their wives and children. They are also depriving the prisoners of water. Then in verse 9 and 10 we learn that the Nephites are even worse. They raped their prisoners, tortured them to death, and ate their flesh. These acts are strongly condemned by Mormon.

The Book of Mormon was written for our day. I think these verses are telling us that morallity still must be maintained in war. Both sides are condemned for atrocities. Also, in the Book of Mormon a common theme is that if we are righteous God will fight our battles. In fact this is taught in detail in the Bible as well in Leviticus 26. In verses 3,6-8 it tells us that if we are righteous the Lord will fight our battles and give us peace. This implies to me that we need not lower our standards and torture and rape and deprive people of rights. Whatever information we are lacking from not torturing will be made up for in God's protection.

To fight evil we cannot become evil.