Congress Hears Prayers for Peace (by Michael Sherrard)
In September, as Gen. David Petraeus testified before Congress on the progress of the Bush administration's "troop surge" in Iraq, Jim Wallis asked our supporters to match it with our own surge of prayers for Congress to bring an end to the war.
Over 17,000 of you responded, and today Rep. Rosa DeLauro took to the House floor to read two prayers received from her district in Connecticut:
Loving God, inspire our leaders in Congress to release your spirit of wisdom, courage, and love and end the war, death, and suffering in Iraq. (Claire from Orange, CT)I pray that the hearts and minds of those making decisions concerning the war in Iraq be opened to finding viable, peaceful alternatives to continuing the war. I pray that withdrawal of troops commence immediately, and continue steadily over the shortest period possible, to bring them all home. I pray that the light of God will fall upon the country of Iraq and bring about peace in that place. (Julie from Hamden, CT)
Thank you to those of you who offered your prayers. It's not too late to join the surge, as we continue to pray for peace and beseech our leaders to bring an end to the war in Iraq.
Michael Sherrard is the online organizer for Sojourners.
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Comments
Yes, I would like to make a comment. I would like to say: NO MORE WAR! NO MORE WAR! Don't tell me I am simplistic, and that this is pie in the sky. Ending the Iraq war and bringing our troops home is like putting a band aid on a leaking levee. War has nev er brought about a peaceful world. War sets us up for another war. Imagine a world without war. Hope in a world without war. Why keep waging wars that always bring about the same--MORE WAR. It just doesn't make sense. Of course, it would take some creativity to do away with war. It would also mean that we would have to live the nonviolent teachings of Jesus Christ. I like the expression "Red Letter Christians", Christians who follow the words of Jesus. It also means we would have to repay evil with good. It is possible. NO MORE WAR!
Posted by: joan mahon | November 9, 2007 5:17 PM
A popular Christian bumper sticker reads: "No Jesus -- No Peace. Know Jesus -- Know Peace." Its message is clear: peace is impossible without Jesus. Vegetarians have long taught that peace is impossible as long as humans shed the blood of animals.
"I personally believe," wrote Isaac Bashevis Singer, "that as long as human beings will go on shedding the blood of animals, there will never be any peace. There is only one little step from killing animals to creating gas chambers a' la Hitler and concentration camps a' la Stalin -- all such deeds are done in the name of 'social justice.' There will be no justice as long as man will stand with a knife or with a gun and destroy those who are weaker than he is."
Are the beliefs of the Christians and those of the vegetarians really so dissimilar? According to the Bible, the only times humanity is ever at peace is under a vegetarian diet. The Bible begins (Genesis 1:29-31) and ends (Isaiah 11:6-9) in a kingdom where violence is unknown.
"Not until we extend the circle of compassion to include all living things shall we ourselves know peace," taught Dr. Albert Schweitzer, one of the 20th century's leading Protestant theologians. When a man questioned his philosophy, saying God created animals for man to eat, Schweitzer replied, "Not at all."
Some of the most distinguished figures in the history of Christianity have been vegetarian. These include: St. James, St. Matthew, Clemens Prudentius, Origen, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, St. Basil, St. John Chrysostom, St. Jerome, St. Benedict, Aegidius, Boniface, St. Richard of Wyche, St. Filippo Neri, St. Colomba, John Wray, John Wesley, Joshua Evans, William Metcalfe, General William Booth, Ellen White, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, and Reverend V.A. Holmes-Gore.
Christian mystic Thomas Tryon (1634-1703) warned the first Quaker settlers of Pennsylvania that their "holy experiment" in peaceful living would fail unless they extended their Christian precepts of nonviolence to the animal kingdom.
"Does not bounteous Mother Earth furnish us with all sorts of food necessary for life?" he asked. "Though you will not fight with and kill those of your own species, yet I must be bold to tell you, that these lesser violences (as you call them) do proceed from the same root of wrath and bitterness as the greater do."
Reverend Basil Wrighton, the chairman of the Catholic Study Circle for Animal Welfare in London, wrote in a 1965 article entitled, "The Golden Age Must Return: A Catholic's Views on Vegetarianism," that a vegetarian diet is not only consistent with, but actually required by the tenets of Christianity. He concluded that the killing of animals for food not only violates religious tenets, but brutalizes humans to the point where violence and warfare against other humans becomes inevitable.
"Who loves this terrible thing called war?" asked Isadora Duncan. "Probably the meat-eaters, having killed, feel the need to kill...The butcher with his bloody apron incites bloodshed, murder. Why not? From cutting the throat of a young calf to cutting the throats of our brothers and sisters is but a step. While we ourselves are the living graves of murdered animals, how can we expect any ideal conditions upon the earth?"
U Nu, the former Prime Minister of Burma, similarly observed: "World peace, or any other kind of peace, depends greatly on the attitude of the mind. Vegetarianism can bring about the right mental attitude for peace...it holds forth a better way of life, which if practiced universally, can lead to a better, more just, and more peaceful community of nations."
In their book, The Nine Questions People Ask About Judaism, Dennis Prager and Rabbi Telushkin explain: "Keeping kosher is Judaism's compromise with its ideal vegetarianism. Ideally, according to Judaism, man would confine his eating to fruits and vegetables and not kill animals for food."
In a letter to a friend on the subject of vegetarianism, Albert Einstein wrote: "Besides agreeing with your aims for aesthetic and moral reasons, it is my view that a vegetarian manner of living by its purely physical effect on the human temperament, would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind."
Our nation's moral institutions, both secular and religious, should begin to seriously address the issues of animal rights and vegetarianism.
Posted by: Vasu Murti | November 9, 2007 10:22 PM
War and abortion are the karmic reaction for killing animals. The fate of the animals and the fate of man are interconnected. (Ecclesiastes 3:19)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami said in 1974:
"We simply request, 'Don't kill. Don't maintain slaughterhouses.' That is very sinful. It brings a very awkward karmic reaction upon society. Stop these slaughterhouses. We don't say, 'Stop eating meat.' You can eat meat, but don't take it from the slaughterhouse, by killing. Simply wait (until the animal dies of natural causes) and you'll get the carcasses.
"You are killing innocent cows and other animals--nature will take revenge. Just wait. As soon as the time is right, nature will gather all these rascals and slaughter them. Finished. They'll fight among themselves--Protestants and Catholics, Russia and America, this one and that one. It is going on. Why? This is nature's law. Tit for tat. 'You have killed. Now you kill yourselves.'
"They are sending animals to the slaughterhouse, and now they'll create their own slaughterhouse. You see? Just take Belfast. The Roman Catholics are killing the Protestants, and the Protestants are killing the Catholics. This is nature's law.
"It is not necessary that you be sent to the ordinary slaughterhouse. You'll make a slaughterhouse at home. You'll kill your own child--abortion. This is nature's law.
"Who are these children being killed? They are these meat-eaters. They enjoyed themselves when so many animals were killed and now they're being killed by their own mothers. People do not know how nature is working. If you kill you must be killed.
"If you kill the cow, who is your mother, then in some future lifetime your mother will kill you. Yes. The mother becomes the child, and the child becomes the mother.
"We don't want to stop trade, or the production of grains and vegetables and fruit. But we want to stop these killing houses. It is very, very sinful. That is why all over the world they have so many wars.
"Every ten or fifteen years there is a big war--a wholesale slaughterhouse for humankind. But these rascals--they do not see it, that by the law of karma, every action must have its reaction."
Similarly, in his purport to the Srimad Bhagavatam 6.10.9, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami writes:
"One cannot continue killing animals and at the same time be a religious man. That is the greatest hypocrisy. Jesus Christ said, 'Do not kill,' but hypocrites nevertheless maintain thousands of slaughterhouses while posing as Christians. Such hypocrisy is condemned..."
And:
"If one kills many thousands of animals in a professional way so that other people can purchase the meat to eat, one must be ready to be killed in a similar way in his next life and n life after life. There are many rascals who violate their own religious principles.
"According to Judeo-Christian scriptures, it is clearly said, 'Thou shalt not kill.' Nonetheless, giving all kinds of excuses, even the heads of religions indulge in killing animals while trying to pass as saintly persons.
"This mockery and hypocrisy in human society brings about unlimited calamities; therefore occasionally there are great wars. Masses of such people go out onto battlefields and kill themselves. Presently, they have discovered the atomic bomb, which is simply waiting to be used for wholesale destruction."
(Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya 24.251, purport)
Also:
"To be nonviolent to human beings and to be a killer or enemy of the poor animals is Satan's philosophy. In this age there is enmity towards poor animals, and therefore the poor creatures are always anxious. The reaction of the poor animals is being forced on human society, and therefore there is always the strain of cold or hot war between men, individually, collectively or nationally."
(Srimad Bhagavatam 1.10.6, purport)
And:
"In human society, if one kills a man he has to be hanged. That is the law of the state. Because of ignorance people do not perceive that there is a complete state controlled by the Supreme Lord. Every living creature is the son of the Supreme Lord, and He does not tolerate even an ant's being killed. One has to pay for it."
Again, war and abortion are the karmic reaction for killing animals.
Posted by: Vasu Murti | November 10, 2007 1:24 AM
Again, war and abortion are the karmic reaction for killing animals.
Posted by: Vasu Murti
Going to McDonalds may not be healthy , but I find it off base to say it caused the inappropriate responce to 9/11 . To use the selfish me culture of abortion and denial as reasons we go to war is off base .
Vegies as a way of life make sense to you , and that is good for you .
I respect your beliefs , but using this board as a a reason to use this as a whipping board for vegie lovers is off base even to Sojourners .
The lady above was praying to the God of Heaven to help end this war . Show a little respect for the topic at hand .
I like animals myself . I even like chickens , usually the breasts but I like the legs also .
Posted by: Mick Sheldon | November 10, 2007 1:44 PM
I am so grateful that the voice of peace has come forward and people are crying out to stop the violance. Praying for peace is catching on! It's sad that it takes such atrocities to ignite the fire in us to pray. But WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. It is our responsibility as those who are awake, aware, and have hearts of love for God to pray constantly.
Let's join together in constant prayer and sacrifice. Our spiritual centers with the Center of Light www.CentersofLight.org hold interfaith prayers for peace once a month - and they are SO powerful in bringing forth hope, love, and commitment to live by the principles of peace. May we all join together at this time in one loud prayer to bring a new way of love.
-Sr Andrea, Oakland, CA
Posted by: Sister Andrea Cohen | November 12, 2007 4:09 PM
People, how many of you know anything about Prophecy. Like it or not, we are in the last days. Why are there wars and rumors of wars? Consider the following;
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. (1st Timothy 4:1-3) And;
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2nd Timothy 3:1-5)
These were first mentioned by Jesus Christ according to the Gospel of Matthew in the 24th chapter. One should consider the aspect that God's will is being done today.
Posted by: drawkcab | November 13, 2007 1:27 AM
It has moved me deeply to hear prayers to God read aloud in Congress. Oh my God! That has to mean we have made some progress. I too know of the dark times prophesied in the scripture and it does feel like we are seeing this happen. But also we know that prayers works. It works better than anything as the first step in making significant and lasting change. Because if God is invited in, anything can happen.
I pray that the Government leaders drop their pride and hunger for power. That they make a bold move toward opening their hearts to see their friends and loved ones as the same as those they call 'enemy'. That in humility they feel the pain of those in different cultures who really are the same as all of us, wanting a peaceful loving life in which to do good and bring goodness wherever it is needed.
In Jesus name, let this be done now.
Posted by: Samuel Shykofsky | November 13, 2007 12:32 PM
Dear Mr. Wallis,
Thank you for your article, "A Call to Repentance" -to read it was like clear water in a very cloudy glass.
I believe this war is this generations greatest sin- or I am truly a liar or insane.
It wasn't the loss of our flesh that Jesus spoke to fear the most- but both our flesh and soul.
The greatest insult to God isn't from those who have chosen not to belong to him- but of those who claim they are his,
teach others, and have perverted His Word.
What is the greater sin?
The one who has killed or the one who thinks of killing?
God has always been the same. But when Jesus came, a new gift was given- in an already existing plan- known from the
beginning. And it did change the fabric- because God stays correct and balanced, causing confusion for some between the
God of the OT and NT. But they were the same. Salvation through repentance. It was offered to all- not some. And when we
preemptively take it upon ourselves to truncate that gift from another where do we lift ourselves to and who do we foolishly
challenge? It is why Jesus spoke to love our enemies- and why the crusades failed. Through God's blessing and balance-
it would have been impossible.
Prayers do matter. May God have mercy on us.
Elizabeth Daniele
Posted by: Elizabeth Daniele | December 18, 2007 1:03 PM
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