Topic: Faith-based action

2 July 2018

“Talking About God at Buchenwald”

On reading & sharing Richard Beck’s blog post

“After touring the grounds of Buchenwald and going through the crematorium, where we viewed the ovens used to burn the corpses, I walked the group over to a shady spot, the zoo built for the entertainment of the SS officers. And there I tried to talk about God.” —Richard Beck

We humans put a human face on God. Then we blame and barter with that God, having projected onto God the capacity for human action, human courage and compassion, human intervention. We ask, “Why does God allow this?”

17 May 2018

“33 Years of Resistance”

A post on war tax from Pedals and Seeds

How can I remove myself from the war economy? Jesus’ message is to drop the sword and find wholeness. Can I embody Truth — to become a clear bell — to offer concrete love? I need to take my money out of the US federal bank account. On Tax Day, April 17, 2018, I will not voluntarily pay a nickel for war.

2 May 2018

“Black Mothers and Babies Are in a Life-or-Death Crisis”

On reading Linda Villarosa’s New York Times article

Linda Villarosa reports that not only are infant mortality rates for black infants more than double that for white infants, but that this situation is worse than in 1850. She writes that a college-educated black mother is more likely to die related to childbirth than a white mother with an 8th grade education, and points to systemic racism as being a likely root cause.

30 April 2018

Now is the Time

With last week’s opening¹ of the National Memorial for Peace and Justice (a.k.a. the Lynching Memorial) in Montgomery, Alabama, I think every single American, particularly those of us who have never felt the sting of bigotry and prejudice, should pause and reflect on our role in the injustices that permeate our country.

19 April 2018

“Palestine and Israel: A Decolonial Framework for Justice and Peace”

Tabitha Mustafa & Sandra Tamari in Friends Journal

The key concept for Friends Mustafa and Tamari is a political reality known as settler colonialism: the replacement of indigenous populations with an outside settler society. The authors argue that native history must be centered in working for justice for indigenous people.

10 February 2018

Sa’ed Atshan on the Quaker practice of embracing conflict

Excerpts from the Friends Journal interview

On March 31, 2018, Dr. Sa’ed Atshan will present the 54th Walton Lecture, “Quaker Response in Turbulent Times,” to the Southeastern Yearly Meeting (SEYM) of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). The December 2017 issue of Friends Journal includes Martin Kelley’s interview with Dr. Atshan, “The Challenges We Face and Community We Forge.” We are republishing excerpts with permission.

5 February 2018

Baltimore YM North Korea Minute & Letter from Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP)-Korea Facilitators

Friends Peace Teams, Asia West Pacific Initiative

NOTE: Friends Committee on National Legislation asks all of us to write our Congress people urging to pass H.R. 4837, the NO UNCONSTITUTIONAL STRIKE AGAINST NORTH KOREA ACT.

This post reproduces the “Baltimore Yearly Meeting North Korea Minute,” during BYM’s Annual Sessions at Frederick, Maryland on 8/6/17, together with a letter from the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP)–Korea Facilitators.

8 January 2018

Quaker Bonds

Using the World Bank’s “Pandemic Bond” model

How do Quakers manage financial investments in a socially responsible way? How can Quakers translate faith into practice with their investments for the universal benefit of us all? Current careful investment wisdom provides for some social screening gestures

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3 July 2017

Paragraphs from the Philippines

Bohol Friends Worship Group

On January 30, 2017, we published the “Death penalty opposition in the Philippines” statement of Bohol Friends Worship Group. Bohol Friends are under the care of the Asia West-Pacific Section of Friends World Committee on Consultation . … We welcome this…