I am praying for Father John.

Peace now that is a threat to our society...

I just finished a few books on/by Gandhi. What an amazing spirit he had. I am trying to get the courage to lead by the principle of nonviolent action. Sure, I write letters to the editor, and I served as a peace corps volunteer in Africa, but these were just appetizers. I am preparing myself for my main course.

God bless John Dear.

In my book. The only true heroes are the nonviolent ones. They have first conquered themselves...where all spiritual journeys must begin.

Peace brother John!

Now that's a voice for peace! Amazing and frightening that the USA, self-proclaimed leader of the free world, self-proclaimed 'Christian' nation, has aligned itself against a movement which follows the precepts of Jesus towards peace.

Until this current direction is reversed, we cannot realistically hope for world peace and national security. Let us pray for and work toward a day when we recapture the ideals of freedom and justice.

John -- you know your New York friends send you blessings and applaud you in the wonderful work you do. Our prayers are with you at this critical time. Your words are awesome and I will share them your NYC Fellowship of Reconciliation friends.

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne

Thank you bother John for your courageous moral stand for peace & equity in the world! May your case be dropped & your proper place in the world restored!

Our non-violent stance can include a vegetarian diet. When we nourish our body with the murdered flesh of our dear animals this has a deep psychological impact & loosens the restraints on human violence. Non-violence is called "Ahimsa" in Hinduism & means - "causing no violence by thought, word or deed". Even in our dreams! A vegan diet is even better & can add around (8) extra years to your life. It is also tremendously good for the environment.

The founding of this America started by decimating an ancient race violently,
over generations. It has included in Vietnam, Granada, Haiti, Iraqi,
Iran, Hawaii, Cambodia, Laos, & many more. Lots of death & destruction. We depose elected presidents of countries & have invasion plans at the ready for all nations, friend or not. I call this "white man's disease", the arrogance of superiority toward others & the cold blooded nature to do whatever you "have to" to dominate the other. The US intrusion in Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, et al, is the continuation of a rarely admitted plan for world domination at all costs. What is the need for (900) foreign military bases other than having quick strike capability & suppression of resistance to our destructive foreign policies?
I believe that the only other countries can solve this situation. US citizens do not have the will to accomplish it.

In addition to larryskanda's vegetarian recommendations:

First, it was those of us who were fighting to legalize the nonviolent peaceful cure Cannabis that were deemed "threats", not it's people themselves that even believe in peace. I warned you all out there but did anybody listen ?!?!? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A great deal of the Left that bought into the reefer madness are the culprits that started us all down this sociopath trap and this is the price you all are paying for writing us hemp advocates off !

Good bless you, Father John.

P.S.: I will be more than happy to make you a super-durable bulletproof vest made out of hemp. That way, you won't have to fear the killers out there.

John we are all in your debt. Thank You, I hope you are set free!

John Dear is one of a handful of MEN I respect and admire. Good luck John and God Speed!

A A A A A A A A A

Fr. John Dear, S.J., along with Pax Christi, U.S.A., is one of the great international voices for peace. I am so pleased that CD often publishes his articles.

U.S. citizens should raise their voices in great numbers if Fr. John Dear is sentenced. It is a shame that most Americans including most Catholics are not familiar with his work and that of Pax Christi, USA.

Good luck and God Bless you, Fr. John Dear.

..

This judge has no jurisdiction over this Soveriegn man of God, there is no crime in following one's Freedom of Conscience

It took me 50 years to learn this-

Heat is energy. Cold is not. Cold is simply the relative absence of heat. One cannot manufacture a machine that produces cold. To make something cold, remove the heat.

Light is energy. Darkness is not. Darkness is simply the relative absence of light. One cannot manufacture a machine that produces darkness. To make something dark, remove the light.

Compassion (love) is energy. Evil is not. Evil is the relative absence of compassion. To make something evil, remove compassion.

The degree to which one lacks compassion is the degree to which one serves evil. This is true regardless of religious beliefs, political alignment or anything else.

Imagine yourself in a giant auditorium with all of the lights turned off. Total darkness. In your hand is a flashlight. A flick of the thumb sends a beam through the darkness. While the flashlights beam is not infinitely powerful, all of the darkness in the universe, if you could bring it into the auditorium, would have no effect on it whatsoever. There is no battle between darkness and light. The battle takes place in the thumb.

The same thing can be said for the trigger finger. The battle between good and evil does not take place "out there" where the bullet is. It takes place in the finger.

Open the door to a dark room. Does the darkness flow out or the light rush in?

Truth Faerie
the_truth_faerie@yahoo.com

TruthFaerie -

It doesn't get any simpler than that.

"I will believe that violence will overcome violence when you can convince me that darkness will overcome darkness."
M K Gandhi

The State has no proper jurisdiction when it comes to matters of conscience like Fr. Dear's opposition to war. That he can be judged, and imprisoned, by the same state that allows war criminals like Bush, Cheney, and their ilk to remain free is a clear admission that this country is some kind of immoral beast among nations. It is a further shame that few in Congress have the moral courage to do anything about it, including the three so-called "top-tier" Democratic candidates.

THE FOLLOWING IS AN E-MAIL I RECEIVED TODAY FROM BILL RICHARDSON, GOVERNOR OF NEW MEXICO AND FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE FOR 2008.

"Dear Gail,

These last couple of weeks have been blessedly peaceful.

After living inside the tornado of a presidential campaign for 11 months, it has been so good to get back to New Mexico and the business of running this wonderful state I call home.

I've had a lot of calls from the media asking me which of the remaining Democratic candidates I'm going to endorse. And I thought you should be the first to hear my answer.

I'm not endorsing any of them -- at least not for now.

But I am endorsing the issues and priorities that were first raised by my campaign and which are now an accepted part of the discussion.

Watching the candidates debate in South Carolina last night, I couldn't help but be struck by how much their positions have come around to the positions that you and I hold dear.

It is now clear that ending this war and bringing our troops home will be a priority for any Democratic President. As will energy independence and universal health care -- issues we led the way on here in New Mexico.

And now all of them are talking about improving education and providing scholarships for public service.

It was like I was still in the debate!

So while we may not have been successful in electing me the Democratic candidate for President, we were very successful in influencing the Democratic platform in important ways.

I'm proud of that accomplishment. And you should be, too.

There's one last issue I still need your help on before I can officially end my presidential bid. Right now we still have an outstanding debt.

We spent that money in those last few frenzied weeks in Iowa and New Hampshire trying to capitalize on the fluid poll numbers. Given how high the stakes were, I'm sure we would do the same thing given the same situation again.

Will you please make one final contribution to my campaign so we can officially "zero out" that debt?

I recognize that it's a hard thing to do with the nomination no longer on the line. But I believe it is essential that the final act of our campaign is to meet every outstanding obligation.

And let me tell you one last time just how much your support has meant to me. Backing a presidential candidate is a serious, thoughtful act. And knowing that you considered all your options and chose me makes me very proud.

Thank you once again.

All the best,

Bill"

info@richardsonforpresident.com

Let's write to Governor Richardson and ask him if he will pardon this man if the court decides to send him to jail for being a "war-protester".

As far as Senator Pete Domenici is concerned, there seems to be little hope. This is a guy who believes that manure (apparently in all its forms) should not be considered a hazardous pollutant. Hmmmmm.... I wonder if he'd like to have it in his drinking water?
S.3681
Title: A bill to amend the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 to provide that manure shall not be considered to be a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.
Sponsor: Sen Domenici, Pete V. [NM] (introduced 7/18/2006)
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/R?d109:FLD003:@1(Sen+Domenici):

Aside from that, he has consistently voted to keep the war going in Iraq.

Bill Richardson would be the most likely to assist in the case of John Dear. Let's all write to him and ask for his help.

andrew.herman, if you're not already familiar with the Muslim follower of Ghandi, check him out. His name is Badshah Khan, a member of the fierce Pashtun people who live on the frontier between Afghanistan and Pakistan. A most remarkable non-violent leader!

Truth Faerie; Many thanx for your insightful analysis of the differences between "light and darkness", etc. It's nice to hear words I've taught for so many years come from someone else. (of course, we always think those are wise who say things we agree with, and complete idiots who espouse the things we stand against).

One comment though, regarding the "battle between good and evil" residing in the trigger finger. What pulls the trigger is personal intent, not the finger, which is but an extension of what we feel in our hearts.

Because of my background in martial arts, law enforcement, self defense, civil rights, etc., I, too, have had to make the instantaneous decision of whether to "pull the trigger". Fortunately for all concerned, mainly myself, I chose not to go the route of violence.

May Brother John realize that this is one fight that he "cannot lose", no matter what the outcome. He is what I call the consumate martial artist; one who wins without fighting.

For those of you who are inspired by this story, I recommend that you watch the movie, "Gandhi" and read more about him. I bought a copy of the video years ago and make it a point to rewatch it every year to remind me of the "power of one".

Just a point some don't realize. Fr. Dear would not have stood by silent at the treatment meted out to the indians. Nor would he have stood by and remained silent at the holocaust...nor any other inhumanity... just as we see him doing now.

That is the point of Fr. Dear's courage. His love and sacrifice is not for himself but for others. Look at how much the depth of that sincerity asks of him... and try to imagine having such courage and heart yourself... but moreover to do it all for others.

So 'Doom and Gloom' and 'Paradigm Shifter' after your comments... when do YOU show us how it's done. In fact show a courageous man whom you criticize for standing ...no matter the personal cost ...show him how you can stand!

So show us how it's done you two. Not likely though huh?

Thank you Father Dear. Your courage strengthens us.

The hypocrisy of this priest is breathtaking. He wants to end the war and pay massive reparations to the Iraqi's. Yet his Church launched the greatest genocide in the history of the world in 1493 with the Papal Bull Inter Caetera. One hundred million American Indians died as a direct result and there has not been peep of contrition or even recognition. The quiet genocide continues today. Where is his compassion for American Indians? We have waited five hundred years for an apology yet none has been offered by the Catholic or Protestant Christian churches. Priest, don't bother me with your blind compassion. Your devil awaits you and the rest of your clergy.

Thank you 'Doom and Gloom'.

Yes, this is rather amazing. When will the priests of this church speak about the mysogeny and the refusal to hear the cries of women who have been raped and terrorized - these men who are concerned about peace, yet wish to control the bodies and lives of women. I find it entirely hypocritical and self aggrandizing. Why not ask the church itself to pay restitutions for all of the crimes against humanity it has wrought and the souls it has tormented?

teachur; You no doubt know this but I use "the finger" and "the thumb" metaphorically. What I mean is that the battle does not take place in front of the gun or flashlight but in the spirit of the beholder.

Yes, Doom n' Gloom, the church has been guilty of many horrors throughout history, including allowing its members to think that this stupid war in the Middle East is a noble cause, not to mention its continuing stance against birth control, which is ridiculous in an overpopulated world.

BUT, this particular priest is taking a courageous and just stance against the Iraq War, and I applaud him for it. From reading the posts, it looks like many others do to.

Peaceful people are often the target for attack, even when they are minding their own business. You wouldn't believe the number of bastards who are pissed off at the Amish who live around here.

The government is spying on Quakers at silent prayer meetings. The FBI sent two guys to a SILENT prayer for peace hour.

Peace is apparently, VERY DANGEROUS.

I find the idea of a "God of peace" a little disturbing. It seems unnecessarily redundant. It also suggests there are Gods of courage, plenty, health, etc., which waters down the idea of God. Only those who narrowly define God strictly according to a book like the Bible or Torah are unaware of God as a force for transformation.

Empire vs. empire.

Empire and dominance of souls through imperialism for 2,000 years, vs empire and dominance through imperialism for a few hundred years. People who live in glass houses....

Jesus is not necesarily the 'God' of all people. And a world of martyrs makes a world of dead people.

Thank you Lambsie Divey.

BUGS B BUNNY III & D_n_G -- BEING human beings, we are naturally flawed and lacking infinite compassion, unconditional love, and honest expression.

Any of edificial edifices of our cultures are even more, but similarly flawed.

I believe that it is perhaps true that this particular priest has fervently renounced the Papal Bull Inter Caetera, and ALL would benefit from "high" religious leaders owning up to their predecessor's (and their own) crimes and acknowledging that they owe massive reparations for thousands of years of earthly misery.

The Roman Catholic's "high" command have too often acted AS IF royalty directly descended from GOD, while their actions have have all too often been of degenerate reality instigating mass murder and suffering AS IF they really knew GOD's desires in human affairs.

The Priest's words above, are voiced through the trappings (cloak) of a religion that is propped up by these millenniums of hideous criminal neglect and devious actions. His words w/o the robes, would be almost certainly ignored, so the position of his apparel religious power does carry weight to influence people.

Every statement cannot be surrounded by heartfelt renunciations of past crimes, nor can we ever expect the pope to suck it all up.

I think the whole 'turn the other cheek' forgiveness thing is soooo under-exhibited by those we need to see it from first and fore mostly from -- our religious "leaders". But then, I realize that they've been paid off even longer, even before we had gov'ts and corporations - so that's not too likely

Each of us needs to respect each of us, for what we say and do, and attempt to separate the ill-fitting trappings of power and history. It is the weak minded ones that rely most on the apparent positions of "power" as ordaining those throned, with some sort of superior knowledge and super-human talents.

Nope, they're just like ALL of us. Ambivalent, sometimes unbalanced, pre-occupied at times, and most importantly still human BEINGS.

It's all a work in progress

Is Dear a hypocrite? Sure, but every one of us who speaks against the war yet still pays for it through our taxes is a hypocrite. None of us are "perfect." I won't fault a priest when he does good. I do hope one day he escapes the pedophilic mafia which is the Catholic Church, though.

"Give us a new world without war, poverty or nuclear weapons, a new world where one and all live by your eternal law of nonviolence. Help us to end this war and abolish war forever. Thank you, God of peace, for hearing my plea. Amen."

What a beautiful world that must be John Dear.

Amazing.

I've seen it all - I thought - and here is a brave soul who happens to be a priest being 'swiftboated' and the discussion on non-violent response sabotaged.

¿ Amazing ?

I am not able to understand the Native American's plight, or other indigenous peoples extermination, but I can sure attempt to guess:
I suppose if the stamp of the church had been on every childhood upset, infraction, and denial of connection, love, and growth opportunities -
and then later associated with genocidal actions against my still living relatives and poverty of everyone I ever knew -
then I also suppose that I would have much less compassion for those that carry that same stamp.

¿ How would any of us feel walking the Cherokee's road of tears, in your own moccasins ?

1 man out of 270 million christians in america stands up and speaks out. If only 10% of christians did the same, this war would probably be over.
To all you christians, i would like to say, the rest of you are hypocritical cowards. Your silence says it all. You don't have the balls, to get in front of your congregations and demand that your church take immediate action to end the genocide. Where is the outrage, and revolt.
Now get back on your gutless knees and pray that you can find a backbone. You are a pathetic lot.

It saddens me that so many will criticize rather than look for goodness. There is so much anger running beneath comments on the Church in these posts. Some of you cannot allow a man to be good. What do you gain by it?

I hope that the exercise of free voices here -- whether motivated by anger, logic, or recreation -- doesn't result in us assisting the warmongers in preventing peace.

Burdening one man with the sins of the entire history of one church accomplishes two things: it illustrates the narrow wishes of someone who will take any opportunity to accuse, and it gives the one man an incredible amount of power that he can't possibly bear.

If all 'good' priests were to leave the Catholic Church because of any history, corruption, and abuse that may exist, what would the Church then be? Good priests are good ballast.

If we truly wish for peace and something inside urges us to pursue it, we will have to stop looking for competition and fault and instead cultivate cooperation. I'm not Hindu, but I'll follow Gandhi. Last week I wrote a piece with the observation that 'so long as there is black on black violence, white men are safe holding onto power'.

Fr. John does not exhibit courage so much as he merely lives what his Lord taught. I rejoice to see a humble master at work.

The "Church" would then perhaps cease to keep the souls of human beings in the supernatural bondage and fear it has held them in for 2,000 years, that is what would become of the "Church". And women would be free to claim the right to control their own bodies. And Jesus would not need to be tortured and murdered in order to be considered a man worth listening to.

That is just for starters.

Paradigm, Amen. A hell of a good start.

If all 'good' priests were to leave the Catholic Church because of any history, corruption, and abuse that may exist, what would the Church then be? Good priests are good ballast.

I believe your use of the word "may" illustrates bias and possible Stockholm Syndrome.

It is my hope that if all good priests left the Church, the Church would then be history. We need fewer theists to be following a pedophile enabler like the Pope.

Good priests are good excuses.

Thank you terryb.

Barely Human: Exactly on point!!

I am not disrespecting John Dear. However, he certainly could stand for the same issues, without standing for yet another empire. I have done it, and i am on my own, living in the real world. My bills are not taken care of for me, by a wealthy family, so to speak. Does he ever need to worry about not having health insurance or a dental plan? If he does time (and i know he has), does he have a family who will suffer as a result?

Sorry, but those of us who have to live in the world outside the 'Church' also stand before federal judges, and quite frankly, it takes even more courage when you are 'on your own'.

How can an intelligent human being claim to preach to others, when he doesn't live in the same reality as those he is preaching to?

gdamed, Throughout history, the church, has been the backbone of warmongering, and the main obstacle in the quest for true peace and humanity. Their dogmatic approach, to shoving what they believe to be the one true truth on everyone else, even to the point of murdering those that refuse to accept their religions, has been well documented.
And you can't understand the anger?
What we are trying to gain, is freedom from the wrath of your church's delusions.

Thanks, terryb. Something became clear here. I never was a part of the Catholic Church. I stepped away from religion a few years ago because I was no longer being challenged to grow. My spiritual instruction now comes from the wisdom of children, the cycles of nature, and ancient Eastern writings. Although church may not be right for me (and I use tentative language like 'may' in a wry attempt to be less inflammatory), it's right for others. Since my industry is in psychology, I work with people daily on emotional management and understand the legitimate and illegitimate uses of anger. I was only wanting to get across that there are good people in every organization, whether or not it is corrupt, and not wanting the example set by Fr. John to get lost in the flash of anger against the Church. People can work within the church (MLK, Jr) or outside it (Gandhi) for peace, and I hope that we can differentiate those who are doing God's work from those who are using religion to play out their own pathology.

Thanks again for the chance to make things clearer.

gdamed, I respect that you walked away from the church. Well done. My apologies on my assumption, that you were a member.
I also get my spirituality from places similar to yours.
However i have no belief a god, as i am an agnostic, with atheist believes. My main concern is for true compassion, and humanity, and i must say, i see neither in the church. I also have no problem with anyone believing in a god, if that is what it takes to be a good person.
As a person, that got a lot of my education from the street, i generally get right to the point, and at times, i tent to be overly frank. It is not meant to offend, merely to call em as i see em.
With respect, most of the time. :)
Thanks. terry

No charge, terry. My apologies, as well, if my beginning frankness stirred things. But I'll be darned...we've gone and proved, once again, that if we start sharing who and what we are we find that we don't have enough differences to be enemies. Think we can get that across to the masses?

Peace.

gdamed, "if we start sharing who and what we are we find that we don't have enough differences to be enemies." Amen to that.
I don't think the masses are the problem. It is the radicals, economical, and religious, who are a small minority, with way too much power. These are the people, and their idea's that have to be reined in. Once that is done, then i believe we stand a good chance for humanity, and also to be a civilized species.
I prefer frankness, and the ability to cut to the quick. If you don't stir the pot, the scum will always make their way to the top. :)
thanks. peace to you as well.

At the risk of veering away from Fr. John, I wish that social psychology wasn't such a young branch when I was getting educated. I would have studied it more. It seems to me that both sides contribute to the problem: that the minority radicals in the desparation to avoid their demons (figurative, folks) rise to their level of pathology; control of others and the world around them gives the illusion of control but never satisfies because the inner pathology is untouched. (This is not to indict every public servant, of course; as I claimed earlier there are good people in every organization, no matter how corrupt). The masses, for a variety of reasons, are unwilling or unable to challenge the wresting of power. People like terryb and I have to be careful, though; we are radicals as well. Fr. John, too. We are a threat to the accumulation of power. The challenge, in my life (as it was for Gandhi, is for Fr. John and countless others), is to resist the consolidation of power and its inhumane exercise without descending to the tactics of those in power. If anybody has the answer to that one I'm solidly in league. Nonviolent resistance is a good start, but so far it hasn't been enduring. I wonder what creativity can come up with the next step?

gdamed, I believe it has to start with the children. If there were classes on humanity, compassion, respect, peace, harmony and other common values of decency, throughout all their years in school, that could give them a good foundation to build on, that would, hopefully carry on through out their lives.
Also, if there was a sense of social equity, and the opportunity for a comfortable existence for all, that no one would feel that they are disenfranchised.
We definitely have a long way to go.

Think we could start schools that teach such things, and have the Feds support it as a faith-based institution?

As much as I like the tet-a-tet with terryb, I'd like to hear what other people think of what we're trading.