Posted by Rachel on: 06.11.2007 /
The following is excerpted from “War & Peace: It’s Time to Live What We Preach” by Ron Sider, published in the September/October 2006 issue of Prism magazine.
Christian Peacemaker Teams have been a presence [in Hebron in the West Bank] for 10 years, seeking to nonviolently to befriend both sides, reduce violence, and promote understanding and peace. They accompany children threatened by vigilantes, seek to prevent the illegal demolition of Palestinian houses, and befriend young people and frightened Israeli soldiers…
Christian leaders (both just war and pacifist) from all traditions should together issue a call for something that has never happened in our history: the training and deployment of 10,000 to 25,000 CPT-type peacemakers who are committed to using the nonviolent teachings of Gandhi and King in unjust violent settings around the world. It would only take a few tens of millions of dollars. (Annual income of Christians is over 15 trillion dollars, so money is not the problem!)
If top global Christian leaders (hopefully joined by Muslims) led a thousand trained, praying, nonviolent peacemakers into the West Bank, the eyes of the world would be on them…Media coverage would be phenomenal. Their very presence throughout the West Bank would discourage violence. Both sides would feel the pressure to negotiate…If Christians mean what we have been saying for centuries about war and peace, then they have no choice. Without much planning and training, nonviolence has worked. It’s time to invest $50 million in serious training and deployment…It’s time to live what we preach.
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Comment by: joe
1 06/11/07 8:53 AM | Comment Link |There are not enough Christians who care enough to make this a viable idea. Most could not care less.
Practically speaking, the Israelis would not allow 10-15K people to go to the West Bank.
Comment by: Elaine
2 06/11/07 11:51 AM | Comment Link |I believe in the power of one. One person can make a difference. I have a friend who has become an Israeli citizen - AND he is there to reconcile Jews and Muslims and whoever else is in conflict with the other. He and his associates are making a difference - one relationship at a time.
My part is to support him and do what I can where I am to reconcile the disenfranchised in the USA. Each person doing one thing - that’s a lot!
Comment by: April Terry
3 06/11/07 3:52 PM | Comment Link |I disagree that there aren’t enough Christians out there, but I would rather see 1200 committed Christians at least trying to do something than to write it off with a blanket statement of futility.
I also think all Christians could do a lot to inspire others to take action, even if we can’t necessarily do it ourselves. We should be building up a change in philosophy so that the numbers will be there when the door opens.
Comment by: joe
4 06/12/07 2:52 AM | Comment Link |Hey folks!
I also believe in the power of one! This is why I went to the West Bank and attempted to trade with Palestinians. Nobody told me to do that and few had resources to help in any way.
If there were that many people that were prepared to do something, that would please me no end. But there are not.
Comment by: David H
5 06/12/07 10:18 PM | Comment Link |A few years ago Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson became vocal opponents of a peace plan for the Middle East that was proposed by George W. Bush. Thousands of “Christians” got behind the idea of opposing this plan because “the Bible says” that Israel will have the borders held during the Davidic kingdom when Jesus returns. Therefore, their logic asserted, true believers should oppose any plan for peace that region if it would hinder Israel reclaiming or holding those lands. I had a friend confront me about my salvation because I didn’t believe it was my role to try and force the second coming. I insisted that the job of Jesus followers is to be peacemakers in the world and let God take care of working out the grand scheme. I was neither for or against George Bush’s peace plan, I was simply for peace.
Jesus asked and modeled fairly simple, straight-forward things for his followers. Believers should stop worrying about whether there are two or 2 million people willing to do those things. There is power in one person going, giving or simply saying that those who oppose peace and justice and love don’t speak for Jesus.