Nonviolence (Also see Peace, Conflict Resolution, Organizing & Activism)

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Several articles about religion, politics, peace, nonviolence, etc.

October 12, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

The October 2019 interview on my TV series “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” focuses on how the Religious Right has hijacked Christianity and much of our nation’s government.  I interview three guests who make a strong case for authentic Christianity, which is the opposite of what has become dominant.  Watch the interview and/or read a thorough summary of what we said at this link:  http://parallaxperspectives.org/tv-being-christian-in-america-in-a-time-of-crisis The thorough summary includes much additional information — and links to many articles — beyond what we had time to say during the TV interview. In addition to those resources, I invite you to click the following […]

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“Being Christian in America in a Time of Crisis”

October 6, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

The October 2019 episode of “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” takes a fresh look at some of our nation’s social and political issues – especially in light of religious faith.  Many of the public policy issues that our nation is grappling with have been pushed hard from conservative Christian viewpoints, but those are NOT the only voices of Christianity. Moderate, liberal and progressive Christians have insights that differ greatly from the highly publicized views that have gained political power. Our October 2019 interview features three retired Christian ministers sharing faith-based insights and perspectives that are VERY DIFFERENT from those that have been […]

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What bold, positive realities would you want for 4 years from now?

October 6, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

I am always encouraging people to envision and organize bold goals for a significantly better future.  Recently I posted to my blog this article inviting us to do that:  http://parallaxperspectives.org/lets-boldly-create-the-future-we-really-want-2 Now I invite you to take the next step. Please read (or re-read) that blog post and send me your e-mail suggestions for this topic: What bold, good reality would you want for four years from now — October 2023? Instead of feeling constrained by the current conditions that are bogging our nation down and curtailing our imaginations, I invite you to BOLDLY AND CREATIVELY IMAGINE the future you really […]

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Christianity and War — See this interesting article

October 5, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

This article is titled: “Making War: Implications for both Church and State Policy of Christian Theology, International Law, and the Constitution” by Archbishop Dr. Robert M. Bowman, Lt. Col., USAF, ret. National Commander, “The Patriots” & Primate, United Catholic Church (a 2009 update of an article first published in March 1995) The article is at this link: Christianity and war — MakingWar2009A          

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Reject authoritarian rule and the idolatry of worshiping nationalism.

October 2, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

Historically the U.S. was created — and our Constitution’s First Amendment adopted — to protect us from any official religion.  Nowadays, the Religious Right is pushing hard to make their version of Christianity into the U.S.’s official religion. That would overturn 230 years of U.S. principled separation between Church and State.  And it would hurt many people’s human rights. But some people have said that the U.S. has — in effect — the truly dominant religion of Nationalism. Extreme nationalism corrupts many aspects of that nation’s society in many ways.  It causes people to hurt people of other nations.  The […]

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For many, many reasons, we need to “see God in every person.”

October 2, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

Many of the problems in our nation and in our world worsened and persist because people have created a gap between “us” and “them.” “Real” Americans vs. immigrants, Christians vs. others, rich vs. poor, straights vs. LGBTQ persons, and so forth — all of these divisions are ways for privileged people to put themselves above people of lower status. In 2018 some Church leaders who were appalled by the Religious Right’s cruelties and abuses wrote a statement they called “Reclaiming Jesus: A Confession of Faith in a Time of Crisis.” The document identifies six serious theological errors that the Religious […]

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“Replace Negativity and Centrism with Bold Progress.”

September 27, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

A great many issues are important, but neither of the two big political parties is doing nearly enough to solve these problems.  While voting has some value, the most progress in solving problems will occur when ordinary people organize nonviolently, strategically, and vigorously from the grassroots. The article I am attaching below fleshes this out briefly.  For more information, see resources I’ve posted to this blog’s “Organizing” category. During 2019 The Olympian is publishing five op-eds that I am writing.  The one at this link was published in the newspaper on Fri. Sept. 27, 2019: BOC — 2019.09.19 — FINAL […]

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Save our last remaining nuke treaty with Russia. Sign up now for TUES OCT 1 briefing on New START treaty

September 22, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

We need many more people to learn about the New START treaty and push to renew it before it expires 17 months from now.  If Trump lets it expire, there will be no treaties to restrain an all-out nuclear arms race.  After Trump destroyed the INF treaty recently, BOTH the U.S. and Russia started building recklessly dangerous and provocative new nuclear weapons that the INF had been prohibiting since 1987. Please consider signing up for the TUES OCT 1, 2019, phone briefing.  See the invitation at this link before TUES OCT 1, 2019:  https://www.armscontrol.org/events           . […]

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Our political culture keeps praising militarists. Why don’t they thank peace organizers?

September 22, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

The Port of Olympia issued a news release celebrating military troops and saying that the Port, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Olympia Yacht club will loudly blow sirens and horns to “salute the troops” on at 7:45 a.m. on September 6, 2019.  Law enforcement agencies and a variety of other local entities and power centers would supportively participate. Mainstream America and powerful sectors within the U.S. want to “support the troops.”  I’m still waiting for nearly 50 years for any local governments to celebrate Conscientious Objectors – the many people in the U.S. (such as me) and elsewhere whose […]

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The Religious Right hijacked Christianity and government. This “Reclaiming Jesus” document sets the record straight.

September 14, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

Before the end of September I will post to this blog the video of the October 2019 TV program on my series “Glen’s Parallax Perspectives” and a thorough summary of what we said during the TV interview.  The thorough summary will include many links to additional sources of information. My TV interview guests — three retired Christian ministers — and I focused much of our conversation on the three-page document I’m linking below.  It recognizes that the Religious Right and some politicians have basically hijacked Christianity and are perverting it in governmental power.  Their abuses are bad for the American […]

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Let’s Boldly Create the Future We Really Want!

September 9, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

I wrote this powerful, inspiring essay because we have much more potential for solving problems and creating a better future than most people realize. Regardless of which issues you care about, I encourage you to read the essay at this link: Let’s Boldly Create the Future We Really Want                

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Our militarized society fails to appreciate Conscientious Objectors.

September 4, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

Every year several holidays celebrate war and militarism:  Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Veterans Day are national holidays. In many, many ways militarism is honored and celebrated, but peace and people with religious and conscientious objections to war are ignored, if not vilified. On September 4, 2019, the Port of Olympia announced that it will celebrate military troops on Sept. 6 with sirens and flashing lights. I’m still waiting for nearly 50 years for any local governments to celebrate Conscientious Objectors – the many people in the U.S. and elsewhere whose consciences or religious faiths prevent us from […]

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Short article: The currently dominant worldview is hurting our society in many ways.

September 4, 2019 GlenAnderson 0

Our society is suffering in many, many ways.  The problems are all around us — and they are interconnected.  They are rooted in a worldview that has been dominating the U.S. (and some other nations) increasingly in recent decades. I wrote a long article about this.  Here is a very short article that summarizes a few of the main points.  I published it in a recent issue of Works in Progress (www.olywip.org): This currently dominant worldview is hurting us.