““It is easier to make war It is easier to make war than to make peace.”than to make peace.”

~ Georges Clemenceau~ Georges Clemenceau

““We are advocates of the We are advocates of the abolition of war, we do not abolition of war, we do not want war; but war can only want war; but war can only be abolished through war, be abolished through war,

and in order to get rid of the and in order to get rid of the gun it is necessary to take gun it is necessary to take

up the gun.”up the gun.”

~ Mao Tse-Tung~ Mao Tse-Tung

““We know more about We know more about war than we do about war than we do about peace – more about peace – more about killing than we know killing than we know

about living.”about living.”

~ General Omar Bradley~ General Omar Bradley

““The purpose of peace is not The purpose of peace is not just to mark time till the next just to mark time till the next war. Rather, war itself is the war. Rather, war itself is the undesirable situation. … If undesirable situation. … If

the aim is peace, war is the aim is peace, war is simply the wrong way to go simply the wrong way to go after it. You cannot paint a after it. You cannot paint a wall white with black paint.”wall white with black paint.”

~ Denis Byler, Mennonite ~ Denis Byler, Mennonite TheologianTheologian

““Love does not exclude Love does not exclude wars of mercy waged by wars of mercy waged by

the good.”the good.”

~ Augustine~ Augustine

““Why do Christians Why do Christians forever quote Augustine forever quote Augustine

instead of Christ?”instead of Christ?”

~ Erasmus~ Erasmus

““The Christian principle, The Christian principle, ‘Love your enemies’ is ‘Love your enemies’ is

good. There is nothing to good. There is nothing to be said against it except be said against it except that it is too difficult for that it is too difficult for most of us to practice most of us to practice

sincerely.”sincerely.”

~ Bertrand Russell, ~ Bertrand Russell,

Philosopher, AtheistPhilosopher, Atheist

““Spears and swords of Spears and swords of iron we leave to those iron we leave to those

who, alas, consider who, alas, consider human blood and swine’s human blood and swine’s blood of well-high equal blood of well-high equal

value.”value.”

~ Menno Simons, 1550, ~ Menno Simons, 1550, Founder of the Founder of the

MennonitesMennonites

““I think death would be I think death would be much better than to live much better than to live through another war.”through another war.”

~ C.S. Lewis~ C.S. Lewis

““Everything, everything Everything, everything in war is barbaric. But in war is barbaric. But

the worst barbarity of war the worst barbarity of war is that it forces men is that it forces men

collectively to commit collectively to commit acts against which acts against which

individually they would individually they would revolt with their whole revolt with their whole

being.”being.”

~ Ellen Key~ Ellen Key

““Peace cannot be kept by Peace cannot be kept by force. force.

It can only be achieved It can only be achieved by understanding.”by understanding.”

~ Albert Einstein~ Albert Einstein

““The case for biblical The case for biblical pacifism begins and ends pacifism begins and ends

with Jesus. It is the Christian with Jesus. It is the Christian belief that Jesus fully belief that Jesus fully

reflected the nature of God reflected the nature of God and that Jesus is what and that Jesus is what

people will be like if they people will be like if they bother to do God’s will.”bother to do God’s will.”

~ Denis Byler, Mennonite ~ Denis Byler, Mennonite TheologianTheologian

““When Jesus holds up his When Jesus holds up his own enemy-love as an own enemy-love as an

example for his disciples, he example for his disciples, he is not off in a never-never is not off in a never-never

unreal religious world where unreal religious world where enemies don’t matter. He is enemies don’t matter. He is

in a world where your in a world where your country’s enemies torture country’s enemies torture you to death on a cross.”you to death on a cross.”

~ Denis Byler~ Denis Byler

““It would be better to suffer It would be better to suffer physical defeat than moral physical defeat than moral

defeat; better to lose defeat; better to lose freedom of speech, of freedom of speech, of

assembly, even of religion, assembly, even of religion, than freedom of conscience than freedom of conscience before God. For in his sight before God. For in his sight

integrity is yet more integrity is yet more valuable than liberty.”valuable than liberty.”

~ John Stott~ John Stott

““Lord, make me an Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. instrument of Your peace.

Where there is hatred let me Where there is hatred let me sow love; where there is sow love; where there is

injury, pardon; where there injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is doubt, faith; where there

is despair, hope; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where is darkness, light; and where

there is sadness, joy.”there is sadness, joy.”

~ Francis of Assisi~ Francis of Assisi

““We are called to pray for We are called to pray for our leaders. Regardless of our leaders. Regardless of

our views of what our our views of what our leaders are doing, people of leaders are doing, people of

grace are called to an grace are called to an ongoing commitment of ongoing commitment of

prayer for those who have prayer for those who have been given the privilege to been given the privilege to

lead within our lead within our governmental systems.”governmental systems.”

~ Ken Hoke, BIC General ~ Ken Hoke, BIC General SecretarySecretary

““We call the Brethren in We call the Brethren in Christ Church in North Christ Church in North America to prayerfully America to prayerfully

consider what it means to be consider what it means to be Christ Followers in these Christ Followers in these days and to live out the days and to live out the

reality of life that is now ours reality of life that is now ours in and through Jesus Christ in and through Jesus Christ

our Prince of Peace.”our Prince of Peace.”

~ Ken Hoke, March, 2003~ Ken Hoke, March, 2003

Some trust in chariots and Some trust in chariots and

some in horses,some in horses, but we trust in the name but we trust in the name

of the Lord our God. of the Lord our God.

~ Psalm 20:7 (NLT)~ Psalm 20:7 (NLT)

With the tongue we praise With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human with it we curse human beings, who have been beings, who have been made in God's likeness.made in God's likeness.

~ James 3:9 (TNIV)~ James 3:9 (TNIV)

God blesses those who God blesses those who work for peace,work for peace,

for they will be called the for they will be called the children of God.children of God.

~ Matthew 5:9 (NLT)~ Matthew 5:9 (NLT)

My command is this: My command is this: Love each other as I Love each other as I

have loved you.have loved you.

~ John 15:12 (TNIV)~ John 15:12 (TNIV)

While we were God’s While we were God’s enemies, we were enemies, we were

reconciled to him through reconciled to him through the death of his Son.the death of his Son.

~ Romans 5:10 (TNIV)~ Romans 5:10 (TNIV)

““It seems to be historically It seems to be historically proven that for two centuries, proven that for two centuries,

until the conversion of until the conversion of Constantine, the great Constantine, the great

majority of Christians refused majority of Christians refused to serve as soldiers.”to serve as soldiers.”

~ John Stott~ John Stott

““Peace should be the object of your desire; Peace should be the object of your desire; war should be waged only as a necessity, war should be waged only as a necessity, and waged only that God may by it deliver and waged only that God may by it deliver men from the necessity and preserve them men from the necessity and preserve them in peace. For peace is not sought in order in peace. For peace is not sought in order to the kindling of war, but to the kindling of war, but war is waged in war is waged in

order that peace may be obtainedorder that peace may be obtained. . Therefore, even in waging war, cherish the Therefore, even in waging war, cherish the spirit of a peacemaker, that, by conquering spirit of a peacemaker, that, by conquering those whom you attack, you may lead them those whom you attack, you may lead them

back to the advantages of peace.”back to the advantages of peace.”~ Augustine~ Augustine

Augustine on the Sorrow of TortureAugustine on the Sorrow of Torture

a) People lie about their sins/crimes.a) People lie about their sins/crimes.b) These same people will more likely tell b) These same people will more likely tell the the truth when tortured.truth when tortured.c) Therefore torture is necessary to c) Therefore torture is necessary to maintain maintain justice.justice.d) Unfortunately, some people lie under d) Unfortunately, some people lie under torture, torture, admitting crimes they are not admitting crimes they are not guilty of.guilty of.e) True Christians should cry “fountains of e) True Christians should cry “fountains of tears” over this tears” over this necessarynecessary state of affairs. state of affairs.

Note: He never considers the concept Note: He never considers the concept that torture itself may be wrong.that torture itself may be wrong.

Augustine on the Sorrow of TortureAugustine on the Sorrow of Torture

a) People lie about their sins/crimes.a) People lie about their sins/crimes.b) These same people will more likely tell b) These same people will more likely tell the the truth when tortured.truth when tortured.c) Therefore torture is necessary to c) Therefore torture is necessary to maintain maintain justice.justice.d) Unfortunately, some people lie under d) Unfortunately, some people lie under torture, torture, admitting crimes they are not admitting crimes they are not guilty of.guilty of.e) True Christians should cry “fountains of e) True Christians should cry “fountains of tears” over this tears” over this necessarynecessary state of affairs. state of affairs.

Note: He never considers the concept Note: He never considers the concept that torture itself may be wrong.that torture itself may be wrong.

““This is how just-war thinking ever This is how just-war thinking ever since Constantine and Augustine since Constantine and Augustine has worked. People simply go on has worked. People simply go on killing each other as usual. And killing each other as usual. And

then the theologians follow behind then the theologians follow behind and explain why it was necessary. and explain why it was necessary. Christians who believe in just wars Christians who believe in just wars

feed a monster and expect to control feed a monster and expect to control it. But they always lose control.”it. But they always lose control.”

~ Denis Byler, Mennonite Theologian~ Denis Byler, Mennonite Theologian

For if, while we were God's For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled enemies, we were reconciled

to him through the death of his to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be been reconciled, shall we be

saved through his life!saved through his life!

~ Romans 5:10 (TNIV)~ Romans 5:10 (TNIV)