[Grovenet] Avoiding WAR (WAS: draft vs. volunteer)Quakers

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Yes, that's a favorite of mine too. I especially liked the buggy "races" to
the meeting house <G>.

Those stories address individual choices about action. But those individuals
had a choice because someone else was out there killing and dying to keep
the country safe for them.

It seems to me that the problem is that we are convinced that we have to use
force to protect ourselves because we've always used force to protect
ourselves. There's a lot of evidence to suggest that's true. We have many
examples of people who did not take up arms to protect themselves. The Jews
in Europe in the 1930 for example, or the early Christians in Rome. 

My gosh, if people aren't willing to risk danger or death for themselves or
their children in the military, how many will willing offer themselves and
their children to be horribly murdered rather than take up arms?

Is there an alternative? I'd like to think so. The only people I've seen who
have come close are those, like devout Buddhists, who forsake all earthly
desires and obligations, including families and even their own lives. It has
to be equally acceptable to them to be murdered, die of exposure or
starvation, or to live on another day after finding food and shelter
somewhere. Their existence cannot include thoughts of wanting to care for
others, even their own children, or to live to see another day.

Faced with options like that, War, no matter how horrible, starts to look
like a better option, as it was for some Quakers in "Friendly Persuasion".


Ron D'Eau Claire 



-----Original Message-----
From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
Behalf Of Alana Graham
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 11:48 AM
To: Forest Grove local interests list
Subject: [Grovenet] Avoiding WAR (WAS: draft vs. volunteer)Quakers


A really good movie about war and Quakers is an old
one from 1956, "Friendly Persuasion" starring Gary
Cooper, Dorothy Maguire and Anthony Perkins.  You can
get it at Blockbuster.

The story has stayed with me since I saw it as a kid.

"Plot Summary for Friendly Persuasion (1956) 
The story of a family of Quakers in Indiana in 1862.
Their religous sect is strongly opposed to violence
and war. It's not easy for them to meet the rules of
their religion in everyday life but when Southern
troops pass the area they are in real trouble. Should
they fight, despite their peaceful attitide?"

Alana

 
 



 
____________________________________________________________________________
________
Cheap talk?
Check out Yahoo! Messenger's low PC-to-Phone call rates.
http://voice.yahoo.com _______________________________________________
GroveNet mailing list
GroveNet at rdrop.com http://www.rdrop.com/mailman/listinfo/grovenet