Pace e Bene Blog
Dangers of frisbee (and why fun is seditious in a world of 'war games')
April 14th, 2008 - by Jarrod McKenna
While many of us associate Frisbee with fun, like the picture below, some people have experiences that has given it different associations for others (Wow!). For a group of my mates who interrupted U.S. and Australian war games with a game of Frisbee (which the soldiers join in on!!!) it has different associations for them. The humble frisbee for them has become a symbol of the Kingdom of God, God’s alternative future to the one our world governments currently pursuing.
The Samuel Hill 5 court case is coming up and I wanted to give you all a chance to follow this amazing Christian nonviolent witness. Here is their website: http://samuelhill5.blogspot.com/
Recently my mate Simon Moyle who has been one of the instigators of the group asked if I’d write a letter of recommendation which I was more than happy to do. Below in mine and Nobel Peace Prize Nominee and our mate John Dear’s as well. But you can get in on the action to! They’d love your support to find out more visit: http://samuelhill5.blogspot.com/
John Dear’s:
To Whom it May Concern,
I am Rev. John Dear, a Catholic priest, writer and lecturer, involved in work for peace and justice in the United States. As a reference, I’ll share that earlier this year, Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa nominated me for the Nobel Peace Prize.
I’m writing in support of my friend Simon Moyle. He hosted me in Melbourne last year during my speaking tour of Australia. I was so moved and impressed by his good work as a Baptist minister, but also by his good character, his passion for peace and humanity, and his Christian faith. Simon Moyle is a true Christian, a real peacemaker, which is rare enough in our world of war.
I fully support Simon’s peacemaking life and work, and his beautiful, nonviolent attempt to say no to Australia’s warmaking in last year’s military exercises. His nonviolent witness, like the actions of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., is rooted in love, truth and faith; it strives to speak to the country about the need for peace, and invite everyone to disarmament and justice. His witness fits within Simon’s life, character and vocation to follow the nonviolent Jesus, his effort to live out the biblical commandments to “love your enemies.” I hope he is found not guilty, and I hope that Australia will heed his call, disarm its weapons, and pursue nonviolent solutions to international conflict. Thank you for your consideration. God bless you.
Rev. John Dear
Mine:
To Whom it May Concern,
I am Jarrod McKenna, a recipient of Donald Groom Peace Fellowship, awarded by the only faith community to ever receive the Nobel Peace Prize; the Quakers. I am writing to express my full support of the ‘Samuel Hill 5’ and in particular three members I know well: Simon Moyle, Carol Powell and Simon Reeves. I commend them to you as people of integrity, of intellect, of peace, of prayer, of good humour and of deep, inspiring compassion. I am sure that after meeting them you will be impressed by their lives. We live in a world where each year we spend over fourteen times more on war, than what we need to end world poverty. In a world where this is ‘normal’, the New Testament’s claim that “God is Love” should motivate all Christians and people of good will to compassionate interruptions of this insanity, such as those taken by the ‘The Samuel Hill 5’. If only more of Christianity history looked like their actions, looked like the early Christians, looked like Christ!
‘The Samuel Hill 5’ in seeking to imitate Christ’s nonviolent love, point to a world of justice, peace and joy. In years to come, like Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Dr. Martin Luther King, we will tell our children about the lives of these brave “five” who dared to imagine a world transformed by Love and had the courage to act on it non-violently. I hope they will be found not guilty and in their actions we will all hear the invitation to be disarmed and transformed by Love and to let Love disarm and transform our world.
Thank you for your time.
Grace and peace,
Jarrod McKenna
- visit: http://samuelhill5.blogspot.com , let your friends know and don’t miss this opportunity to be involved
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