(Feb. 1, 2007) — Leaders of international Brethren bodies were invited to consider giving their own responses to President Bush\u2019s speech on the Iraq war, as Stan Noffsinger considered his response to the Jan. 10 speech. Noffsinger serves as general secretary to the Church of the Brethren General Board–his response appeared as a \u201cNewsline Extra\u201d on Jan. 12 (go to www.brethren.org\/genbd\/newsline\/2007\/jan1207.htm.)<\/p>\n
Following are responses received from the president of Igreja da Irmandade (the Church of the Brethren in Brazil), and from a leading pastor in Iglesia de los Hermanos (the Church of the Brethren) in the Dominican Republic:<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe Igreja da Irmandade, which has its roots in Anabaptism and the Church of the Brethren, one of the three historic peace churches, publicly expresses its deep concern about the recent decision of the President of the United States, George W. Bush, to send more troops to Iraq. We truly believe and understand, considering Jesus\u2019 teaching, \u2018Blessed are the peacemakers,\u2019 that those who decide for war lack wisdom in their decision, and have no wisdom to make other decisions rather than to stop the war. Thus, for us, to send more troops is maintaining a foolish decision that started the war and is a sinful and cursed decision. Also, we believe that wisdom comes from the communitarian interpretation of history and decision making process. The decision to start the war was against the general understanding of the nations and the Security Council of the United Nations. Again, the recent decision to send more troops goes against the understanding of the nations and of the people in the United States. Democracy as a negotiating political system is not only to be preached and lived inside of the nation, but it must be true in the concert of the nations, as well. Additionally, we would like to say that the decision to start the war was based on reasoning that is untrue, as is very well-known now. We believe that a \u2018bad tree cannot produce a good fruit,\u2019 and the decision to start the war was based on false reasoning, so it cannot produce good fruits. As it has been our practice since the beginning of our church, we are praying for peace, and we prayed and will pray for the President of USA and others that are directly or indirectly involved in promoting peace and the core of these prayers is asking God to give them wisdom on their decisions. (Campinas, 27 de janeiro de 2007.)\u201d<\/p>\n
La Igreja da Irmandade, con sus ra\u00edces en el anabaptismo y la Iglesia de los Hermanos, una de las tres iglesias hist\u00f3ricas pacifistas, p\u00fablicamente expresa profunda preocupaci\u00f3n por la reciente decisi\u00f3n del Presidente de los Estados Unidos, George W. Bush, de enviar m\u00e1s tropas a Irak. Nosotros verdaderamente creemos y entendemos, considerando las ense\u00f1anzas de Jes\u00fas, “Benditos son los que hagan la paz”, que aquellos que prefieren la guerra no tienen sabidur\u00eda en sus acciones, y no tienen sabidur\u00eda para tomar otras decisiones en lugar de parar la guerra. Por lo tanto, para nosotros, el enviar m\u00e1s tropas, es mantener la decisi\u00f3n insensata de empezar la guerra y es una decisi\u00f3n maldita y de pecado. Tambi\u00e9n, nosotros creemos que la sabidur\u00eda viene de la interpretaci\u00f3n comunitaria del proceso hist\u00f3rico de hacer decisiones. La decisi\u00f3n de empezar la guerra se hizo en contra de los acuerdos de las naciones y el Consejo de Seguridad de las Naciones Unidas. Nuevamente, la reciente decisi\u00f3n de enviar m\u00e1s tropas va en contra de los acuerdos de las naciones y de la gente en los Estados unidos. La democracia como un sistema pol\u00edtico de negociaci\u00f3n no debe ser solamente predicada y aplicada dentro de una naci\u00f3n, sino que tambi\u00e9n debe ser verdadera y correcta en el concierto de las naciones. Adem\u00e1s, nos gustar\u00eda decir que la decisi\u00f3n de empezar la guerra fue basada en un razonamiento falso, como todo el mundo lo sabe. Nosotros creemos que “un \u00e1rbol malo no puede producir fruta buena”, y que la decisi\u00f3n de empezar la guerra con razonamientos falsos no producir\u00e1 frutos buenos. Como ha sido nuestra pr\u00e1ctica desde el principio de nuestra iglesia, estamos orando por la paz, y hemos orado y continuaremos orando por el Presidente de los EEUU y otros que est\u00e1n directa o indirectamente envueltos en promover la paz, y al interior de nuestras oraciones pedimos a Dios que les d\u00e9 sabidur\u00eda en sus decisiones. (Campinas, 27 de enero de 2007).<\/p>\n
–Marcos R. Inhauser serves as president of Igreja da Irmandade, headquartered in Campinas, Brazil, and is national director of mission in Brazil for the General Board.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were created for peace and war destroys our nature, the essence of that for which human beings were created. War creates hatred for generations and its damage is incalculable and irreparable. War fundamentally damages the feelings and emotions of the individual. Any type of war or aggression is intolerable for our Heavenly Father. In fact God says in his word, \u2018In peace I have come among you.\u2019 I understand that war is an evil that is planted firmly in the heart of humans and this is damaging because we can transfer this evil to future generations. Jesus said, \u2018My peace I give to you. My peace I give, not as the world gives do I give to you.\u2019 Given that we understand this, the human being is mistaken in his own concept of peace being used in the world; he does not understand clearly what peace means.\u201d<\/p>\n
“Estuvimos creados por la paz y la guerra desnaturaliza, la esencia para la cual fue creado el ser humano porque la guerra crea odio por generaciones y su da\u00f1o es incalculable e irreparable. La guerra golpea fundamentalmente los sentimientos y las emociones del individuo. Cualquier tipo de guerra o agresi\u00f3n es intolerable por nuestro Padre Celestial. Porque dice en su palabra, “a paz he venido entre nosotros.” Porque entiendo que la guerra es un mal que est\u00e1 arraigado en el coraz\u00f3n de los hombres e eso es da\u00f1ino porque podemos transferir eso malo a generaciones futuros. Jes\u00fas dijo, “La paz os dejo, mi paz os doy; yo no os la doy como el mundo la da.” Dando a entender que el hombre est\u00e1 equivocado en su propio concepto de paz empleado en el mundo, no sabe claramente lo que significa paz.”<\/p>\n
–F\u00e9lix Arias Mateo is pastor of the Maranatha new church plant in San Juan de la Maguana, the Dominican Republic. He also serves as president of the Board of Directors of the Community Development Committee that supervises the church\u2019s microloan program in the DR.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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