by Fr. John Dear, S.J.
Pax Christi USA Ambassador of Peace
Like many others, I’m horrified and saddened by the war and killings in Syria and adamantly oppose U.S. bombings and entry into the war. Further war-making is not the way to end war. Instead, the United States should organize massive global, nonviolent pressure on Syria to cut all weapons sales and deliveries and work nonviolently to end the war. Of course, that means we should end all our military aid and weapons sales to Israel, Egypt and elsewhere, and dismantle our own weapons of mass destruction.
An active, engaged, nonviolent response is the Christian way, as Pope Francis said Sunday. Jesus commanded us in the Sermon on the Mount: “Offer no violent resistance to one who does evil,” and “love your enemies.” These teachings demand that we pursue nonviolent solutions to international conflict as well as nonviolent living.
My new book, The Nonviolent Life, reflects on the three dimensions of a nonviolent life: practicing nonviolence toward oneself; practicing nonviolence toward all others, all creatures, and creation; and practicing nonviolence by joining the global grass-roots movement of nonviolence. This week, I offer a few excerpts for your reflection.…