RS- War revision

• Warfare is sometimes necessary-> people who aren't prepared to fight are probably motivated by fear of being wounded/ killed-> defending your country-> brings out the best in people+ is an easy way of resolving conflicts
• Cowardly reaction-> concealed by grand words  about pacifism+ not becoming as bad as the aggressor
• Mark 11:15-19
• Depends on the type of pacifist-> selective (will fight but not if war uses smth. they didn't agree to)-> still prepared to fight under some circumstances, but just don't want to use certain types of weapons; absolute-> don't fight under any circumstances
• The commandment "Thou Shalt Not Kill" refers to murder, not to killing in a war

• Takes courage+ there are consequences which have to be borne-> involve pain+ even death-> not a cowardly act
• E.g. Dietric Bonhoeffer
• May seem cowardly to some, but it's a brave act + may be the results of the religious conviction of the person, e.g. J's teaching- Matthew 26:47-52
• Takes more courage to stand up for your beliefs + convictions when everyone else is going along the crowd+ are being encouraged to go to war rather than join the crowd
• Matthew 5:9
• Matthew 5:43-44
• Mr. Luther King
• Don't want to cause unnecessary suffering
• Quakers- absolute pacifists-> Quaker Peace Testimony
• Want to ensure that human race continues
• Innocent people suffer in war
• Evil acts don't happen-> cruelty+ brutality
• J's teaching against violence
• Wars don't settle arguments, talking has to be done
• Destruction of buildings, disease, etc

1) German Lutheran pastor+ theologian

2) Preached pacifism+ non-violent methods against Hitler

3) Took part in a plot to kill Hitler

4) Helped Jews to escape to Switzerland

5) Reluctantly changed his mind

6) Was arrested by the Nazis for publicly saying that Christians should oppose the Nazi laws on Jews

7) Executed on 9th April, 1945-> just before the end of war

8) His experience of war made him become a pacifist

9) Told the students in his school that their Christian beliefs should make them refuse to fight in a war to serve in the German forces. 

10) Prisoner of conscience

11) Conscientious objector

• Strove for what he believe in
• Peaceful protests
• Told the society about racism, discrimination and segregation in the US
• Speech on 28 August, 1963- "I have a dream"
• Tried to resolve the conflict between the white people and African Americans

• Christianity shares the underlying principles 
• Not a Christian document
• Reflects+ echoes some Christian principles

1) All human beings are born in free+ equal in dignity...- Love thy neighbour

2) We have a duty to other people, and we should...- Matthew 25:35-36

3) These rights belong to everybody, whatever our differences- Genesis 1:27-> all people have an equal value-> children of God-> made in His image+ deserve to be treated equally with equal rights

4) No one shall be held in slavery....- Matthew 23:10

5) No one shall be subjected to torture...- Thou Shalt Not Kill

• Take direct action in the form of a peaceful protest
• Join an organisation aiming to help victims of human rights abuse, e.g. Amnesty International
• Take political action
• Go through some form of self sacrifice to help the person