| Disgusted by NCC leaders plea to pray for our enemies By Ronald G. Eberhardt  In my 36 years of being a Methodist I have never, not ever, been more dismayed, disgusted and ashamed as I was after reading the so-called Prayer for Peace that appeared in the e-connection by former congressman the Rev. Bob Edgar, head of the National Council of Churches.
It was the most left-handed, insensitive, politically motivated statement I have ever had the displeasure of reading and I could never have imagined that I would read it as an insert in the Sunday bulletin of my home church. The very idea that at the hour that the United States of America is engaged in a war against the tyrannical government of Saddam Hussein that any American, let alone, churchman would dare to make the preposterous suggestion that Christians should pray for the men and women of the armed forces of both sides is preposterous. This, as American servicemen were dying in battle and others being taken prisoner of war, leaves me furious. To state the absolute lie, in a mission not of their making is pure propaganda that sounds more like it was written by Husseins Aziz than a Methodist minister. The United States military is 100 percent voluntary and it takes an oath to carry out the orders of its commander-in-chief and those in the chain of command. On the other hand, Iraqs so-called army, more Hessian soldier and involuntary conscript operating outside of any legitimate military doctrine of war, acts completely of its own will and possesses the alternative of refusing to fight for a maniacal murderer by laying down their weapons. The final insult is to suggest that Christians ought to pray for the leaders of the United States, of Iraq, and of the United Nations, the latter who directly caused this war: Iraq, by its deceitful failure to abide by the UN resolutions over 12 years (not to mention 24 years of murder, mayhem and basic disregard for human life), and the UN itself by its complete inability to rise to its duty to enforce its own sanctions. As Methodists we constantly pray for justice. Since when does freeing people from tyranny not comport with our prayers for justice? Edgar made two highly offensive trips to Iraq using the pitiful pawns of Iraqi children eagerly provided by the murderous regime as a backdrop to his position of no war. His trip was funded, I think, directly or indirectly by The United Methodist Church. More then 70 percent of Americans approve of the war with the Iraqi regime as necessary and appropriate. And, even if that were not the case, this is a democracy and the commander-in-chief has told the American people that he believes Iraq to be a clear and present danger to the security and interests of the U. S. I will always support the presidency. People like Edgar care nothing for the presidency, its all about partisan politics. I think those who read Edgars letter, who either have families directly serving in harms way or know those who are or who simply want to support the U. S. military, must feel violated. You simply do not expect this in your church. How could anyone approve the publication of this tripe without a clear understanding of its horrible impact and inappropriateness? Perhaps now is a perfect time for The United Methodist Church to reexamine its association and support of the National Council of Churches. Perhaps now is the time to make this a national Methodist issue and nail it to the door of the church. Ronald G. Eberhardt is a member of Metropolitan Memorial UMC in Washington, D.C. | 
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