faith in action

A conversation with U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie

Church and Society's Mark Harrison sat down for a brief conversation with U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) to talk about peace on the Korean Peninsula. Here's the transcript.


Harrison and Massie sit opposite each other in Massie’s Capitol Hill office.

The United Methodist Church, through actions of the General Conference, has long supported diplomatic efforts to ensure peace on the Korean Peninsula. Church positions are clear about calling for peace. I sat down with U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky and fellow United Methodist, to talk briefly about peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Harrison: Congressman, you are a United Methodist. How does your faith inform you on issues of peace on the Korean Peninsula?

Rep. Massie: Well as a Christian, I always come back to the Golden Rule – to treat others as you would want to be treated. I learned that in Sunday School. And while I’m partial to the United Methodist faith, all Christian denominations share that same call.

Now I have visited the DMZ [Demilitarized Zone] between North and South Korea, and it becomes very apparent that upon any act of war, hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of civilians and military personnel will die.

We must do what we can to prevent that from happening. So, I am working with my colleagues to help prevent violence and war.

Harrison: And you have now introduced legislation with Congressman Khanna (HR 4837). Can you tell us about that legislation and what it calls for?

Rep. Massie: The constitution prohibits the President from waging war without Congressional approval. Our bill re-asserts that the president would need to have Congressional approval before taking pre-emptive military action against North Korea. Our bill goes one step further by withholding funding from the President for military action against North Korea in the absence of Congressional approval. We know the stakes are high and many lives would be affected, so we need to avoid any military actions that are not well-thought out. We hope to pass this bipartisan legislation to avert an unnecessary war.

Harrison: Finally, people around the world will be gathering to watch the Olympics this weekend. A truce has been reached for the duration of the Olympic games. Do you think the Olympic Truce is important as an example of what can be accomplished on the Korean Peninsula?

Rep. Massie: I am a proponent of engaging with North Korea rather than closing them off, so I see the truce as a positive step. If it shows that the different parties can come to the table, then it might be a good starting point.

Harrison: Is there anything else you would like to add that we haven’t talked about?

Rep. Massie: Well, we’re here talking about the Korean Peninsula, but it’s not just that region that is involved in conflict. We have wars going on in Syria and Yemen, and a 17-year long war in Afghanistan. We have soldiers that will be deployed next year that weren’t even born when we first entered that war. We should work to extract our military from these conflicts where America’s vital interests are not at stake. Doing so will prevent the further loss of American soldiers and innocent civilians abroad.

Harrison: Thank you, Congressman Massie, for taking the time to share with us. I want to encourage United Methodists to use Friday’s Opening Ceremony and the entire Olympic Games as an opportunity to have conversations with your families, friends and congregations about peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula. I also want to encourage United Methodists to call their members of Congress and ask them to cosponsor HR 4837 and work for peace and diplomacy on the Korean Peninsula.