Quakergreen


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Friday, 31 October 2003
 

 


4:55:28 PM    comment []

Peace is the hallmark of the civilized man

 

         Our principle is, and our practices have always been, to seek peace, and ensure it, and to follow after righteousness and the knowledge of God, seeking the good and welfare, and doing that which tends to the peace of all.  All bloody principles and practices we do utterly deny, with all outward wars, and strife, and fightings with outward weapons, for any end, or under any pretence whatsoever, and this is our testimony to the whole world.

 

                                                            From the Quaker Declaration to Charles II, 1660

 

 

We totally oppose all wars, all preparation for war, all use of weapons and coercion by force, and all military alliances: no end could justify such means.

 

We equally and actively oppose all that leads to violence among people and nations, as well as to other species and to our planet.

 

We will struggle to remove the causes of impasse and confrontation by every means of non-violent resistance available.

 

We urge all Australians to have the courage to face up to the mess humans are making of our world and to have the faith and diligence to cleanse it and restore order.  To do this we must start with our own hearts and minds.  Wars will stop only when each of us is convinced that war is never the way to the resolution of conflict.

 

We must relinquish the desire to control other people, to have power over them, and to force our views on to them.  We must face up to our own negative side and not look for scapegoats to blame, punish or exclude.  Conflicts are inevitable and must not be repressed or ignored but worked through assiduously and carefully.  We must develop the skills of being sensitive to oppression and grievances, sharing power in decision making, creating consensus, and making reparation.

 

We call for a commitment to the building of international peace and reconciliation through the non-violent resolution of disputes as a priority.  We call upon the men and women of goodwill to make opposition to war an absolute.

 

                                                            Peace Statement, South Australian Greens, 2003

 

 

From the above statements the discerning reader will get the gist of the title of this blog.  The more I associate with the kind and gentle Quakers and the dedicated and principled folks that make up the Greens Party, the more the demarcation line between what is political and what is spiritual fades in a practical approach pointing to a better and more honest way to live.  Quakers and Greens share common values that transcend the mundane commercial world of lust for money and things.  They are people that honour the worth of mankind and appreciate the knowledge that each and everyone have their duty to perform in this life.  Quakers and Greens respect all life, because they know they are a part of Nature not apart from Nature.  Because they respect themselves as good human beings, they extend that respect to all living things and therefore work to rehabilitate the planet. 

 

In the silence of meeting for worship Quakers listen for the messenger that brings realisation of the Divine Will.  And in the silence of the forest Greens feel the presence of God.

 

Peace be with thee dear reader.

 


4:51:32 PM    comment []


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