Revenge is a Dish Best Served By Tossing It Out The Window

[Recycled from 7:56PM, 22 January 2005]

I received the following e-mail because I attend the Corvallis Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of the Friends of Christ, and Friends are invited to "season" it, which is Quaker jargon for thinking it over, talking it over, &c.

So, do any of you have any seasonings you'd like to stir into the pot?

renee@thestringhams.com

Dear Friends,

On 16 January 2005 Salem Friends Meeting passed the following minute on peace. We wished to send it to all WQM member meetings and have it seasoned before it is read at WQM Meeting on the Occasion of business 12 February 2005. It is our intention to invite minutes on Peace for North Pacific Yearly Meeting to consider in July 2005.



The Salem Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends feels called to speak out concerning the escalation of war and revenge. For more than 350 years, Quakers have affirmed that there is always a peaceful alternative to violence. In light of our faith, and particularly because we live in today’s world filled with weapons that threaten all life on earth, we declare our reliance on God’s love and will. We testify to people everywhere that we want no one to be harmed or threatened by violence, for any reason whatsoever.

We believe that the root causes of conflicts must be understood and addressed. We must strive to ensure that our actions are neither stimulated by violent rhetoric nor motivated by desires for revenge or domination. We search out and heal the seeds of war within ourselves as well as within our local, national and international communities. As individuals and as a Society, we must learn, support, and use reconciliation, conflict resolution, and love to communicate in all disputes. We recognize that equity and justice are necessary for providing stable and safe environments.

The United Nations has declared this to be the Decade for Building a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World. We, the Salem Friends Meeting, are committed to a sustainable and peaceful future for all children around the world.



Please season this with your Meetings before WQM if possible, and if you have comments, feel free to share them with us.

Sincerely,
Renee Stringham, clerk
Salem Friends Meeting

//The Magic 8-Ball says, "Don't look at me, it's your problem."\\