Pacifism or non-violence?
Graham of Leaving Munster makes some excellent points about the difference between pacifism and non-violence.
Pacifism…can simply be a way to avoid violence. Yet, nonviolent resistance – which is what Christ teaches us and is at the heart of our faith – looks Violence in the eye and squares up for battle…Some of the News reports in the last couple of days have verged on mockery as they related how the Christian Peacemaker Teams in Iraq had not been employing appropriate security measures. (So, like, what did they expect?!) Yet, how do we seek to stand with a people, without dehumanising them as the enemy, whilst protecting oneself from them? The four men of the Christian Peacemaker Teams – Tom Fox, Norman Kember, James Loney and Harmeet Singh Sooden – did not walk blindly into this situation. Yet, that should not evoke mockery from us, but admiration. No one greets a grieving war widow with,“What did you expect? It was a war after all!” Instead, we list as heroes those who would fight and risk their own lives to save the lives of others.
Violence continues to win because more people believe its lies.
pax et bonum
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