III. Our Specific Peace Commitments, cont'd...

1. We declare that peace and peacemaking are the will of God and that all war is sin. As we seek to "wage peace" ⁶ and promote practices of just peacemaking, we aim to build a culture of peace. Therefore, we call upon all our members to learn methods of conflict resolution, practices of nonviolent defense, and to continue striving to become peaceable persons in both our inner and outer lives.

2. We urge all our members to refuse to participate in military service in any way:

a) We will support all men and women who would seek to become conscientious objectors to all war and military service, who seek legal recognition as conscientious objectors and, in the event of a return to military conscription, will perform alternative national service in voluntary agencies of compassion and mercy.

b) We respect the liberty of conscience of those among us who would serve in the military. If they seek to become noncombatant conscientious objectors, we will support them fully, upholding their legal right to be trained without weapons and to serve the military only in roles consistent with Christian practices of compassion, mercy, and love for enemies.

c) Some among us may be convinced by their consciences that they must not cooperate with the Powers and Authorities of war in any degree. Therefore, these persons will refuse even to register with the Selective Service Board (currently a legal requirement for all men from age 18-23). We will support those of our number who become nonregistrant conscientious objectors, even though, in so doing they are committing civil disobedience, breaking human laws in order to obey their understanding of the law of God.

We will support all these persons with our prayers and spiritual counsel. We will support conscientious objectors with our monetary support and legal counsel.

3. We proclaim that our first allegiance as Christians is to God even when obedience to God requires civil disobedience to human laws.

4. We condemn the outrageous expenditures of the government for military forces and weapons of destruction. We further condemn all attempts to rationalize or make palatable huge war machines in the name of "defense" or "security."

5. We call for complete abolition of all nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. We call for independent initiatives for disarmament of these weapons of mass destruction.

6. We call on all governments to provide alternatives to heavy taxes for the military, including the creation of "peace tax funds" that allow conscientious objectors to war to pay all of their taxes without violating their consciences. We support fully those of our members who are "war tax resisters," that is, who resist paying portions of their taxes that would be used for military purposes.

7. We encourage all our members to seek employment outside those industries with heavy defense contracts. We further encourage our members to examine their purchasing patterns and boycott products produced and sold by companies that derive large amounts of their income from military contracts. We further encourage our members to live simply and use their investments, savings, and purchasing patterns to support those companies and practices that promote peace, nonviolence, and sustainable development for all peoples.

8. We recognize the legitimacy of government as an instrument that God often uses for good in the world. Although we dissent from the military practices of our government, we are reminded to respect the offices held by our government leaders. We must also give government leaders and members of the military the respect and dignity owed to all humans as bearers of the image of God. We will pray for members of the militaries of all nations -- pray that they come to no bodily harm, pray that they remember to be persons of mercy and compassion, pray that they never be ordered to commit atrocities or shed human blood. We remember our duty as Christians to pray for our governmental leaders and the leaders of all nations. We pray they will turn away from war and violence and learn practices of just peacemaking that the earth may become a more just and peaceful world.

9. All humans sin and fall short of perfection. We recognize the many areas of our lives that fall short of this declaration of our convictions. Through listening prayer we seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit on those areas where we still embody the spirit of the Powers of war and violence. We seek the Spirit's aid in repenting those shortcomings and in being re-fashioned into a people of peace. Amen.