With the belief that there is that of God in all human beings, Quakers also find that if we
physically harm one another, we are then also hurting God. And so, we strive for nonviolent confrontation and peaceful reconciliation in all our interactions. Going a step further, we are called to look for that of the Divine in one another and to find love for those that oppose us.
The peace testimony does not mean that Quakers engage in passive resignation. Some Quakers have engaged passionately in the peace testimony by protesting wars, the death penalty, and torture, by refusing to serve in armed forces if drafted, seeking conscientious objector status when available, and participating in acts of civil disobedience. Historically, Quakers have not fully aligned with the peace testimony, as some Quakers have engaged in armed combat against what they saw as a greater evil, and others will allow for a defensive use of force as their conscience and understanding of a conflict requires of them.
By following the peace testimony, we try to live in ways that promote justice and avoid the causes of war; we deny war’s legitimacy and seek creative alternatives; and we undertake, with impartiality, to aid those who suffer from violence and war’s devastation. Modern Friends also strive to find the underlying causes of violence and examine their own role in supporting oppression. Some Friends connect to the peace testimony matters such as the choice of financial investments, the purchase of fair-trade products or products farmed and mined in war-torn areas, and the awareness of the uses of our tax dollars.
South Central Yearly Meeting, Faith and Practice, p.18
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