Roots

The church plant that I am a part of here in Boulder just launched their website. Check it out:

Roots Church ... a redemptive community living in the Way of Jesus in Boulder, Colorado.

War No More

In light of the New Testament's radical teachings about enemy love, the global communion of believers, Jesus's command to love our neighbor, and my belief that our journeys should, as much as possible, resemble the destination - which is a place where swords are beaten into plowshears and where they shall learn war no more - I am opposed to war in all forms, and for all reasons. I believe that Jesus' example of willingly suffering evil in order to overcome that evil is the only way out of the vicious cycle of wars and more wars, and I believe that the so called "just war" theory has gone over like a lead balloon. I insist that to resort to warfare, even for a moral end, is to adopt a means inconsistent with the Christian’s calling. The Christian Gospel is primarily a message of love and peace, and militarism & imperialism stand in stark contrast to the way of Jesus. For others who have similar feelings or leanings, and to all those who have died in this most dispicable of human conventions, I dedicate this post. While it is not my aim here to make a exhaustive argument for Christian active nonviolence, I still think there are some things to say about it in regards to recent events.

President Bush's war advisor said on Friday that current conditions in the world mean that we should consider reinstating the draft. It is my belief that the appropriate response of a Christian is "conscientiously object." Here is how to make sure that you are registered as a conscientious objector with Social Services:

1. Write a statement of beliefs that explain why, how, when, where, etc. that you became a CO. List anything that could have influenced your beliefs against war and killing, such as religion, films, books, events you attended, etc.

2. Find 3 people who know you very well who can write a letter on your behalf supporting your beliefs as a CO.

3. Write a letter to CCCO explaining that you are a CO, keep a copy for yourself, with the receipt of it being mailed. Keep that letter from us as part of your CO file. You can send your CO file to the Center on Conscience & War to be archived.

4. Compile all of these documents and get them notarized

You need to build a paper trail and document everything possible that could help define you as a person who could not go to war. If you go to any anti-war events, document them somehow as proof that you went, keep the flyers, have your photo taken at the event, etc. They basically want to see that you are genuinely opposed to war, and not just somebody who doesn't want to fight. You must be opposed to all wars, and this doesn't mean you can't use violence in personal self defense.

A few quotes to ponder about Christian opposition to war:

"I wish that Christian men would insist more and more on the unrighteousness of war, believing that Christianity means no sword, no cannon, no bloodshed, and that if a nation is driven to fight in its own defense, Christianity stands by to weep and to intervense as soon as possible, and not to join in the cruel shouts which celebrate an enemy’s slaughter." -- Charles Spurgeon

"Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Mankind must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love." -- Martin Luther King Jr.

A few resources:
Christian Pacifism and Social Justice
Every Church a Peace Church
A Force More Powerful
A Practical Christian Pacifism
Christiam Pacifism
CCCO
The New Testament