Tuesday 24 July 2012

Let's hear it for the Methodists!

This was the enthusiastic title of an article in this week's Law Society Gazette, not a usual source of support for our work. 

Roger Smith, director of the law reform and human rights organisation, Justice, expressed delight that the Church had "grappled with the ethical elements of one of the major politico-miltary issues of the day - the use of unmanned military drones".

He argues that the key issue raised by drones is the ethics and law of assassination. The report by the Churches makes the point: "Terrorists function outside the law. It is vitally important that the UK and its allies do not do so too".

Actually it should have sung the praises of the URC too, as the report Drones: Ethical Dilemmas in the Application of Military Force  was considered at both the Methodist Conference and URC General Assembly, and will soon also be considered by Baptists. 

Smith ends with the line: "So the Methodists [and URC and Baptists] are right in their choice of relevance and morality."  Encouraging to hear that this work is striking a chord with new audiences.