Musings on the Peace Testimony

By Nino Ridgway

The Quaker Peace Testimony has much to do with opposing war.  Many define peace as the absence of war.  Are we at peace if we are not at war?  In aggressive conflicts, should we commit resources of soldiers, weapons, supplies, money?  If we oppose war, should we still commit weapons and other support to people who are fighting (violently) to defend themselves from attack?  

It is useful and educational to think about these questions, but for me they are not the central issue.  George Fox spoke of taking away the occasion for war.  Peace embodies not only non-violence, but also harmony, simplicity, equality, respect (for the needs and rights of all living things), and a reverence for the Inner Light.   By the time a war is in progress, ALL of these principles have been violated.  It is not only useful but necessary to go back to these basics and understand that EVERYTHING we do ripples through our lives and communities and either points us towards or away from aggressive behavior, violence and war.

For me, the questions I have before me, front and center, are “Am I living in right relationship (with individuals, communities, nature, the planet)?  Do my actions, or lack of action, move me toward or away from removing the occasion for war and other forms of violence?”  These are the questions I sit with and review daily.  

I recently read “Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey” by Jane Goodall.  In her studies of chimpanzees in Africa, she was the first to discover that chimps are sometimes aggressive, attacking and killing other chimps, including infants.  She also discovered that there are chimpanzee individuals who serve the role of peacemaker, bringing together warring individuals.  Chimps are the closest living relation of humans, sharing 99% of our DNA.  She uses this evidence to suggest that both species are inherently aggressive, but both are capable of overcoming their violent natures.

As far as we know, there have always been wars, and there probably always will be wars.  But this does not mean that we cannot seek to tame our aggressions and live peaceably and in harmony.  By living in right relationship with the world in every single daily activity, we can work to remove the occasion for war.