All posts tagged: Quakers

When it comes to war and peace, you get what you pay for

When it comes to war and peace, you get what you pay for

Published by Sam Flores

(RNS) — On April 14, the day before Tax Day, hundreds of people from across the country gathered on Capitol Hill in diverse, intergenerational delegations to meet with their members of Congress. Their message was clear: not one penny more for war on Iran. They came to Washington, D.C., for the first annual Friends Changemaker Weekend, organized by the Friends Committee on National Legislation and the FCNL Education Fund. Representing a wide range of faiths, backgrounds and life experiences, they urged lawmakers to choose peace at a critical time for our country and world. In doing so, they reflected both the persistent power of our democracy and growing dissent over the use of our taxpayer dollars by the White House and Congress — especially in matters of war and peace.  Lobbying against runaway military spending is not new to FCNL and Quakers. For more than 80 years, we have worked to shift federal funding away from war and toward people, peace and planet. We have seen important progress — from defunding outdated weapons systems to …

What the Declaration of Independence does – and doesn’t – say about God

What the Declaration of Independence does – and doesn’t – say about God

Published by Sam Flores

(The Conversation) — On the Fourth of July 1776, the congressional delegates in Philadelphia adopted the Declaration of Independence, then ordered that it be widely “proclaimed.” Couriers carried the printed version by stagecoach and horseback to every colony, where officials posted it and newspapers circulated it. But the declaration was also meant to be read aloud. Thomas Jefferson’s rough draft has marks signaling where the reader should pause briefly, or take a longer pause. And there were ceremonial public readings: first in Philadelphia and then in town squares, courthouses, churches and taverns up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Not everyone listening would have agreed with the declaration, and religion was one dividing point. Loyalists who sided with England and the official Church of England dissented on both spiritual and political grounds. Two-thirds of its ministers left for England after the Revolution began. Members of the historic pacifist churches like the Quakers, the Mennonites and the Brethren had tough choices to make after hearing the declaration’s call to arms. Even some who clearly sided with the …

At 250, Congress must act to protect our fundamental freedoms 

At 250, Congress must act to protect our fundamental freedoms 

Published by Sam Flores

(RNS) — The White House is beginning to unveil a myriad of events highlighting the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. This should be a year for celebrating the core values of democracy and freedom for which generations of Americans have struggled and for which we continue to strive. It should be a time for honestly reflecting on our history as a country — the good and the bad — and recommitting ourselves to the principles of equality for all and government of, by and for the people.    Unfortunately, 250 years after the founding of this country, some of our most fundamental freedoms are at risk. It is time Congress acts to protect them.    For people of many different faiths, including Quakers like me, religious freedom is one of the most important principles upon which our country was founded. Early Quakers migrated to this continent seeking freedom for their beliefs and the right to worship and practice their faith without persecution. This includes our belief in the inherent sacredness of all …

How faith leaders can help prevent war with Iran

How faith leaders can help prevent war with Iran

Published by Sam Flores

(RNS) — A group of U.S. and Iranian religious leaders recently made a joint call for their respective governments, civil society organizations and other faith communities to avoid war and instead choose diplomacy, human rights and peace.  The call could not be more urgent. In recent months, President Donald Trump has threatened to attack Iran without proper deliberation with Congress. A war with Iran would likely be disastrous for the U.S. and certainly for the people of that country. Even more troubling, the administration’s threats are not isolated to Iran. Last month, the administration violated Venezuela’s sovereignty, abducting its president and his wife in an operation involving 150 military aircraft and drones, and resulting in the deaths of 83 people. This act, carried out in violation of U.S. and international law, would undoubtedly be considered an act of war if it had happened to the U.S. The White House neglected to seek congressional approval, as required by the Constitution.  Then there’s Greenland. After massive pushback from European allies on threats to invade the island, which is …