Prayer of Recommitment for Torture Awareness Month, June 2008

TORTURE IS A MORAL ISSUE

Dear Friends:

Please join us in an interfaith prayer during religious services the weekend of June 6-8 to observe the first full weekend of Torture Awareness Month.

Two months ago, President Bush vetoed legislation that would have banned the use of torture by US intelligence services. We worked hard to win passage of that legislation by both houses of Congress. This June we will publicly recommit ourselves, as people of faith, to continuing the struggle to end US-sponsored torture.

NRCAT is organizing a number of ways that you and your congregation can mark Torture Awareness Month. More than 150 congregations across the country have already committed to displaying a banner as part of our Banners Across America project. By June 1, we will have bumper stickers available for purchase on our website.

In addition, we are collaborating with Rabbis for Human Rights to encourage faith communities to incorporate a Prayer of Recommitment into religious services during the weekend of June 6-8 (and throughout the month). Offering a prayer is a simple but very important way to ask God to help us be faithful in this work, to raise awareness within our congregations and to join our voices with others all across the country. We offer this prayer as our government continues to assert the right to use interrogation tactics that torture other human beings.

As religious people, we must recommit ourselves to the important work of healing the soul of our nation and healing the wounds inflicted on those who have been tortured.

Click here for further information about the Prayer of Recommitment and plan to join faith communities across the country in this important witness during the weekend of June 6-8.

Sincerely,

Linda Gustitus, President
Rev. Richard Killmer, Executive Director