December 1 Podcast — John Dear’s Struggle for Peace
Nov 20th, 2008 by americamagazine
Controversial peace activist and Jesuit priest John Dear talks about his new book, A Persistent Peace: One Man’s Struggle for a Nonviolent World, which chronicles his conversion from a “spoiled frat boy” at Duke University to a crusading opponent of war who has been arrested over 70 times. A frequent traveler who has visited war zones worldwide, Dear has waged an especially intense campaign against the military activities of the United States, a country he believes is fast on its way to becoming an empire. Dear talks about his commitment to the Beatitudes, why every Catholic should join Pax Christi and why America should stop accepting advertisements for military chaplains.
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During the interview John Dear, SJ mentioned that in El Salvador the fear of living and working for peace was loss of life and in the USA the fear was lack of interest. In a number of weeks mine is the only comment. Fascinating.
I am a 20 year vet of the Air Force and a Catholic deacon. Why do not military members deserve a chaplain that perhaps from inside the military system can preach peace? What if John Dear had damaged the plane in a way that was not detected and the plane crashed into a neighborhood killing people and the pilot. Do you John Dear, know what it really is like to be in the military? I agree that all violence should be eliminated. I appreciate what you are doing and I support your ideas but don’t prevent chaplains from serving. I think your point about no chaplains in the military is a moot point as you really don’t want a military at all. So according to John dear there should not be a military. How about a police force. They use violence to police the cities? This is a utopian ideal. I agree it would be nice and the correct way but all of us have degrees of evil and degrees of good. How do we protect the innocent?
I would like to also add to my above comment,
Jesus served the military as he cured the Centurion’s servant.