by Bill C. Davis

George and the Pope agree about the sanctity of human life. Both claimto be loyal to the teachings of Jesus. Sure, they’ve had theirdisagreements in the past. The Pope asked George to spare the life ofKarla Faye Tucker, a convicted murderer who was, like George, bornagain. But her rebirth didn’t have the same pedigree as George’s and thethen governor had to refuse the Pope. But he did say this was not Texasjustice it was God’s. Hopefully that eased the Pope’s concerns aboutcapital punishment in general. As George so often says in reference topeople who don’t agree with him, “I’ll explain to him….” I’ll explain tothem….” The implication of course is that they don’t get it and with theright amount of patience he will be able to delineate all thecomplexities that will shed light on what they are not grasping.

Will George explain Mazar-i-sharif? Will the Pope and George and BillyGraham Jr. stand in the middle of the blood-soaked fortress and proclaimthe sanctity of human life? As the reports from foreign press come in,which contradicts earlier reports that the sight of a British journalistset off the “riot”, we are now learning that a CIA agent from Alabamawas interrogating a group of Taliban prisoners. He apparently asked oneprisoner, “What are you doing in Afghanistan?” A question that a morecollected and less vulnerable person might have responded to by puttingthe question back to the interrogator. Instead the question itself, orthe question in the context of other questions, or the face of the agent– or the tone – or just the entire angst of the moment lit the fuse.Clearly the situation was like a bomb that could have been defused orignited. It seems as though the CIA agent, however unwittingly, ignitedthe bomb. What was he looking for? Information? A defector? Was hehoping that one of these desperate and defeated men would divulge thewhereabouts of the mastermind of all our troubles – Osama? From thepictures it looked as of it was a shooting gallery. Human beingspulverized with overwhelming firepower. This is a war for civilizationafter all and when you’re fighting for civilization itself no firepowercan be spared.

Stories and convoluted explanations will cover any hint of atrocity.

Even if the Pope and the president can’t quite get the absolute truth ofthat great Christian principle once they move outsidea doctor’s office or a research laboratory, one hoped that thesemissionaries might have seized the opportunity to quote their personalsavior as microphones and cameras were being leveled at them. Talk aboutmissionary work. They were right there – they could have quoted Jesussafely at the White House or at CNN. No – they were just so grateful forall the prayers - for them. They forgot what propelled them toAfghanistan.

They brought pictures of Jesus and literature about him, but theyskipped the tough, gut truth of Jesus, which could have beentaught without mentioning his name in Afghanistan. They could havereminded born again George as he orchestrated his holy campaign againstall things evil and they could have even used the name of their mutualsavior. They, if the Pope and Billy Graham Jr. aren’t up to it, couldhave done the work of Jesus right there in the safe haven of a whiteChristian house. Christ said – “If you live by the sword you die by thesword.” He said, “Love your enemy.” He said, “Love even those who hateyou.” He said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” They could have asked thequestion, “What would Jesus do?” But they didn’t.

The man threatening the sanctity of human life, according to our twopowerful Christian leaders, is that man doing that cloning inMassachusetts. Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, and cuddly Tommy Franks do notthreaten the sanctity of human life. It’s good vs. evil. We will onlykill evil human life and if neutral human life is lost in the processthat will just have to be worth it. Of course Christ did teachredemption and forgiveness but he lived in a time that didn’t haveweapons of mass destruction so those notions, sweet as they are, need tobe streamlined and overhauled. And George and the Pope and Billy GrahamJr. are doing that and it’s a good thing for civilization. They andbible-reading John Ashcroft will keep all American lives safe as theybomb Afghanistan and shred civil liberties and impose secrecy. These areall good Christian principles because above all they want to keep ussafe.

Our lives are sacred and valuable and if we keep praying and shopping,all will be well. The terrorists are getting killed at arespectable rate and that just makes the world and America safer and wehave to thank God for that. And we will all pray that the rest of theworld and the mad scientists in this country will respect human lifebecause there is no greater value on the planet – except maybe safety.And the more evildoers we kill the safer we’ll be. And our smart bombsand our special op forces know the face of evil and they will killappropriately because that is what Christ would want them to do. Killonly the appropriate people. Yes – that’s it. That’s the new message ofChrist. Kill the people that need killing. And soon we will all live inpeace. And all life will have sanctity.

Bill C. Davis is a playwright http://www.billcdavis.com/

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