Pacifism

Pacifism is the belief that ALL war and violence is wrong Pacifists believe that war is a category of violence that is never necessary, so they refuse to fight

If a war is declared, & they are ‘called up’, they become CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS, as killing people is against their conscience 16,00 in WW1 59,000 in WW11

Do you think it is fair that some people should opt out of fighting? How is it different from desertion due to cowardice? What do you think should happen to them?

Can you give any reasons why religious believers would not fight?

Our old friend – the SANCTITY OF LIFE Killing humans conflicts with their sacred writings War wastes precious lives & damages the environment It causes suffering, hatred & greed In the end, negotiation is needed, so why not do it in the first place?

Christian pacifists Believe in TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK They are willing to die, but not to kill for their beliefs They refuse to be in combat roles But may be prepared to be ambulance drivers or nurses

Christians Early Christians opposed all fighting One of their leaders, Origen said ‘For we no longer take sword against a nation, having become sons of peace for the sake of Jesus who is our leader’

How did Jesus react to violence? How did he react to his own arrest? What did he say you should do if someone struck you on the cheek?

Quakers (The Society of Friends) This is the most famous Christian pacifist denomination Katherine Fisher, 26, from Boston is a Quaker pacifist. She feels that all war, including the one in Iraq, is wrong, and has refused to pay the $1,200 she owed in federal taxes as a protest.

The Quaker campaign is called Turning the Tide

Quakers believe… That there is God in everyone William Penn said Let us then try what love can do: for if men did once see we love them, we should soon find they would not harm us. Do you agree? Can you think of any situations in which this would be naïve?

Their major objectives are To bring reconciliation To promote a culture of peace & non-violence To provide the means to bring about peace

Another Christian pacifist group is PAX CHRISTY, within the RC church

Famous Pacifists? Who have you studied, who is famous for having a non violent attitude, and maintaining non-violence in the face of open attack?

Who said….. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

Do you think that this method could be applied to ANY situation?

He considered whether Pacifism would have worked against Hitler, in Nazi Germany. He suggested that if ALL Germans had chosen to wear a yellow star, and not let the Jews be singled out, the Final Solution could not have been carried out

But he did also say that a non-violent approach works well against a leader with a conscience, but less so with a leader with no conscience. "if your opponent has a conscience, then follow Gandhi. But if you enemy has no conscience, like Hitler, then follow Bonhoeffer." Gandhi? Bonhoeffer?

Gandhi Gandhi was the leader of the Indian nationalist movement against British rule. His doctrine of non-violent protest to achieve political and social progress has been hugely influential. MLK was inspired by him, in planning non-violent protests

Bonhoeffer Dietrich Bonheoffer was a German Christian minister in the time of Hitler’s Nazi regime. He was naturally a PACIFIST and tried non-cooperation with the government e.g. refusing to fly the Swastika flag. He came to a point of reluctantly changing his mind & decided that pacifism would not work against Hitler.

He said that if a huge vehicle was crushing people under its wheels, there came a time ‘not just to bandage the victims under the wheel, but to jam a spoke in the wheel itself.’ He became convinced that Christians who did nothing were condoning the actions of Hitler

He became involved in a plot to kill Hitler. When the plot failed, he was captured, imprisoned & executed just days before the war ended