Today I was invited to join a panel discussion about war and peace, and to share my experiences as a conscientious objector (I was discharged a few years ago from the Army as a CO). I explained that my objection was firmly based in the Gospel, and that if I were to share anything, it would be faith-based. He thought that was okay. But after we talked, I wondered if I would have the courage to say what I know I should:
Look, we are all against the war, right? But let’s not be shortsighted. To stop not only this war, but all wars, we must begin to build a culture of life – a civilization of love that recognizes the dignity and sacredness of all human life, a civilization of love built upon the foundation of family. Let us work together today to end this war, but let us all remember that the next war is brewing in the broken families of America, that the next war is formenting in a culture that worships death instead of teaching love. Until the hungry are fed, wars will continue. Until the homeless are housed, wars will continue. Until sex is valued as a means of creation rather than a tool of pleasure, wars will continue. And until we respect and nourish the most fragile of all human beings – the elderly, the sick, the insane, and yes, the unborn, until that day when all life is seen as holy – wars will continue. This is a message that some of us don’t want to hear. But if we want war to end, we must start within the borders of our own nation, within the boundaries of our own bodies.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In