An Open Letter to President Bush from the Bruderhof

[Bruderhof News]

Check out this article at Bruderhof.com:
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An Open Letter to President Bush from the Bruderhof - On the Conflict with Iraq and Legislation for Mandatory Military Service
by

We are a nonviolent faith-based community in the tradition of the Quakers and
Mennonites, and it is our firm conviction that armed force can never bring about
peace, but will only breed greater instability and violence.

Read the rest of this article at:
http://www.bruderhof.com/articles/IraqLetter.htm
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[Sister Gillian Price]

"It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness". Thank you for
the light of the Bruderhof in opposing the forces of darkness in the death penalty
and war. With prayer for your efforts to bring peace and freedom.

Sister Gillian Price
Responding to http://www.bruderhof.com/articles/IraqLetter.htm
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[~margaret]

"To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born,
And a time to die,
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted,
A time to kill,
And a time to heal,
A time to break down,
And a time to build up,
A time to weep
And a time to laugh,
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance,
A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones,
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing,
A time to gain,
And a time to lose,
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away,
A time to tear,
And a time to sew,
A time to keep silence
And a time to speak,
A time to love,
And a time to hate,
A time of war,
And a time of peace."

Let us pray that we can still have a time of peace.

~margaret

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[Bill Hayes]

A great letter! A great way to express the stance of Christian pacifism. I love
the e-mails and other resources I get from Bruderhof. Thank you! You are in
my prayer. May God continue to bless you as you continue to be a blessing to
others!

Bill Hayes

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[Michael]

agree with much of what your letter has stated. However I fear yet another voice
keening in the wilderness. I fear that I am watching the USA sliding into Fascism.
The rhetoric of the President is little more than the usual propaganda of a
dictator beating the drums of war.

Michael

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[Fr. Tom Hemm]

Amen! The witness and heritage of Bruderhof continually reminds us of the temptation
of the powerful to become over confident in their role to achieve what belongs
only to God. On Sunday we heard again the Gospel story of the visitors from
the East who followed the star in search of the newborn King. "When King Herod
heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him." Our human
institutions do grant terrible responsibility to our leaders...especially in
the complicated contemporary world. But we must not be infected by their fear
"...and all Jerusalem with him."

What a contrast in the attitude of the wise magi who journeyed from somewhere
near where Baghdad is today. Rather than being troubled and fearful "they were
overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with
Mary his mother." May the joyful and confident witness of Bruderhof "infect"
our leadership and "...all of Jerusalem with him."[…]

I join you in praying that President Bush may receive the wisdom and courage
to act in accordance with the vision of peace announced by the Star. At the
same time I pray that the Blood of Jesus Christ may continue to heal and reconcile
our two communities, especially in consideration of the suffering of the early
martyrs of your historic peace churches caused by the Church of Rome.

Fr. Tom Hemm

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[Dr. Barbara A. Kathe]

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God. Today we should think seriously about our common bonds, not our differences. We are all children of God. As such, we must be peacemakers, not war mongers. We are entrusted to carry grace to each other, not destruction. Thank you for your efforts in behalf of global peace.

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[Phyllis Artabasy]

Dear friends,

I love reading and learning from you and your organization. I have been deeply appreciative of your sincere efforts and intent to rid the world of the scourge of war.

Alas, would it were so simple. I cannot agree that one simply has to lay down one's defenses to bring peace. Having grown up amid the after-effects of WWII - I find myself asking how many millions of lives would have been spared had the nations of the world confronted Hitler at the outset of his terror and tyranny - and not allowed him to murder millions of peace loving souls before he was stopped. What would have happened if indeed we had not acted in our and other nation's defense and Hitler had been simply allowed to develop more and more weaponry to feed his insatiable thirst for power?

While I agree that sincere opposition to war be respected, of course, I believe that there is a difference between waging war and defending the millions who cannot defend themselves against the hunger of facists and insatiable tyrants who would rule the world.

We must be accountable and act with fortitude against such evil.

Yours respectfully,

Phyllis Artabasy

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[Mike Merriman]

bruderhof communities, you requested a comment on your letter to pres.bush. as a friend of your community, i appreciate the consistency of your beliefs and applaude your willingness to serve our country in a non-combative manner. as a veteran, i must admit to not being a pacifist but i am a seeker of peace: i believe a war with iraq would serve no purpose, either nationally, or (more importantly) to further the kingdom of God here on earth. let our diplomats be diplomatic-let our democatic principles be consistant with those upon which our country was founded.most importantly and urgently, let the peace of God reign in our country, in our leaders, and in ourselves. blessings-merriman

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[John Guinn]

Bravo for your courageous stand in the face of what seems to be an inevitable march toward an unusually dangerous encounter with Iraq. I regularly use some of your wise comments in a weekly Communion Service I lead at my Roman Catholic parish in Detroit (I am a layman, not an ordained priest) and our congregation relishes them. Keep up the good work!

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[Linda Zeorlin]

Bruderhof, Thank you for taking the time to give witness to who you are. Standing up for what you believe, in a time when your practices seem to be the opposite of the majority can be times difficult. I pray that we all will some day agree that non-violence is the only way to resolve conflict. Conflict in community, family, church and nations must be non-violent forcing conversation and communication. I shall pray along with you daily for an end to a practice of force.

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[Tom Siblo]

Dear Sisters and Brothers for Peace, I would like to thank you for sending this letter to President Bush concerning the war with Iraq. I am in complete agreement with your letter and encourage you to join us in Washington D.C. to protest the pending war with Iraq.

In reviewing your site and reading your e-books I believe you are all living a life which makes complete sense. By living together you can work doing the kind of things God wanted all of us to be doing. I believe most Americans fail to see how far they have departed from the purpose God set for all of us. Living our lives in light, grace, peace and prayer is the best way to promote peace.

Also we must demonstrate our opposition to the wars and destruction of the planet. Locally I have been working with the new peace movement and I realize there are many individuals who want peace but are still violent in their heart and eveyday existence. The process of bringing counsciousness back to God's children is a long and hard road which is not often taken.

I am glad that all of us are on the path of peace. Our efforts ended the war in Vietnam and now we are so much stronger then we were in the early Vietnam war days. The test of time and faith is at the center of this recent drive for war. Greed, Anger, Revenge, and all the other vices and evils are at the core of what is being done by the U.S. government all over the planet. The vast majority of the people of the world live in object poverty and it is in this condition which gave rise to the anger that drove the young terrorists to take no only their own lives but thousands of others as well.

So peace must include justice. Justice for the poor people of the world who are left to suffer in object poverty while here in the U.S. people live off of the spoils gleaned from their oppression and exploitation. This is another lesson of the actions of evil. So many evils cannot lead to making a right and whatever George Bush has in his heart obviously is very twisted and irrtional. Most importantly it is not what God ants for his people or the wonderful universe he created for all of us to live in.

Peace in our lifetime

Tom Siblo

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[Jason]

I just wanted to say that the peace that we all crave so much begins in all of our hearts....The battle is inside and the world around us is a reflection of this battle. Love the brothers and sisters of this world. Love this world. See that everything is interconnected and start the ripple by truly loving yourself and allowing your self to inspire and be inspired. Thank you for spreading the message of peace...

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[Rita Bowen]

I stand in solidarity with you in your voice for non-violent resolution of the war in Iraq. I do not believe that peace can come from war. We must pray that The Father of us all will guide and protect us from such atrocity and that are hearts would be filled with compassion for all people and lands and that we can come to a peaceful resolution that respects the life that God breathed into each and every one of us. Some of us have lost sight of that and my prayer is that we may all come to remember who we are and Whose we are. We were all bought at a price.

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[Sister Catherine Louise]

I support you 100%

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[Alex Herrera]

I support your stance 100%!

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[Lawrence Patterson]

I was impressed by your open letter--I wish there were more of the same from other Christian groups, communities and denominations. I doubt I am a pacifist (something yet to be put to the test!) but I see no reason for conflict in the Middle East. It will do little to stop terrorism and may well fuel resentment against western nations. No threat to world peace has been identified.

Politicians are masters at diverting attention from the real problems and a war in Iraq will take our minds of those that would terrorise those at home.

Any fight against those that only have hate in their hearts will be a long one and in the end only our commitment to peace, justice and love (for all) will win people to accept a viable future.

Maintain your stand because you are on solid ground.

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[Chris]

I'm very grateful for this respectful letter, which shows the Bruderhof movement has not been swayed away from its stance as a peace church. Thank you for publishing this letter - may it be an encouragement to many, and touch our President's heart.

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[Rev. Dr. Raymond Moreland]

In order for the words of Micah the prophet to be heard in the land, many must be willing to take a stand for justice, to love kindness, and be willing to walk with God in peace. The letter to the President was that prophetic voice for peace with justice for our nation and for the whole human community. Peace is truly patriotic and no one in this Constitutional Democracy must be intimidated from speaking the truth to power.

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[Marc Woernle]

It is a sincere letter. I have a sincere question. How and when should society prevent governments, with known agendas from establishing nuclear warheads, knowing that it is only a matter of time before they strike the "capitalist" and/or "white devil" nations.

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[Sherri Tipton]

May Pres. Bush read this letter with an open heart. God Bless you at Bruderhof.

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[Martha]

President Bush claims to be a Christian. I appreciate your reminding him that war has never created peace. As the songwriter James Taylor wrote, "You just can't kill for Jesus."

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[Christine Venzon]

Splendid! I pray that, as you said, our leaders have the courage to stand up for a nonviolent approach, to make the first move, reaching out to those who oppose us,inviting them--early and often--to negotiate.

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[Connie]

Thank you for expressing these thoughts so eloquently! I will cotinue to pray with you for a lasting peace among nations! I pray especially for President Bush that his heart may experience a conversion and that his rhetoric be peacable.

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[Isobel]

Thank you for sharing your letter to President Bush, and thank you for writing it. Although I am deeply cynical about the impact that dissenting voices have on governments, I believe passionately that dissent should still be expressed. We have to express our views to maintain our own moral integrity, and to assert the value of all life and non-violence resolution of conflict. In the UK many people think the US Administration have decided to have a war and are just looking for some justification. History tells us that once nations mobilise for war, backing down becomes almost impossible. Leaders can only back down if the public are against war - so the public must say what it thinks! Does the American public have any idea how its government is perceived by the people of other nations? Would it surprise them to know?

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[John van Bemmel]

Thank you for the courage of your convictions--both in your way of life and in your letter to the president--concerning nonviolent solutions to conflict. I am enriched by your Daily Dig. Thank you for them as well.

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[Roy Hollands]

Thank you for writing with such grace and strength. I was hoping you would. I am not a US citizen, so do not have the place to write to the president, but I thank God that you have. I pray, as Jesus tought, for my enemies and rejoice in His unconditional grace to all people. I long to see the nations of the world seeking God's way and rejecting violence. My wife and I visited one of your communities in England and we pray God's blessing on your part in His Kingdom.

[Helen Carter]

Thank you for this letter. You have put the points so well, and respectfully. My hope and prayer is that it is listened too. Thank you for showing there is another way of thinking and being. If only there were more of us who want to promote peace in such a way as you do. From the depth of my being - thank you for showing the way.

[Tamera Standage]

Thank you for your powerful letter.

[Gail Roussey]

Thank you for your thoughtful letter and the witness to peace presented by your community.

[Joy Balmer]

Thank you so much for this letter. I have been pondering this for many days, and trying to find something I could do, personally, to express my sadness at Bush's eagerness to refight "his daddy's war". The other day I found Mark Twain's "The War Prayer" and have sent it to everyone I know, asking them to do likewise, also to send it to the president, as I have. We MUST make our voices heard, so many overseas have the perception that all Americans are aggressive and vengeful. I wish so much that they could realize that the president does not speak for all of us. Unfortunately, his voice is the one that gets television coverage.

[Rev Joy Tajonera]

Thank you very much for your letter to President Bush. In war it is the innocent people, the children, the weak and the poor that suffer most. I join you in asking our goverment to find a peaceful non-violent solution in any conflict around the world. Thank you for writing and advocating for peace. May we all have a peaceful and healthy 2003. Signed. Rev. Joy Tajonera, M.M. (member Pax Christi USA)

[Mary Chernushin]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for being such a Bright Light shining in the darkness!! I saw a billboard the other day which read, "Peace is Patriotic!"

[Gary Holthaus]

Thanks for your efforts. I'm not optimistic about avoiding war, but am grateful that the world has some adherents to peace, and advocates for it, like yourselves.

[Janet M. Thompson]

The most helpful thing I can do, I believe, is to continue daily prayers for the wisdom and guidance for our president and other national leaders, including Colin Powell, to do what is best for our country and pleasing to God. They are privy to information that I am not, therefore, I must trust that the divine guidance I am praying for is sufficient.

[Valerio Martyres]

There could not have been a better letter than yours. It is indeed very sad that a country like ours that considers itself a Christian country, and whose president is said to open the Bible every morning, is not able to see how war is total denial of God, how the blood of the murdered will cry out to God. Keep up the good work.

[Carl Hyde]

This is a good letter. As a Quaker I concur completely that all war is wrong under any circumstances.

However, even those who support "just war" have great difficulty seeing any justification for a pre-emptive strike by a powerful nation against a small one. Certainly our government has not made the case that there is any real danger to the world from Iraq.

Many around the world, including those in Europe and elsewhere who generally consider themselves friends of the U.S. see this situation as a case of a big bully attacking a much smaller and weaker power, just because it can do so.

[trevor]

Very glad to see that you all have written this letter. I knwo that my community of friends here in Belfast N.Ireland feel powerless and voiceless to a large extent at this time. I will gladly tell them of your letter and that there are voices like their own in the world. May God take your message to the ears of our leaders.

Responding to http://www.bruderhof.com/articles/IraqLetter.htm

[peter tessaro]

Very true words are spoken, in this article, I believe the writers have illustrated the true roots and beliefs of the bruderhof community, through this letter.

Responding to http://www.bruderhof.com/articles/IraqLetter.htm

[Shirley Steinman]

What a blessing you folks are! I forwarded the Twain quote to everyone on my list--those who believe like you and I do, and those sure to take a stand for the government. Surely this (illegal) administration will be forced to think twice about so outrageous an action as war on Iraq! How shallow its reasoning that differences with North Korea are to be negotiated (they have the bomb and threw out the inspectors!), while Iraq (without the bomb and open to inspectors) must endure our all-out warfare. Of course, North Korea doesn't have the oil. Will our general public wake up before it's too late? Where will we all go if the U.S. becomes a police state, as apparently so many in the administration would have it become?

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[Terry Barber]

What a reasoned and compassionate letter! It is very well done. Thank you for your voice!

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[Aaron Bragg]

While your pacifist stance is admirable, it's short-sighted and wrong-headed. Were it not for the willingness of a few countries to defend and protect all of us from the tyranny of a handful of dictators, you wouldn't be here. Hitler didn't care about pacifists--nor did Lenin, Stalin, Mussolini, or Mao. Neither did Amin, Noriega, or Qaddafi. Add to the list Pol Pot, Hussein, Castro, Arafat, Kim Jong Il, and a litany of others just from the last century. Like it or not, these are bad--yes, evil--men, and espousing peace will never deter individuals such as these. Of course, pacifism has its merits. But it also has some responsibilities, one of which is to recognize that it alone will not suffice to guarantee the freedoms that we all enjoy. Like being pacifists...

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[Randy Reimold]

What does it mean to say "We recognize that the peace and prosperity we have enjoyed has been bought at a price, and we gratefully acknowledge the sacrifices made by generations of American servicemen. "? I can acknowledge that generations of American servicemen have made tremendous sacrifices that have brought prosperity, and even a kind of peace, but I am unable to feel any gratitude. I feel sorrow for the many losses and that so many have believed the Myth of Redemptive Violence (to use Walter Wink's language), but I do not feel gratitude. In fact, I wish they had not done it. I cannot see how the way of war is God's way and so I wish that they had not made these sacrifices, even though I benefit from them. As a white man. I also benefit from institutional and other forms of racism and sexism, but I am not grateful for those who have to make sacrifices in order for me to benefit. All over the world I see The Powers That Be transformed through creative non-violent action. I am grateful for this, and would be ever so grateful if we would have and would in the present and future solve our political problems in this way.

Responding to http://www.bruderhof.com/articles/IraqLetter.htm

[john costas]

Yes! yes! yes! As a member of the orthodox peace fellowship I wholheartily agree with you! Sacrifice is not easy, the answers are not easy, and love is not easy, especially to love your enimies when they commit atrocities. BUT, we must do all we can to love and love again.Peace begins wth me and my relationships. Confession and reconcilliation are the starting point.

Responding to http://www.bruderhof.com/articles/IraqLetter.htm

[Molly Sasser-Goehner]

Your letter is an excellent statement. I appreciate your comments about alternative service for opting out of the draft for conscientious objectors. I really resonate with the statement about concern for women and men in the military. So often I hear people equating the peace and anti-war movement as people who are not concerned with the life and well-being of those in the armed forces, or that we don't realize who has fought to ensure us those rights. Indeed, we who voice our concerns and opposition to war greatly understand the freedoms we do indeed have in the U.S. We are very fortunate. In acknowledgment of these freedoms, we will protest war, exercise our freedom, and refuse the label of "unpatriotic". To voice our dissent is one of the most patriotic things we can do.

Responding to http://www.bruderhof.com/articles/IraqLetter.htm