This article was originally published by Mennonite World Review

Unite for peace

Pursuant to the “Faithful Witness Amid Endless War” resolution adopted by the Mennonite Church USA delegates in Kansas City last summer, isn’t now the time for peace church leaders to come together again as John Sharp reports they did in 1935 (“Peace Churches Prepare for War,” Oct. 26)?

According to Sharp, “the Newton [Kan.] meeting of 1935 set the stage for an incredible, five-year burst of activity — education, planning and negotiations that led to the World War II Civilian Public Service program.”

Or would we prefer that our children and grandchildren meet 80 years from now to lament our failure to act? As reported in the Oct. 12 MWR, European Mennonites had such a meeting in September to “confront the hard truths of the Nazi era.”

We are not ruled by Nazis, but we are ruled by imperialists using aggressive violence to dominate the world. As in the ’30s, propaganda is used to win our consent and support. And, as in the ’30s, we generally don’t even realize we’re being duped.

Harold A. Penner
Akron, Pa.

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