Faith communities in Africa support a ban on nuclear weapons. Photo: ICAN
Faith communities in Africa support a ban on nuclear weapons. Photo: ICAN

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[dropcap]M[/dropcap]embers of Faith Communities involved in Massachusetts Peace Action have come together to work for the elimination of nuclear weapons.  The following statement provides a platform for peace-seeking people who belong to temples, mosques, churches and other people of faith to find common ground and effectively join forces.

As people of faith we must take seriously our country’s possession of nuclear weapons. The planned enhancement of our country’s current arsenal represents a collective moral blindness to the sacredness of all humanity.  These weapons of mass desecration threaten all life and  “have converted the earth’s surface into something shatterable. ..where all that swims or scoops or skips or sways …can, within a few hours, be burned, sickened and slain.” (1)

As a country we must give up our deadly habit of preparing for and making war to resolve conflict.  It is weapons manufacturers alone which will benefit from the planned $1 Trillion escalation of our nuclear arsenal.  Pope Paul VI (1976) spoke of the immorality of money spent on nuclear weapons, which “even if not used, by their cost alone, kill the poor by causing them to starve.” As practicing people of faith we are called to stand together against what is driven by hatred and fear and to embrace our common guiding principle:  to love our neighbors as ourselves.  

Never has the urgency been greater. As peace-seeking people we must work to eliminate this threat to life on earth and press other nuclear nations to do the same.  We are encouraged by our histories, our traditions, our sacred texts and our prayers to take action for the common good. We ask you to join us.   Contact: info@masspeaceaction.org or call 617-354-2169

  1. Thermonuclear Monarchy, by Elaine Scarry  (2014)

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