Pacifism, Love, and Duty

From May 1983 PSR
Pacifism, Love, and Duty

Easter Sunday was marred in the United States and Europe by pacifist political demonstrations. These were widely covered by the media so that they were the top of the news all day on Easter.

Why did the pacifists select Easter for their demonstrations against the weapons which the United States and Western Europe need to defend themselves against Russian aggression? The pacifists and freezeniks could have selected April Fool's Day, April 1. They could have chosen May Day, May 1, which has relevant symbolism on both sides of the Iron Curtain. They could have selected Income Tax Day, April 15, which would have been appropriate to their message against more spending for military weapons.

But no, the pacifists and freezeniks chose to politicize Easter, the greatest religious feast of the Christian faith. Was this because they recognized in Christianity the antithesis of everything the pacifists and the freezeniks are saying?

The Christian Gospels have given us the definition of love: "Greater love than this no man hath, that he lay down his life for his friends."