The meter clicked over to 2,000 this week as the number of American lives lost in Iraq mounted. According to The Associated Press, the U.S. Senate on Tuesday observed a moment of silence in honor of the fallen Americans.

"We owe them a deep debt of gratitude for their courage, for their valor, for their strength, for their commitment to our country," said Republican Majority Leader Bill Frist.

The National Council of Churches has posted prayers and called for a Weekend of Remembrance to call for peace.

But the occupation is expected to continue, and the insurgency. Most conservative Christian news sources did not acknowledge the 2,000th death among U.S. Troops in Iraq. Maybe Christianity Today will have something tomorrow. Baptist Press has an Oct. 20 article quoting Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the progress of U.S. troops since occupying Iraq in 2003.

Of course I wouldn’t expect most Christian news sources (ChristianPost.com has a story about someone raising funds for veterans, Crosswalk.com managed to find a gay slant to a war story they ran from CNSNews.com) to call for peace. But I dare them.

I mean really. Are abortion deaths the only deaths conservative Christians care about? Is homosexuality the only hot-button issue.

Sure, most anti-war activists are left leaning both politically and religiously, and they may be using the 2,000th war death to springboard more protesting. But shouldn’t left, right and every other kind of people care about the number of men and women who have given their lives in Iraq?

I say churches of all ideologies should ring their bells long and loud this weekend. We should all light candles and remember the fallen. We should all pray for the families, for the government leaders, for the U.S. and for Iraq, for patience and yes, for peace. You don’t have to be a hippie to see that.

A non-response from conservative Christians is also a response. The silence is perhaps louder than words. It’s certainly different than the usual whining.

I like the response Rick Warren offered in the face of controversial quotes being printed on Starbuck’s coffee cups. He offered his own quote.

According to USA Today, "It will be the first mention of God in the company's provocative quote campaign, The Way I See It." This year Starbucks is printing 63 quotes from writers, scientists, musicians, athletes, politicians and cultural critics on their cups.

Now, along with the words of others, and reportedly few about God and most completely against God or at best controversial, are Warren’s words about a purpose-driven life.

I think this is an example of how churches, too, should join the public discourse. We shouldn’t hide behind one political ideology or another. We should choose our actions and words wisely. But to say nothing and to do nothing are also bold statements.

At the very least churches, all churches, should be at the forefront of prayer for U.S. troops and for Iraq.