Statements from Religious Leaders about
Iraq
Catholic
We
respectfully urge you to step back from the brink of war and help lead the world
to act together to fashion an effective global response to Iraq's threats that
conforms with traditional moral limits on the use of military force. US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Letter to
President Bush, Sept. 13, 2002
Episcopalian
The question
for us now must be: what is our role in the community of nations? I believe we
have the capacity within us to help lead our world into the way of justness and
peace. The freedoms we enjoy as citizens of the United States oblige us to
attend not only to our own welfare, but to the well-being of the world around
us. A superpower, especially one that declares itself to be "under God," must
exercise the role of super servant. Our nation has an opportunity to reflect the
values and ideals that we espouse by focusing upon issues of poverty, disease
and despair, not only within our own nation but throughout the global community
of which we are a part. The Presiding
Bishop's statement on military action against Iraq, September 6, 2002
Jewish
International
cooperation is far, far better than unilateral action, and the U.S. must explore
all reasonable means of attaining such support. Non-military action is always
preferable to military action, and the U.S. must fully explore all options to
resolve the situation through such means. If the effort to obtain international
cooperation and support through the United Nations fails, the U.S. must work
with other nations to obtain cooperation in any military action. Union of
American Hebrew Congregations, Executive Committee Decision on Unilateral Action
by the U.S. Against Iraq
Lutheran
In
recent days, leaders of the United States government have talked openly about
the possibility of a pre-emptive strike against the government of Iraq and its
leader, Saddam Hussein. As presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA), I am deeply concerned about any such action. In the 1995 ELCA
social statement, "For Peace in God's World," we said that, as Christians, "the
love of our neighbor obligates us to act to prevent wars and seek alternatives
to them." This is a time to stop the use of hostile rhetoric and verbal threats,
and to focus again on diplomacy. ...
While we are
fully aware of the potential threat posed by the government of Iraq and its
leader, I believe it is wrong for the United States to seek to over-throw the
regime of Saddam Hussein with military action. Morally, I oppose it
because I know a war with Iraq will have great consequences for the people of
Iraq, who have already suffered through years of war and economic sanctions.
Further, I believe it is detrimental to U.S. interests to take unilateral
military action when there is strong international support for weapons
inspections, and when most other governments oppose military action. I
also believe that U.S. military action at this time will further destabilize the
region. I call upon members of our congregations to be fervent in prayer,
engaged in conversation with one another and with our leaders. In the
final analysis, we must stand unequivocally for peace. . ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson's
Statement on Iraq Situation, August 30, 2002
Mennonite
To speak
against war and invasion is to hold up a conviction that, in light of all
uncertainties, peace and security are enlarged when authorities choose the path
of non-violent diplomacy. The concerns noted above convince us that this is both
a moral and a practical path. Our call is also a
statement of belief that God wills the path of peace and will work alongside
those who have the courage to take risks for peace.
Statement of the Mennonite Central Committee, April 20,
2002
Methodist
United
Methodists have a particular duty to speak out against an unprovoked attack.
President Bush and Vice-President Cheney are members of our denomination. Our
silence now could be interpreted as tacit approval of war. Christ came to break
old cycles of revenge and violence. Too often, we have said we worship and
follow Jesus but have failed to change our ways. Jesus proved on the cross the
failure of state-sponsored revenge. It is inconceivable that Jesus Christ, our
Lord and Savior and the Prince of Peace, would support this proposed
attack. Secretary Jim Winkler of The
United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society, August 30,
2002
Presbyterian
We urge
Presbyterians to oppose a precipitate U.S. attack on Iraq and the Bush
administration’s new doctrine of pre-emptive military action. We call upon
President George W. Bush and other leaders to: Refrain from language that
seems to label certain individuals and nations as ‘evil’ and others as ‘good’;
Oppose ethnic and religious stereotyping, Guard against a unilateralism, rooted
in our unique position of political, economic and military power, that
perpetuates the perception that ‘might makes right’; Allow United Nations
weapons inspections in Iraq, without undue pressure or threats of pre-emptive,
unilateral action; and End the economic sanctions against Iraq, which have been
ineffectual but have done untold damage to the Iraqi people. The
General Assembly Council and the staff leadership team of the Presbyterian
Church (USA), September 28, 2002
Quaker (Society
of Friends)
We call upon Friends to witness and work to
prevent this war, to reverse this new military doctrine, to call upon our
governments to implement multilateral, diplomatic responses to the threats posed
by the government of Iraq, and to continue developing positive, nonviolent
approaches to resolving international conflicts. We know that there are millions
of people of good will with whom we can join in this work.
Joint Statement in Response to Threat of War with Iraq from the
General and Executive Secretaries of Five Quaker Organizations, September 24,
2002
Unitarian Universalist
We
will not all stand in the same place on this issue. But we can all stand in the
same faith. Above all, that is my hope. In these troubling days and all those
that lie ahead, my deepest prayer is that we stand in this faith with
Universalist Olympia Brown, who wrote, over one hundred years ago, “Every nation
must learn that the people of all nations are children of God, and must share
the wealth of the world. You may say this is impracticable, far away, can never
be accomplished, but it is the work we are appointed to do."
Responding to the Threat of War: A Pastoral Letter from the Rev. William G.
Sinkford, President, Unitarian Universalist Association, September 20,
2002
United Church of Christ
With heavy hearts we hear once again the drumbeat of war
against Iraq. As leaders committed to God’s reign of justice and peace in the
world and to the just conduct of our nation, we firmly oppose this advance to
war. While Iraq’s weapons potential is uncertain, the death that would be
inflicted on all sides in a war is certain. Striking against Iraq now will not
serve to prevent terrorism or defend our nation’s interests. We fear that war
would only provoke greater regional instability and lead to the mass destruction
it is intended to prevent. UCC leaders,
September 13, 2002
Ecumenical
As Christians,
we are concerned by the likely human costs of war with Iraq, particularly for
civilians. We are unconvinced that the gain for humanity would be proportionate
to the loss. Neither are we convinced that it has been publicly demonstrated
that all reasonable alternative means of containing Iraq's development of
weapons of mass destruction have been exhausted. We call upon our governments to
pursue these diplomatic means in active cooperation with the United Nations and
to stop the apparent rush to war. World Council of Churches, August 30,
2002
We are compelled by the prophetic vision of peace to speak a
word of caution to our governments and our people. We represent a diversity of
Christian communities - from the just war traditions to the pacifist tradition.
As leaders of these communities in the United States and the United Kingdom, it
is our considered judgment that a preemptive war against Iraq, particularly in
the current situation, would not be justified. Statement from Religious
Leaders, October 11, 2002
Feel free to reproduce
this flyer or to enlarge to poster size. Please encourage others to speak
out to friends and co-workers, to elected officials, in the media, in protests
and vigils, and in other ways help reverse the rush to war. The democratic
process did not end with the vote in Congress. We the people can stop this war
by listening to, educating, and activating others. For more information please
contact:
Lutheran Peace Fellowship, 1710 11th Ave., Seattle, WA
98122, 206-720-0313, lpf@ecunet.org www.LutheranPeace.org
“We
have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount. Ours
is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we
do about peacemore about killing than we do about living” Omar Bradley