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IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI Rev. Carl Kabat, O.M.I. Rev. Paul Kabat, O.M.I. Larry Cloud Morgan Helen Dery Woodson vs. The Government of the United States of America and The Christian Church ORDER OF THE PEOPLE O COME NOW this ___ day of November, 1984, the undersigned individuals on their own behalf, on behalf of their families, on behalf of all members of God's family and on behalf of all future generations, and hereby INDICT the government of the United States for the production, deployment and willingness to use nuclear weapons of indiscriminate mass destruction, and the institutional Christian Church for complicity in preparation for mass murder through its failure to act clearly and publicly to remove nuclear weapons from the land IN VIOLATION OF God's Law of Justice and Peace. I. God Rejects the Use of Violence That the intimate relationship between God and humankind is horribly ruptured by human violence is clarified in Scripture immediately following the first murder: "Why have you done this terrible thing? The blood of your brother cries out to me from the earth!" (Genesis 4) The Lord's response to violence is to turn away from the people, rejecting even their religious ritual and piety: "Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and cereal offerings, I will not accept them, And the peace offerings of your fatted beasts I will not look upon. But let justice roll up as waters, And righteousness as a mighty stream." (Amos 5) "When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; Your hands are full of blood" (Isaiah 5) II. In God's Eyes, Trust in Military Might is Idolatry Reliance on weapons of war is seen in Scripture as a pact with death, a sin and as a blasphemous substitute for the right worship of God. "Then your covenant with death will be annulled, Your agreement with Sheol will not stand." (Isaiah 28) "Guilty men, whose own might is their God" (Habakkuk 1) "They have burned incense to other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands." (Jeremiah 1)
III. Because war severs the relationship between brother and sister and, therefore, between humankind and God, it will ultimately fail: "Because you have trusted in your chariots and in the multitude of your warriors, Therefore the tumult of war shall rise among your people, And all your fortresses shall be destroyed." (Hosea 12, 10) "You will succeed, not by military might or by your own strength, but by my spirit." (Zechariah 4) "I will not deliver them by bow, nor by sword, nor by war, nor by horsemen... I will abolish the bow, the sward and war from the land..." (Hosea 1,2) IV. Restoration of the proper relationship between God and humankind is embodied in an embrace of nonviolence. "And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice and to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6) "They will hammer their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they leam war anymore." (Micah 4) V. The model of nonviolent love is enfleshed in Jesus Christ. "Put your sword away. All who take the sword will die by the sward." (Matthew 5) "Love your enemies." (Matthew 5) "Pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5) "If anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well." (Matthew 5) "Blessed are the peacemakers." (Matthew 5) Jesus offers a model of nonviolent resistance to confront the evil of a law which permits injustice: He healed the sick in violation of the law. He fed the hungry in violation of the law. He stopped the legal execution of the adulterous woman. He cleansed the temple, destroying the property of the merchants which defiled it. He declared the supremacy of God's Law over the imperfect instruments of human creation. VI. Imitation of the nonviolence of Christ is a requirement of faith. "Do not deceive yourself by just listening to his word; instead put it into practice. What good is it for someone to say that he has faith if his actions do not prove it?" (James 1,2) DECLARATION OF INTENT WHEREAS the government of the United States is engaged in criminal activity contrary to God's Law of Justice and Peace TO WIT, the stockpiling of nuclear weapons of mass, indiscriminate destruction, the production of 3-5 new nuclear weapons daily, the policy of first-strike use of nuclear weapons, the military intervention in other nations, and the squandering of America's resources on war and preparations for war, causing poverty, hunger and homelessness in the U.S. and contributing to the daily death by starvation of 42,000 children throughout the world, and WHEREAS the institutional Christian Church is engaged in criminal activity contrary to God's Law of Justice and Peace TO WIT, the payment of taxes to the military by its leaders, priests and ministers; the investment for profit in corporations manufacturing nuclear weapons; the seeking of economic and political privilege from an immoral secular government and the failure to advocate and carry out clear, public acts of nonviolent resistance in imitation of Christ WE WISH TO MAKE KNOWN BY THESE PRESENTS our specific intent and purpose to begin the disarmament of Minuteman Missile Silo N5 near Kansas City, Mo. in order to: 1. speak the truth about the danger and evil of nuclear weapons 2. refuse our consent and cooperation in the crimes of State and Church by accepting our personal responsibility for the process of disarmament and peacemaking 3. live out the call to Divine Obedience required by our faith 4. quicken the conscience of all who desire peace and call upon our brothers and sisters in this country and throughout the world to engage in acts of nonviolent resistance 5. to express our love for and faith in our sisters and brothers throughout the world who "groan inwardly that their bodies might be set free" (Romans 8) from the cycle of threat and war 6. call upon our government to conform its policies and behavior to the higher Law of humanity and God 7. call upon the institutional Church to embrace in its policies and actions the non-violent witness of Christ. I SET BEFORE YOU LIFE OR DEATH, BLESSING OR CURSE, THEREFORE CHOOSE LIFE THAT YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN MIGHT LIVE! (Deuteronomy 30:19)
Fr. Carl Kabat, O.M.I. Fr. Paul Kabat, O.M.I. Larry Cloud Morgan Helen Dery Woodson
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