| Conscientious
Objection  “On
my knees I beg you to turn away from the paths of
violence. . . .I say to you, with all the love I
have for you, with all the trust I have in young
people: do not listen to voices which speak the
language of hatred, revenge, retaliation. Do not
follow any leaders who train you in the way of inflicting
death. . . .Give yourself to the service of life,
not the work of death. Violence is the enemy of
justice. Only peace can lead the way to true justice.”
- Pope John Paul II, September 29, 1979
For two thousand years, some people
who identify themselves as Christians have refused
to participate in war and the taking of other human
lives. They have given themselves to the service
of life, not the work of death. Today, people of
the Christian faith as well as many other belief
systems continue this tradition. They are often
called conscientious objectors: those who hold sincere
convictions, motivated by conscience, which forbid
their participation in war.
Conscientious Objection:
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