Minute on Peace

To all people of faith:
 
We live in a time of fear.  Americans fear for their personal and economic security.  We fear terrorism, external enemies, and environmental collapse.  Others in the world fear Americans.  We call on all people to recognize that true security lies within and among us - in our mutual participation in our common lives as creatures on this planet.  Only thus can we honor the birthright of respect for all, regardless of their circumstances and fortunes.
 
Seventeenth century George Fox said, “I live in the virtue of that life and power that takes away the occasion for all war.”  When our actions are motivated by the wisdom of this spirit, we cease creating pre-conditions for war and enter into the service and nurturance of all creation.  When our actions are motivated by fear and self-protectiveness, we sow the seeds of division and war.
 
We must commit to changing public policies to build a just and sustainable economic future.
 
We invite others to consider the following queries with us:
 

• Do we speak and act for peace?
  
• Does the manner in which we lead our lives as individuals, as Americans, and as global citizens, create the preconditions for war or for peace?
  
• Do we seek our security in the pursuit of wealth or in the equitable sharing of resources?
  
• In a world of increasing competition for resources and the dangers of climate change/global warming, do we work to end our dependence fossil fuels and to encourage the development of energy alternatives and resource conservation?
  

 
To paraphrase the Friends Committee on National Legislation (www.fcnl.org), a Quaker lobbying group:  Imagine what our nation’s foreign policies would look like if love and respect for humans dignity were our guiding principles instead of fear.