Churches Denounce War

U.S. church alliance denounces Iraq war

By BRIAN MURPHY
AP RELIGION WRITER

In this photo released by Agencia Brasil, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, speaks during the 9th Assembly by the World Council of Churches in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on Friday, Feb. 17, 2006. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva urged churches and religious leaders Friday to cooperate more closely to speed social and economic reforms in Latin America's largest nation. Speaking to a World Council of Churches gathering, Silva said churches have an "irreplaceable role in the task of transforming Brazil," whose economy has been growing but remains burdened by widespread poverty and limited public services in some regions. (AP Photo/Ricardo Stuckert-AGENCIA BRASIL/HO)

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil -- A coalition of American churches sharply denounced the U.S.-led war in Iraq on Saturday, accusing Washington of "raining down terror" and apologizing to other nations for "the violence, degradation and poverty our nation has sown."

The statement, issued at the largest gathering of Christian churches in nearly a decade, also warned the United States was pushing the world toward environmental catastrophe with a "culture of consumption" and its refusal to back international accords seeking to battle global warming.

"We lament with special anguish the war in Iraq, launched in deception and violating global norms of justice and human rights," said the statement from representatives of the 34 U.S. members of World Council of Churches. "We mourn all who have died or been injured in this war. We acknowledge with shame abuses carried out in our name."

"Our country responded (to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks) by seeking to reclaim a privileged and secure place in the world, raining down terror on the truly vulnerable among our global neighbors ... entering into imperial projects that seek to dominate and control for the sake of national interests," said the statement. "Nations have been demonized and God has been enlisted in national agendas that are nothing short of idolatrous."