Columbans have come to believe that violence done to the Earth itself is a part of war, whether through habitat destruction, the extraction of resources for weapons, or the murder of environmental defenders.
We see all too frequently how many international and national laws that are designed to protect fragile ecosystems and human rights are disregarded when they get in the way of military growth and profit-making.
As people of faith, we have a responsibility to practice nonviolence. We can do this by choosing to live simply and sustainably, by preventing conflicts before they become violent, and by advocating against the rapid expansion of militarism around the world.
We need this not only to save human life, but to save all life on Earth.