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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, JANUARY 20, 1984
PAGE 7
There is no question here of cultivating a Manichaean view of the
world--all the evil on one side, all the good on the other. The
West is also ailing. Materialism--whether theoretical, as in
communist societies, or practical, as in the West--is a deadly
disease of humanity. And Marxist-Leninist states do not hold a
monopoly on imperialism..•. But it would be unfair to simply
state and accept the conflict of ideologies while closing one's
eyes to the domineering and aggressive character of Marxism
Leninism, which holds that everything, even a nation's hopes for
peace, must be used as a tool for world conquest.
In their efforts to avoid war, peaceful nations could fall prey
to other forms of violence and injustice: colonization, aliena
tion, deprivation of freedom and identity. Pushed to its ulti
mate c�nsequ�nces, peace at any price leads� nation to all sorts
of cap1tulat1ons. Unilateral disarmament could even encourage
aggressive behavior on the part of neighbors by presenting them
with the temptation of an easy prey.
Christ's nonviolence, the forgiveness he preaches, is the salt
which alone can save the Earth from the corruption that is
violence. [But] in our world of violence and injustice, it is
the duty of politicians to safeguard the peace of the community
for which they are responsible.... In international relations,
unfortunately, there is no authority powerful and effective
enough to impose that state of law.
Therefore individual
countries cannot be denied the right of legitimate defense
against external threats as well as internal perils•••• Given the
state of violence and sin in which the world exists, it is the
duty of politicians and mirrtary oflTcials to defuse the blac'k=
mail to which the nation could be subjected.
The church does not encourage unconditional pacifism. The church
has never advocated unilateral disarmament, for it is aware that
unilateral disarmament could serve to kindle the violence of an
aggressive military, political and ideological complex.
In a recent address to world leaders, which was released in English,
German, French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, Pope John Paul II, while
decrying wars and terrorism in the world, nevertheless criticized what he
called "pacifism which is cowardice." Here is an ASSOCIATED PRESS dis
patch, dated December 23, 1983.
Warning that men and not missiles kill, Pope John Paul II called
Friday for world leaders to free themselves from the "slavery" of
power worship and a war mentality. While calling for a funda
mental change in the heart for man, John Paul criticized
"pacifism which is cowardice" in the face of injustice, the arms
race and rich countries that spend millions on arms while poor
countries starve...•
The pontiff said the world today is plagued by "implacable wars,"
fanatical terrorism
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and widespread violations of basic human
rights. But he added, "It is man who kills and not his sword, or
in 2.!!! day, his missiles--:"� �--�
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