Book
of Discipline 2000 Part IV SOCIAL PRINCIPLES
¶165.
C) War and Peace – We believe war in incompatible with the teachings and
example of Christ. We therefore reject war as a usual instrument of national
foreign policy and insist that the first moral duty of all nations is to
resolve by peaceful means every dispute that arises between or among them; that
human values must outweigh military claims as governments determine their
priorities; that the militarization of society must be challenged and stopped;
that the manufacture, sale, and deployment of armaments must be reduced and
controlled; and that the production, possession, or use of nuclear weapons be
condemned. Consequently, we endorse general and complete disarmament under
strict and effective international control.
¶164.
G) Military Service – We deplore war and urge the peaceful settlement of all
disputes among nations. From the beginning, the Christian conscience has
struggled with the harsh realities of violence and war, for these evils clearly
frustrate God's loving purposes for humankind. We yearn for the day when there
will be no more war and people will live together in peace and justice. Some of
us believe that war, and other acts of violence, are never acceptable to
Christians. We also acknowledge that most Christians regretfully realize that,
when peaceful alternatives have failed, the force of arms may be preferable to
unchecked aggression, tyranny and genocide. We honor the witness of pacifists
who will not allow us to become complacent about war and violence. We also
respect those who support the use of force, but only in extreme situations and
only when the need is clear beyond reasonable doubt, and through appropriate
international organizations. We urge the establishment of the rule of law in
international affairs as a means of elimination of war, violence, and coercion
in these affairs.
Isaiah
61 (NJB)
1.
The spirit of Lord Yahweh is on me
for
Yahweh has anointed me.
He
has sent me to bring the news to the afflicted,
to
soothe the broken-hearted,
2. to proclaim liberty to captives,
release
to those in prison,
to
proclaim a year of favor from Yahweh
and
a day of vengeance for our God,
to
comfort all who mourn
3. (to give to Zion's mourners),
to
give them for ashes a garland,
for
mourning-dress, the oil of gladness,
for
despondency, festal attire;
and
they will be called "terebinths of saving justice",
planted
by Yahweh to glorify him.
4. They will rebuild the ancient ruins,
they
will raise what has long lain waste,
they
will restore the ruined cities,
all
that has lain waste for ages past.
5. Strangers will come forward to feed your
flocks,
foreigners
be your ploughmen and vinedressers;
6. but you will be called "priests of
Yahweh"
and
be addressed as "ministers of our God".
You
will feed on the wealth of nations,
you
will supplant them in their glory.
7. To make up for your shame, you will
receive double;
instead
of disgrace, shouts of joy will be their lot;
yes,
they will have a double portion in their country
and
everlasting joy will be theirs.
8. For I am Yahweh: I love fair judgment,
I
hate robbery and wrong-doing,
and
I shall reward them faithfully
and
make an everlasting covenant with them.
9. Their race will be famous throughout the
nations
and
their offspring throughout the peoples.
All
who see them will admit
that
they are a race whom Yahweh has blessed.
10. I exult for joy in Yahweh,
my
soul rejoices in my God,
for
he has clothed me in garments of salvation,
he
has wrapped me in a cloak of saving justice,
like
a bridegroom wearing his garland,
like
a bride adorned in her jewels.
11. For as the earth sends up its shoots
and
a garden makes seeds sprout,
so
Lord Yahweh makes saving justice and praise
spring
up in the sight of all nations.