We asked different faith leaders the following questions:
1. Are you for or against nuclear weapons? Why?
2. How has your faith informed your opinion on nuclear disarmament?
3. Is there a particular teaching that you consider to be important regarding nuclear weapons?
4. Does your faith have a history of working against weapons of mass destruction? If so, can you give examples?
5. Can you share something from your faith that exemplifies your faith’s approach to peace and nonviolence?
6. What does a peaceful future look like to you?
We hope that this might be a useful resource particularly for Religious Education for students aged 11-18.
Find the interviews and photos of the interviewees below. Please feel free to use and acknowledge the material for educational purposes in whatever format you wish.
Stephen Cottrell, Anglican
Stephen Cottrell is the 98th Archbishop of York. He has previously served as the Bishop of Chelmsford, Bishop of Reading, Canon Pastor at Peterborough Cathedral and Diocesan Missioner for the Diocese of Wakefield. He served in parishes in South London and Chichester. He is a member of the Church of England’s Committee for Minority Ethnic Concerns, and Chair of Church Army, an Anglican society for evangelism and social outreach. He is a member of the House of Lords. He is a well-known writer and speaker on evangelism, spirituality and catechesis. His latest book, ‘Dear England’ published in March 2021, addresses issues about how the Christian faith can shape the life of our nation. It includes a short section on nuclear weapons. He is married to Rebecca who is a potter, and they have three sons and one grandson.
Are you for or against nuclear weapons? Why?
I am against nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons are disproportionate and indiscriminate. They won’t only kill your enemies, they will kill everything, even running the very serious risk of killing the planet itself. There are no circumstances in which using a nuclear weapon could be just. Therefore, they shouldn’t exist. Just as we have international treaties to ban chemical weapons and cluster bombs, so I support international treaties that seek to ban nuclear weapons.
How has your faith informed your opinion on nuclear disarmament?
Jesus was a man of peace. He said that those who worked for peace were God’s children. Therefore, we are most like God when we make peace. Some Christians are pacifists, that is they oppose any sort of armed conflict. Along with most Christians, I take the view that sometimes, and as a last resort, armed response might be necessary in self-defence or in order to save innocent lives. The Church has developed what is known as the just war theory, as a way of determining when such a limited, armed response might be appropriate, such as defending yourself or your nation against a violent attack, or defending the innocent, or resisting a violent and tyrannical oppressor. But because just war theory only permits you to use the minimum force necessary to stop an aggressor, indiscriminate weapons such as chemical weapons or nuclear arms, could never be used. This is why Christians, who generally supported armed opposition to Hitler in the Second World War, spoke against the indiscriminate blanket bombing of German cities which killed many innocent people and was not just aimed at strategic military targets, and, of course, opposed the terrible indiscriminate loss of life which resulted from the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Does your faith have a history of working against weapons of mass destruction? If so can you give examples?
The just war theory is the main contribution the Christian faith has made to thinking about war. Consequently Christians have often been involved in the peace movement. The first chairman of CND was an Anglican priest, John Collins. One of the leading voices in CND over the past 40 years, Bruce Kent, was a Roman Catholic priest. In the Church of England, there have been various resolutions made about the possession and use of nuclear weapons, consistently calling upon our own government and the governments of the world to rid ourselves of these terrifying and expensive weapons of mass destruction. In November last year along with the Archbishop of Canterbury and other bishops, I called on the government to sign the treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. I have also spoken in the House of Lords on these issues.
Can you share something from your faith that exemplifies your faith approach to peace and nonviolence?
Jesus preached and lived the way of nonviolent resistance. He famously said that if someone hit you on one cheek, you should offer them the other one as well. He also lived this out. When he was arrested and crucified, he forgave the soldiers who nailed him to the cross. He calls those who follow him to live the same way. On the night before he died he said to his disciples that his bequest to them was peace – but not peace as the world understands it.
What does a peaceful future look like to you?
Of course, I long for a world without nuclear weapons, but this of itself won’t bring peace. The real problem is not the weapons themselves but the terrible tendency of human beings to put their trust in weapons and resort too easily to violence. The world thinks peace is more like a truce, an absence of violence or the silence after the guns have finished firing. But we can only have a peaceful future when we have healed the human heart. The Christian vision of peace only comes when we abandon violence and oppression and seek justice, loving our neighbour as ourselves and seeking the good of all.
Martin Tiller, Baptist.
My name is Martin Tiller. I am a member of a Baptist church in the Midlands. In my day job I work for Network Rail and in my spare time I help to run Christian CND, a group which is linked to CND and aims to get Christians thinking about nuclear weapons, and to provide a Christian perspective on them. I did not get involved until I was in my 40s, and I wish I had done it sooner because I really enjoy making a difference and bringing a message of hope for a better future. We tweet on @ChristianCND.
Are you for or against nuclear weapons? Why?
I am against nuclear weapons. I think that most people would also be against them, except that in the UK we are encouraged from a young age to accept ‘nuclear deterrence’ as a necessary evil. As a Christian I don’t believe there is such a thing as a necessary evil!
How has your faith informed your opinion on nuclear disarmament?
My faith teaches that ‘with God, all things are possible’. That includes a world without nuclear weapons and the fear and inequality they bring. The Bible tells the history of God working in the world through many centuries, and makes it clear that we must consider future generations in the actions we take today. I grew up in the Cold War, and I don’t want future generations to face the same fear and risk that we did. My faith gives me hope that change is possible. It challenges me to call out evil wherever it is found – including national politics.
Is there a particular teaching that you consider to be important regarding nuclear weapons?
Jesus told the story of a child asking their parent for some food, but the parent gave them a poisonous snake instead. He said this would never happen because parents love their children (Matthew 7:9-11). Christians have been praying for peace for centuries, and I believe that God, our loving parent, wants to answer those prayers. Just like a human parent, God wants good things for his children, not harm. If we say that ‘nuclear deterrence’ is God’s answer to our prayers for peace, we are under-estimating his ability to give us real peace, and settling for the ‘snake’ instead!
Does your faith have a history of working against weapons of mass destruction? If so, can you give examples?
Yes. Martin Luther King was a Baptist minister and described nuclear weapons as ‘this most colossal of all evils’. In 2016 Baptist leaders issued a statement about Trident: ‘Our churches urge the British Government to work tirelessly to rid the world of weapons of mass destruction’. Many Baptists are involved in the peace movement, but we need wider participation.
Can you share something from your faith that exemplifies your faith’s approach to peace and nonviolence?
In my church we mainly sing modern songs, but it was a hundred-year-old hymn, ‘God of Grace and God of Glory’ that inspired me to join the peace movement. Its words include:
‘Cure thy children’s warring madness;
bend our pride to thy control;
shame our wanton, selfish gladness,
rich in things and poor in soul.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
lest we miss thy kingdom’s goal.
Save us from weak resignation
to the evils we deplore.
Let the search for thy salvation
be our glory evermore.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
serving thee whom we adore.’
What does a peaceful future look like to you?
One where the nine nations which currently reckon they need nuclear weapons (including the UK) have joined the 186 nations which don’t have them. One where nations treat each other as equals – as we all are, in the sight of God.
Anna Ikeda, Buddhist
My name is Anna Ikeda, and I work for the Soka Gakkai International (SGI)’s Office for UN Affairs. The SGI is an international association of Soka Gakkai, a global community-based Buddhist organization that promotes peace, culture and education centred on respect for the dignity of life. I am a campaigner for the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons and also am part of the Voices for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons Cooperation Circle of the United Religions Initiative. You can find me on Twitter @anna_ikeda and @sgi_ouna.
Are you for or against nuclear weapons? Why?
I am absolutely against nuclear weapons, and I see working toward their abolition as one of my life’s missions. They fundamentally deny the dignity of life, which is central to our Buddhist philosophy. Nuclear weapons do not make this world safer; they do quite the opposite.
How has your faith informed your opinion on nuclear disarmament?
As mentioned earlier, as Buddhists we oppose nuclear weapons because we believe that each person has infinite potential, and therefore they are inherently worthy of respect. At the same time, we recognise that life has the potential for both good and evil. We see that the fundamental root cause we need to concur is our way of thinking that justifies nuclear weapons, which, ultimately, is our inability to see the true value of life and our interconnectedness. Therefore, we have always advocated for the importance of peace and disarmament education as a critical component for nuclear weapons abolition.
Is there a particular teaching that you consider to be important regarding nuclear weapons?
Our daily Buddhist practice as SGI members is based on the teachings of Nichiren, 13th-century Japanese priest. In one of his major writings, he stated: ‘If the nation is destroyed and people’s homes are wiped out, then where can one flee for safety? If you care anything about your personal security, you should first of all pray for order and tranquillity throughout the four quarters of the land, should you not?’ Thus we work toward creating peaceful societies, because we believe there can be no happiness or security for ourselves based on unhappiness or insecurity of others.
Does your faith have a history of working against weapons of mass destruction? If so, can you give examples?
Our activities for peace and disarmament originate from the 1957 anti-nuclear declaration made by the second president of the Soka Gakkai, Josei Toda. Since then, our organisation has continuously worked toward nuclear abolition, and our grassroots activities are often led by youth.
Can you share something from your faith that exemplifies your faith’s approach to peace and nonviolence?
Central to our faith tradition is the concept of human revolution. SGI President, Daisaku Ikeda, writes: ‘A great human revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and further, will enable a change in the destiny of all humankind.’ It is a process of manifesting our potential to be good, courageous, and compassionate while challenging our bleak tendencies to dehumanize and objectify the ‘other.’ Such inner transformation is the key to bringing about transformations in our societies.
What does a peaceful future look like to you?
To me a peaceful future is where each person can exercise their full potential, realising that one’s own happiness and prosperity is inseparable from those of others. It is where conflicts can be resolved through genuine, persistent dialogue, where all parties strive to learn and grow from the process.
Tanuja Shukla, Hare Krishna
My given name is Tanuja Shukla, (spiritual name Tulsi Seva Devi Dasi). I have been active in (IES) ISKCON Educational Services at my local temple Bhaktivedanta Manor since 2015 as department manager and also presenting Hinduism to students. As of Sept 2020 my role is of advisor for IES and my full-time job is as Business Manager/Faith Lead at Gurukula –The Hare Krishna School. I also represent IES on the REC and as a faith rep with both Central Beds and Herts SACRE. Tweets @ISKCON_IES and Instagram @bhaktivedanta_manor_ies. Website www.HinduismRE.co.uk main temple website Krishnatemple.com
Are you for or against nuclear weapons? Why?
I am against nuclear weapons, because they bring destruction to the earth and humanity at large. It is senseless and selfish for any nation to use these kinds of weapons.
How has your faith informed your opinion on nuclear disarmament?
The earth is sacred. She is also known as ‘mother’ earth and all the living entities on the planet are like her children. She provides us with everything we need to live. Most Hindus believe in the concept of Ahimsa – non-violence. Every living thing on this planet has consciousness and has a soul connection, because we ultimately come from God. As a Gaudiya Vaishnava I believe that the soul is a minute particle of God, we are all parts and parcel of God and ultimately everything belongs to Him/Her. We do not have the right to destroy or take anything if it does not belong to us.
Is there a particular teaching that you consider to be important regarding nuclear weapons?
‘…the demoniac, who are lost themselves and who have no intelligence, engage in unbeneficial horrible works meant to destroy the world.’ BG 16.9
According to our spiritualteacher, A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, this verse indirectly predicts the invention of nuclear weapons and they are created for the sole purpose of destruction. In the material realm there will always be upheavals. It is said that godlessness in society leads to greed, envy, pride. We practice bhakti yoga to free ourselves from these qualities to attain what we consider to be real peace and unity.
Does your faith have a history of working against weapons of mass destruction? If so, can you give examples?
I am not aware of any participation in working against weapons of mass destruction. Our work is based on educating people at large about the science of the soul and self-realisation. Knowledge in these subjects concludes that there is no necessity for weapons of mass destruction.
Can you share something from your faith that exemplifies your faith’s approach to peace and nonviolence?
Arjuna the friend of Krishna is in the centre of the battlefield of Kurukshetra. He sees all his extended family members, friends and teachers on the opposing side ofthe battle and is sad, confused and doubtful of fighting against them. He turns to Lord Krishna for advice and what follows are instructions to Arjuna on the process of self-realisation and dharma (duty). We could consider ourselves to be like Arjuna because this world can sometimes seem like a battlefield and we look for guidance in the Bhagavad Gita. By following these teachings, we can prevent violence to each other and the world.
What does a peaceful future look like to you?
A world where we acknowledge each other’s differences and cultivate a mood of tolerance, and respect regardless of individuals choices.
Vijay M
ehta, Hindu
Vijay Mehta is an author and peace activist. He is Chair of Uniting for Peace and founding Trustee of Fortune Forum Charity. His books include ‘The Economics of Killing’ (2012), ‘Peace Beyond Borders’ (2016) and ‘How Not To Go To War’ (2019). The Sunday Times described him as a ‘longstanding activist for peace, development, human rights and the environment, who along with his daughter Renu Mehta has set a precedent for striving to change the world’ (The Sunday Times, February 01, 2009). In 2014, Vijay Mehta’s biography ‘The Audacity of Dreams’ appeared in the book form ‘Karma Kurry’ published by Jaico Publishing House, India with a foreword to the book by Nelson Mandela. Vijay Mehta is a former secretary of LRCND and former member of National CND Council. He has spoken on nuclear disarmament issues at several conferences and has attended Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Conferences in New York a few times as a CND delegate.
Are you for or against nuclear weapons? Why?
I am against nuclear weapons and totally support their abolition as the use of them will kill millions of people bringing untold misery as was the case in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The longer nuclear weapons are maintained, the more there is societal acceptance of them. This is quite dangerous as moralists appear consigned to the wilderness. I believe religion ought to be the first to raise its voice, in a united way, against the possession of nuclear weapons by any state.
How has your faith informed your opinion on nuclear disarmament?
My Hindu faith teaches Ahimsa (non-violence) and living peacefully with others. A famous Hindu quotation is, ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ which means the world is one family and we should all work in cooperation and caring for each other. My faith has inspired me to work tirelessly for the abolition of the nuclear weapons.
However, at this moment, in India there is a resurgence of Hindu nationalism and growth of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is strongly in favour of keeping nuclear weapons and as its neighbour Pakistan also possesses nuclear weapons. This is a dangerous situation in which a nuclear conflict in the South Asian region would be so devastating that scientists predict it could trigger Ice Age temperatures causing global famine and kill around 125 million people.
Is there a particular teaching that you consider to be important regarding nuclear weapons?
Gandhi, a very religious person, was a sharp critic of the Bomb, and regarded the employment of the atom bomb for the wholesale destruction of men, women and children as the most diabolical use of science and he said ‘Who invented the atom bomb has committed the gravest sin in the world of science.’
Arundhati Roy, the Booker Prize winner, in her article ‘The End of Imagination’, said, ‘The nuclear bomb is the most anti-democratic, anti-national, anti-human, outright evil thing that man has ever made. If you are religious, then remember that this bomb is man’s challenge to God. It has the power to destroy everything that God has created. This world is 4 billion, 600 million years old. It could end in an afternoon.’
- Robert Oppenheimer, considered to be the Father of the Atomic Bomb, explained how he recited a line from Bhagavad Gita (considered to be the primary holy scripture of Hinduism) – ‘I Am Become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds’ – Upon Witnessing the First Nuclear Explosion.
Does your faith have a history of working against weapons of mass destruction? If so, can you give examples?
No. As Weapons of Mass Destruction are a recent invention and Hinduism is two millennia old.
Can you share something from your faith that exemplifies your faith’s approach to peace and nonviolence?
For thousands of years, from Gautam Buddha to Emperor Ashoka to Vivekanand and to Gandhi, India has advocated and practiced peace and non-violence throughout the world.
An outstanding example is of Emperor Ashoka (272 BC), who changed Mauryan Dynasty from war machine into a society of tolerance, nonviolence, and cooperation among nations. He developed and preached peace and nonviolence and left thousands of edicts on rocks and metal inscriptions discovered in many sites from Afghanistan to Sri Lanka. These inscriptions include streams of philosophy of Hinduism and Buddhism. Among hundreds of edicts, some examples are below:
- Renunciation of war
- Abolition of death penalty
- Plantation of banyan and mango trees
- Ban on killing animals, birds and deer hunting
- Provisions of medical facilities for humans and animals
What does a peaceful future look like to you?
I believe a peaceful future is when you go to a job and send children to school, without any fear of any conflict erupting in your neighbourhood. For that to happen, the role of peace education, to have skills to resolve conflicts and struggle for justice, equality and appreciate cultural diversity at all levels is paramount. Ultimately, we as individuals need to work actively to build a harmonious and peaceful future for all.
Barbara Chandler, Humanist
My name is Barbara Chandler and I am an Accredited Humanist celebrant, leading non – religious funerals and naming ceremonies. I have been an active member of the Humanist Ceremonies part of Humanists UK for more than a decade. In my youth I was a Christian, and in my late teens a regular attender at Quaker meetings. But I grew to be clear that I could not believe that a god of any kind exists. I have found that our humanist world view, which commits to using reason, evidence and empathy to help us make ethical decisions, has much in common with the best of Friends’ and Christian humanists’ thinking. I was a campaigning member of CND for years –and yes, I am old enough to have joined the London leg of some Aldermaston marches! I support international voluntary and campaigning efforts to make the world kindlier and more fair: Amnesty International, ActionAid and Global Justice Now.
Are you for or against nuclear weapons? Why?
I am against nuclear weapons and all mass-murdering weapons. I think we should vigorously challenge all manufacture and dealing in arms for warfare. Though we are capable of inventing tools to destroy each other, we should not do so: that is an appalling use of human talent and resources.
How has your faith informed your opinion on nuclear disarmament?
I cannot say that I have any faith as such. Humans have the capacity to experience a full range of emotions and understand those of others. I think that no human being was born hostile to others, but sadly some get taught how to become this way. The leaders of States should lead, not seek to goad us to dominate others…and because we have the capacity to empathise, we should apply this to how we go about protecting ourselves from warfare – fair dealings, respect for human rights and real diplomacy come to mind!
Is there a particular teaching that you consider to be important regarding nuclear weapons?
‘Do unto others as you would have them do to you’ comes to mind – the worldwide ‘golden rule’ which says that we should care for others since we are all vulnerable humans together on this planet. ‘I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this
way again.’ Etienne de Grellet du Mabillier
Does your faith have a history of working against weapons of mass destruction? If so, can you give examples?
For centuries it was dangerous not to declare a religious faith and in many countries this is still the case. Hence we do not know what the history of non–religious humanists against weapons and warfare might have been. In recent centuries many individual humanists have campaigned against warfare, such as those who helped build the UN.
Can you share something from your faith that exemplifies your faith’s approach to peace and nonviolence?
The first part of the 2002 Amsterdam declaration of Humanists International:
‘1. Humanism is ethical. It affirms the worth, dignity and autonomy of the individual and the right of every human being to the greatest possible freedom compatible with the rights of others. Humanists have a duty of care to all of humanity including future generations. Humanists believe that morality is an intrinsic part of human nature based on understanding and a concern for others, needing no external sanction.’
What does a peaceful future look like to you?
One where national boundaries and ‘ownership’ of resources would be less important to all than the need and capacity to support each other. One where the reasoned will of all the people, rather than the narrow interests of those claiming financial and political power, held sway.
Mohammed Kozbar, Muslim
Mohammed Kozbar is the chairman of Finsbury Park Mosque, one of the most prominent Islamic centres in the UK. Mohammed holds a master’s degree in Charity Management at St. Mary’s University. He is also a member of the Islington Faiths Forum representing the Muslim Community in North London and was a regular IB Times UK columnist. He also sits at the diversity panel of the ITV London news and a member of the Police Islington Advisory Group (IAG). Mohammed is also a member of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) London Scrutiny and Involvement Panel on hate crime.
Are you for or against nuclear weapons? Why?
I am totally against nuclear weapons, because they are mass destruction weapons which don’t differentiate between combatants and innocent civilians and also damage the earth and everything on it.
How has your faith informed your opinion on nuclear disarmament?
The religion of Islam is against war in principle, except for just reasons, like defending the weak and the oppressed and resisting occupation. War for oil and usurping people’s resources and wealth cannot be justified in Islam. Weapons of mass destruction including nuclear weapons do not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants. Therefore they are considered as a means for terrorism as they terrorise innocent civilians and even animals and damage the nature which God created to serve the whole of humanity including those who will come after us. Islam encourages banning nuclear weapons all over the globe in a way that gives no chance to any country to possess them in order to attain a balance in power between all nations.
Is there a particular teaching that you consider to be important regarding nuclear weapons?
We have a verse in the Quran which says: ‘whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely’.
Can you share something from your faith that exemplifies your faith’s approach to peace and nonviolence?
As a religion of peace and safety, and the religion in which God made its rulings based on peace and achieving security, Islam fights bloodshed, devastation and destruction. It consists of rulings based on establishing a life for the human being in which he remains safe, reassured and peaceful. The Almighty said in the Holy Qur’an: ‘And if they incline towards peace, you [Prophet] must also incline towards it, and put your trust in God: He is the All Hearing, the All Knowing’. Peace is the greeting of Islam that the Messenger of God commanded, this is why we greet people when we meet them with ‘Assalamu Alaikum’ which means ‘Peace be upon you’.
What does a peaceful future look like to you?
A peaceful future is a just future, when all people live a decent life and have a roof above their heads and food on their tables and health coverage and can live freely and dignified in their unoccupied countries.
Sarah Kerr, Pagan
I’m Sarah Kerr and I’m the President of the Pagan Federation. My role exists to lead the Pagan Federation and its team of volunteers in advocating for Pagans to have the same rights as followers of other beliefs and religions, promoting Paganism positively and providing information on Pagan beliefs to the media, official bodies and the wider community. Speaking about nuclear weaponry is not usually within my remit, but it is something I feel deeply about personally and largely due to my own Pagan beliefs.
Are you for or against nuclear weapons? Why?
I am against nuclear weapons. I believe there are better things to do with our scientific capabilities. We have lots of societal problems that could be solved if we redirected our efforts from producing weaponry to those issues. I also don’t believe they’re justifiable in terms of the destruction they can cause to both the planet and the life that depends on it for a home.
How has your faith informed your opinion on nuclear disarmament?
I’m Pagan so my belief and the practicing of those beliefs help me to stay connected to the natural world and to feel a part of it rather than disconnected and somehow apart from it. To have access to, and the ability to use, weaponry that would destroy the nature that I and every living thing on this planet relies on for all aspects of life is an idea that makes absolutely no sense to me. There are other ways of solving the problems within our world that don’t involve the potential for killing all life.
Is there a particular teaching that you consider to be important regarding nuclear weapons?
Pagans don’t have religious texts so there isn’t any particular teaching with regard to nuclear weapons but many of us practice a deep reverence and respect for nature and life in general. In my own faith practice, I try to live as lightly as possible on the earth while still being a functioning and useful member of society. This can be a difficult balance to maintain while living everyday life but when it comes to things that can cause mass destruction and huge loss of life my choice is clear and I oppose it.
Does your faith have a history of working against weapons of mass destruction? If so, can you give examples?
Lots of Pagans, though not all Pagans, are against anything that causes harm to the planet and the life that lives and relies upon it. Because of this, many Pagans are involved in activism and work that opposes anything that causes destruction to the earth.
Can you share something from your faith that exemplifies your faith’s approach to peace and nonviolence?
There are myths and legends within various individual traditions that give examples of Pagan approaches to peace and nonviolence, but nothing that is applicable to all Pagans. This is because for many of us we understand through observing nature that conflict is a necessary part of life. That does not mean all Pagans advocate for war or violence, though there are those that may well do. I myself could not advocate for war or violence but I do understand that peace is not always possible, and that conflict is something that sometimes needs to happen to help facilitate necessary change.
What does a peaceful future look like to you?
To me a peaceful future is one where no one is discriminated against for who they are and that everyone receives the same opportunities to express who they are so long as their actions do not intentionally harm others.
Hannah Brock Womack, Quaker
Hannah Brock Womack has a background in antimilitarist campaigning. After studying social sciences she worked with a variety of grassroots peace and social justice groups in the UK and internationally, including War Resisters’ International on their programme promoting conscientious objection. She now works for The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust.
Are you for or against nuclear weapons? Why?
I am against nuclear weapons. I don’t see the point in spending hundreds of billions of pounds on weapons that can cause unbelievable amounts of damage (including damage to the Earth). Can’t we invest in green energy instead of weapons of mass destruction?
How has your faith informed your opinion on nuclear disarmament?
I am a Quaker, so I believe there is that of God in every human being, and in the natural world. Because of this, there is no way that weapons that indiscriminately kill thousands of people can be good, as this would mean choosing to destroy divine beings! Quakers oppose violence in all its forms, so I believe that co-operation, healing and caring are better ways to achieve peace than spending more and more on weapons that can kill more and more people.
Is there a particular teaching that you consider to be important regarding nuclear weapons?
Quakers don’t rely on specific religious texts, though it’s common to hear the Bible referenced at Quaker meetings. Quakers follow ‘testimonies’ instead, which are commitments we make to live in certain ways. The most commonly known of these is the peace testimony. The peace testimony says that Quakers are called to live ‘in the virtue of that life and power that takes away the occasion of all wars’, which means that we are pacifists. We oppose war, fighting and violence, but also the things that lead to war, fighting and violence, like inequality. Nuclear weapons have the potential to be extremely destructive, so we oppose them too.
Does your faith have a history of working against weapons of mass destruction? If so, can you give examples?
Yes. Quakers have campaigned for peace for decades. The first nuclear weapon was used in World War Two, when a lot of Quakers were conscientious objectors. Since then, they’ve been involved in both international efforts and local activism to oppose nukes.
Can you share something from your faith that exemplifies your faith’s approach to peace and nonviolence?
The Quaker Tapestry illustrates the history of Quakerism from the 17th Century to today. One of its ‘panels’ depicts two donkeys tied together by a rope. The image is captioned ‘co-operation is better than conflict’. If the donkeys fight each other to get to their own haybale, neither will eat. However, if they move in the same direction together, then they both share the reward.
What does a peaceful future look like to you?
One in which not just fighting has disappeared, but also inequality and injustice. A peaceful future to me looks like one where we all have equal respect, opportunity and value, just as we are equally divine inside ourselves.
Marigold Bentley, Quaker
My name is Marigold Bentley and I’m Head of Peace Programmes and Faith Relations for Quakers in Britain. I’ve worked in peace and service for forty years and have witnessed war and suffering first hand, as well as engaged with Quaker United Nations work against war in all its forms. I regard it as important to be able to educate one another about nonviolence and anti-militarism, to personally protest against war and the military response to international disputes, and to engage with policy and policy makers so that peace is brought about. I am involved in all those things.
Are you for or against nuclear weapons? Why?
I am against nuclear weapons. It is my belief that we were not given the gift of life in order to plot and plan how to destroy it, one another and the planet on which we depend. We know from the times when nuclear weapons have been used on people, cities, and islands, that they create immediate but also long-lasting destruction and disease.
How has your faith informed your opinion on nuclear disarmament?
I am a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). I believe there is that of God in everyone, and we live in right-relationships with people and planet. As faithful people we must work for nuclear disarmament because nuclear weapons potentially threaten everything. The belief that the possession and maintenance of nuclear weapons keeps us safe is false. The threat to use weapons which could indiscriminately kill millions and destroy the environment cannot be right or healthy. Quakers do understand that safety and security are important, but believe they can be achieved through co-operation and shared problem solving from the local to the global without recourse to violence.
Is there a particular teaching that you consider to be important regarding nuclear weapons?
Two faith texts are core for Quakers which are the Bible and Quaker Faith & Practice (QF&P), the Book of Christian Discipline of the Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). QF&P is revised for each generation. Much Quaker contemporary practice and belief stems from the New Testament. Quakers have a realised eschatology – namely, the Kingdom of God is at hand and emerging. Therefore religious truth is being constantly discerned in a contemporary context. Religious understandings are captured in Quaker minutes. There is no Biblical reference to nuclear weapons, but there are plenty against war. The key minute for Quakers relating to nuclear weapons is from 1955 QF&P 24.41 Extract ‘To rely on the possession of nuclear weapons as a deterrent is faithless; to use them is a sin.’
Does your faith have a history of working against weapons of mass destruction? If so, can you give examples?
Quakers explored the impact of nuclear weapons thoroughly in the 1940s and 1950s, when the true horror of their potential was revealed. From then we have our religious position against them. Quakers have been active in protest, policy change, international law and dialogue with decision makers to end their possession and use.
Can you share something from your faith that exemplifies your faith’s approach to peace and nonviolence?
‘Extract Advices and Queries 31 from QF&P
We are called to live in the virtue and life which takes away the occasion of all wars’.
What does a peaceful future look like to you?
One in which violence, militarism and war plays no part in our domestic settings, community relations, our international dialogue and our human engagement with one another and the planet.
Gurmukh Singh, Sikh
My name is Gurmukh Singh. I have worked with UK Sikh organisations in advisory roles since 1996. Nuclear disarmament is one aspect of global conflict resolution during war and peace, a topic in which I have taken a close interest. Over the years, I have given my ‘Sikh perspective’ to government agencies, the media, religious education teachers and students. I have participated in interfaith presentations covering global issues. One aim of my work is to inspire youth activism in these areas. (Website for my Sikh articles and books: Sikh Missionary Society (U.K.) )
Are you for or against nuclear weapons? Why?
As a Sikh, I am for multilateral nuclear disarmament but against unilateral surrender of power to totalitarian regimes. Nuclear weapons are a glaring misuse of God-given knowledge, a global threat to human existence and a major distraction from human progress towards an ideal global society.
How has your faith informed your opinion on nuclear disarmament?
Sikh teachings tell me that human life is precious and that human beings have the God-given right to live with dignity. However, as a last resort, to struggle against oppression to the death is better than living a life without dignity. Therefore, to quote the Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh, ’When all peaceful means fail, armed resistance against oppression is justified.’ The Sikh Kirpan, meaning: the sword which defends human dignity, also symbolises armed defence of an egalitarian way of life against all weapons – conventional or nuclear. Global nuclear disarmament depends on tackling the root causes of war by diverting human thought and energy away from material ambition and greed, to God-centred moral values and truthful living.
[Article link: A Sikh Approach to War and Peace (sikhmissionarysociety.org) ]
Is there a particular teaching that you consider to be important regarding nuclear weapons?
As nuclear weapons are a modern invention, world religions can only be guided by general principles. Guru Nanak’s compositions lamenting the carnage caused by Babur, the Mughal invader of India, are instructive. The compassionate Guru implored the Creator Being that if a powerful aggressor is faced by an equally powerful defender then there is no cause for complaint. However, when ordinary households are left defenceless and will be killed, they deserve divine intervention. No one should be left defenceless against conventional or nuclear weapons while human endeavours for global peace continue.
Does your faith have a history of working against weapons of mass destruction? If so, can you give examples?
Sikh teachings, history and activism are about peaceful co-existence and defence of human diversity and dignity. There is no distinction between knives and nukes if used for aggression. Therefore, in forums and peace movements, Sikhs oppose use of all weapons which are not solely for self-defence of individuals and people (communities and nations).
Can you share something from your faith that exemplifies your faith’s approach to peace and nonviolence?
Sikh teachings enshrined in the Sikh Holy Scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, include those of Muslim and Hindu saints. A Guru martyr, Guru Tegh Bahadur, gave his life in defence of the universal principle of religious freedom. At that time the aggressor was a Muslim Emperor, Aurungzeb, forcing Hindus to convert to Islam. Yet, Muslim saints have a place of honour in Sikh teachings as mentioned above. Guru Granth Sahib exemplifies world peace and full acceptance of human diversity. Historical Sikh non-violent campaigns – the morchas – against colonial rule won applause from leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and also from the colonial British themselves.
What does a peaceful future look like to you?
A Peaceful future is well illustrated in Guru Granth Sahib as one when no one inflicts pain on another. It is a future in which global citizens have no worries (Begumpura concept) and they can move around fearlessly and freely.