Methodist Pastor, Friend of Bush, Supports President on Iraq

November 4, 2002

NEW ORLEANS – At the end of the day, if it comes down to choosing between losing another life to terrorism or getting rid of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, the Rev. Kirbyjon H. Caldwell would vote for "taking out Saddam."

"President George Bush has made it clear that for the sake of security and the sake of our children, Saddam Hussein has to go," he said in an interview. He spoke with United Methodist News Service before addressing the United Methodist Association of Communicators annual meeting, held Oct. 30-Nov. 2 in New Orleans.

"I am not a big proponent of war, but neither do I want anybody else to fly anything into another building or sabotage our water system or attack the transportation system," he said.

Caldwell is pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston, the largest United Methodist congregation in the United States. He is a friend and self-designated "spiritual supporter" of Bush and gave the benediction at the president's inaugural ceremony. The president and first lady are United Methodists, attending churches in Dallas and Austin when they lived in Texas.

"I know a lot of mainline Protestant churches and bishops have come out against the war, and I respect that and applaud the fact they are expressing their opinions," Caldwell said. "But at the end of the day, we have to ask ourselves which do we want: no war, no war and pray for peace and hope there are no more attacks, or do we want to go ahead and take out Saddam Hussein and still pray for peace and hope for no more attacks."

The Bush administration is considering a "pre-emptive strike" against Iraq, which is believed to be building weapons of mass destruction in violation of U.N. resolutions.

Caldwell is married and the father of three children ages 5, 3 and 1. He admits having a family has changed his perspective on war.

"The whole idea of posterity is a lot nearer and dearer to my heart than it was five years ago. Abraham believed he lived everlasting through his children. I don't have that perspective, but I would like to see my children and their friends live a full life.

"If we go to war, hopefully it will be clear to the average American that we are going to war in order to make America and the world a safer place. Hopefully the dots will have been connected, and it will be very clear if we take out this guy and that guy and another guy, the risk of terrorism has been severely reduced."

People should keep in mind that the Bush administration has information the rest of us do not know anything about, he said.

"There are some things they know that we don't know that I am glad they haven't told us!" he said laughing.

More churches should be holding prayer vigils to pray for peace and for the leaders of our country, he said.

"I would encourage the believers to pray. The New Testament makes it clear you should pray for those in power.

"If we go to war and your church was not a good and faithful steward of the most awesome asset known to humankind – prayer – then an unbeliever could make the argument (that) had you prayed then maybe we would not be in this predicament," he said.

"There is no way if John Wesley were alive today he would not be praying and fasting," he said. "Folks don't pray, don't fast, then they want social holiness – I mean please, it doesn't work that way."

Caldwell was the keynote speaker at the opening luncheon for the United Methodist Association of Communicators annual meeting. During his presentation to the communicators, he said every local church should inform, transform and conform. He also urged those attending the meeting to live blessed and balanced lives.

"Strive to not be overworked and under-leisured," he said. "If you are overworked, you are a train wreck waiting to happen. You can't share what you don't have."

United Methodist News Service