Dear Friends,
In the current wartime environment, and especially in light of the perceived threats of terrorism against "civilians," many Friends in the US and elsewhere are thinking and rethinking the meaning of the Friends Peace Testimony. Some of the questions being asked are:
Already, one Friend with a high public profile, Scott Simon of National Public Radio, has gone on record as abandoning his understanding of pacifism in the face of recent violence. Others may feel similarly, but many Friends still are resolved to hold to a strong pacifist commitment.
To assist in further exploration of these and related issues, I have set up The Quaker Peace Page, a webpage, at:
www.kimopress.com/quaker-peace.htm
Here you will find excerpts from various Quaker statements on peace and pacifism, old and new, plus links to numerous related articles (including Scott Simon's statement), all also on the web. I expect to add to the page as additional resources become available.
I hope Friends and others will find this page and its links of use in sorting out these difficult issues for themselves.
Chuck Fager