Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site utastro.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!ut-sally!utastro!bill From: bill@utastro.UUCP (William H. Jefferys) Newsgroups: net.religion Subject: Re: Christians and Morality Message-ID: <600@utastro.UUCP> Date: Mon, 1-Oct-84 11:16:33 EDT Article-I.D.: utastro.600 Posted: Mon Oct 1 11:16:33 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 2-Oct-84 07:23:35 EDT References: <210@gargoyle.UChicago.UUCP> Organization: UTexas Astronomy Dept., Austin, Texas Lines: 31 > Christians as a whole have been against war. You'll recall that during > the First and Second World Wars almost all concientious objectors were > either Quakers, Mennonites or Brethern -- solid Christians all of them. I don't want to disagree with your main point as I understand it, that many Christians sincerely oppose war, and that Christianity cannot be judged by the actions or statements of one group. However, your statement above is simply not true. *Most* Christians in *most* times have *not* been sufficiently opposed to war to become conscientious objectors. During the Vietnam War, only a small minority registered as CO's, went to Canada, etc., and in previous wars (Korean, WW I, WW II) even fewer took the CO position. Even among draft-age Quakers in WW II, there was a substantial number, it may even have been a majority, who took up arms. Richard Nixon is only the most famous example. It's one thing to "be against war", and it is quite another thing to take a stand such as being a CO that puts one at personal risk vis-a-vis the government and your peers. By the way, a substantial number of Quakers would dispute your assertion that Quakers are "solid Christians". Many doubt that present-day Quakerism is a branch of Christianity at all, although they do recognize the historical roots of Quakerism in Christianity. -- "Biblical signoffs are for the smug." Bill Jefferys 8-% Astronomy Dept, University of Texas, Austin TX 78712 (USnail) {allegra,ihnp4}!{ut-sally,noao}!utastro!bill (uucp) bill%utastro.UTEXAS@ut-sally.ARPA (ARPANET)