Minute of Concern on Iraq
The following minute (bold type) was approved March 29, 2003, at the 323rd Annual Sessions of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.
The non-bold type is CHMM's Peace and Social Concerns' Responses.
As members of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, we are appalled and deeply saddened by the United States government’s implementation of a doctrine of pre-emptive war with its attack on Iraq. William Penn reminds us that: “a good end cannot sanctify evil means; nor must we do evil, that good may come of it.” At the same time, we have been heartened by the formation of a global peace movement that opposes this war and supports the United Nations as the keystone of an international system of law and diplomacy.
The Quaker peace testimony is an expression of our religious experience, which grounds our belief that war is contrary to the Spirit of God and the teachings of Jesus, and which encourages us to live “in the virtue of that life and power that takes away the occasion of all wars.”
Accordingly, we recommit ourselves today to work with people of faith and good will to end the war against Iraq, to help alleviate the suffering it is causing, and to do whatever can be done to build a culture of peace. More specifically, we shall seek, through our Monthly Meetings as well as individually, to do actions including the following:
1) Strengthen the faith communities to which we belong and which nurture our peace work.
a) Hold an adult class on the Peace Testimony
b) Attend adult education classes held
c) Hold workshops ie Vocal Ministry
d) Hold more social get-togethers
e) Hold joint meetings of Peace and Concerns with other MM
f) Support Spiritual Formation
g) Individuals committing to a minimum time (determined by individual) per week/month etc. to be spent in MM activities
h) Examine what we would do if there was a war in NW Philadelphia
i) Look for violence in our lives
j) Hold AVP workshop
k) Have more and separate from 1st day meeting for worship letter writing sessions (This also goes with 3) below)
l) Examine our position on war
m) Support Quarterly Meeting
n) Report back to PYM about our MM peace activities
2) Support the humanitarian assistance to Iraq being undertaken by the American Friends Service Committee. [AFSC, 1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia PA 19102. afscinfo@afsc.org]
a) Assemble kits for/with AFSC
b) Give financial support to AFSC - both MM and individuals
c) Find out what AFSC needs - nationally, internationally, regionally
3) Support the efforts of the Friends Committee on National Legislation to persuade the Administration and Congress to respect the rule of international law and to abandon the policy of pre-emptive war. [FCNL, 245 Second Street SE, Washington DC 20002. fcnl@fcnl.org]. Get FCNL letters to write
a) Give financial support to FCNL - both MM and individuals
b) Discuss FCNL newsletter subjects
4) Support the Quaker United Nations Office in its quiet diplomacy [QUNO, 777 United Nations Plaza, New York NY 10017. qunony@afsc.org]
a) Give financial support to QUNO - both MM and individuals
b) Encourage Shirley Philips about QUNO
5) Address conditions - such as poverty, injustice, environmental degradation, ignorance, powerlessness, and oppression - that lead to war, including our own actions and attitudes that contribute to those conditions. (For example, implement the Minute of Concern for Energy Stewardship in Meeting Facilities and Households, which was approved by Interim Meeting in January 2003.)
a) Join working group(s) at PYM (public ed, drug concern, environment etc)
b) Buy renewable electricity (CHMM already does this - but individuals can do this too)
c) Use CFLs
d) Purchase more energy efficient appliances (understand energy star and comparisons)
e) Where possible have a compost pile
f) Have a query on how we live in each newsletter
g) Form subcommittee on environmental concerns
h) Encourage multiple language (foreign) skills
i) Form interfaith group(s) to work on injustice etc.
j) Stop War on Drugs
k) Work in Fairhill - cemetery and Jorge
l) Help with Columbia/Ecuador - (like and/or support Jorge)
m) Support the Earth Charter
6) Pray, vigil and witness for peace and reconciliation in concert with people of faith and good will, and engage in appropriate forms of political action laboring with our elected officials.
a) Visit legislators
b) Hold prayer vigils
c) Continue to have Thursday meeting for worship
d) Find other faith groups to join efforts - ie Good Schools PA and NIM Sustaining Creation
e) Laboring with political opposition (to the party in power)
7) Seek our own leadings on how each of us can live into the spirit of this minute.
a) Same as minute
b) Read bible
c) Share a resource
d) Read early Quaker writings (and about them)