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American Friends Service Committee — Part 1

122 pages · May 23, 2026 · Broad topic: Politics & Activism · Topic: American Friends Service Committee · 120 pages OCR'd
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realize that in time of war Joyalty te God and loy- alty to the state scem to come into direct conflict. However, the conscientious objectors are not op- Posed to serving the state in its constructive proc- esses. They are cayrer to do that. Their opposition is to war and conscription; they believe that war itself is so great an evil that their loyalty to both God and their country compels them to refrain from participation in it, This they look upon as one of the greatest services anyone can render to the state. The government must decide whether people who conscientiously follow their conception of Chris- tianity or other religious faiths are a detriment or an assef to the state. Will it profit the state to pun- ish or Kill those whose first loyalty is to a universal God and a brotherhood of all mankind, and who seck to serve the state by extending these ideals? Will the physical, mental and spiritual fibre of the conscientious objector be broken or toughened by Persecution? Conscientious objectors are willing to serve their fellow men loyally in dificult tasks if they are permitted to do work which their con- science docs not forbid. The state could wisely use s this willingness to serve in ways which would ad- vance the well-being of the state and at the same time that of the reliious pacifist, The early Christian church remained pacifist for nearly 200 years. Members of the Socicty of Friends or Quakers first testified to their refusal to fesort to the war method almost three centuries ago. Declarations of the same nature were made at about that same time by two other groups, the Mennonites and the Church of the Brethren. The Quakers, for example, in 1660 stat objections in the following words to Cha King of England: “We utterly deny all outward wars ar strife, and fightings and outward weapon for any end, or under any pretence wha ever; this is our testimony to the who world. The Spirit of Christ by which w are guided, is not chanzeable, so as | command us from a thing of evil an again to move us into it; and we certain know, and testify to the world, that tl Spirit of Christ, which leads us unto a truth, will never move us to fight and w: against any man with outward weapon neither for the Kingdom of Christ, nc for the kingdom of this world... There fore, we cannot learn war any more.” Other religious faiths and organizatior high mora! or spiritual purposes have rect that war is not an acceptable method by w seck to obtain the high ideals of man. In pa in which our country has been involved, known number of conscientious objector come from such faiths and organization: pacifisis of the world have long advocated ; and program of international and interrac operation in political, economic and othe: which, had it been followed, would have pre much of the strife now destroying mankind Great Britain passed its conscription law time it declared war. The law makes liber visions for conscientious objectors. Its pro are not limited to objection based on religiou: ing or belicf. It provides for complete exei
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