A Litany for the Conscientious Objector
with scriptural references
“The officers shall say to the army: “Has anyone built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may dedicate it. Has anyone planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it. Has anyone become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else marry her. The officers shall add, “Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his brother will not become threatened too.” When the officers have finished speaking to the army, they shall appoint commanders over it. Deuteronomy 20 :5-9
A Reading
Has anyone built a new house and not yet dedicated it? Go home.
Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done.
How like a definition of home that sounds;
A sound roof, a safe haven, perhaps a garden,
A place for family to gather, friends to visit,
Along the banks of the Columbia, the Mississippi, the Hudson,
The Tigris or Euphrates.
Beiti, beitak, my house is your house,
Let us bring home now everyone who would rather be home
Than in a foreign land,
Everyone whose home would be blessed and a blessing,
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2
Has anyone planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it? Go home.
Every time you drink of this cup…
Cold water from a well or spring is needed to nurture a vineyard
Just as it is to slake a dry mouth or roll done mountains like justice.
Turned soil, warm between the toes in Spring, is need to awaken the vine
Just as it is to take the seed for corn and wheat for the bread to eat with the cup.
Pruned vines, secured again after the winter to stays and guy wires require our attention,
Just like children growing up each day, elders aging not far from the hearth.
How could conscience not call us home to the vineyard, home from the warring front?
Do this in remembrance of me and of the least of these our brothers and sisters.
Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best for till now. John 2:10
Has any one become pledged to another and not married yet? Go home.
Our daughters pledged to those who would become our sons,
How do they, or we, hide our tears when the trumpet sounds?
Our sons pledged to those who would become our daughters,
How do they, or we, hide our fears when the drums roll?
Our grandchildren who would from this union come,
How will they be born or raised if the pledge is broken before tide?
The eye of the metal bird beholds an assembly,
Why would so many gather on a hillside, in a garden?
Why would they dance through the streets and in a courtyard?
Why would the fruits of the vineyard be so widely shared?
Who pulls the trigger half a world away to come between the betrothed,
And then goes home to dine, bride and bridegroom, and the fruits of marriage?
Is anyone of afraid of warfare, faint-hearted about killing others? Go home,
Faint at the sight of blood even after computer games, television, movies.
Sickened by the archive of journalists abroad in the fields of war.
Not far enough removed even in the comfort of sleep and dreams
It seems a miracle to have been the fruit of descent through so many generations of violence
Why do I shudder at loud noises, curl into a ball away from flash and blast,
Suspect disturbances of the earth and strangers on the horizon?
Lightly girls running naked down dirt roads in hysteria,
sitting with their heads buried in their knees covered, blood-splattered.
Bring them home, give them homes, protect us all from warfare.
My conscience is clear. But that does not make me innocent. I Corinthians 4:4
Who is left to construct battles, to arm for conflict, to do war?
What if no one would take command, pick up the arms, obey orders?
What if everyone went home from every side and party?
Who then would lay blame and who would be to blame for the lack of killing?
What factories would have to close, which equities would collapse?
What would the cost be to us?
They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Isaiah 2:4
with scriptural references
“The officers shall say to the army: “Has anyone built a new house and not dedicated it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may dedicate it. Has anyone planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it. Has anyone become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else marry her. The officers shall add, “Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his brother will not become threatened too.” When the officers have finished speaking to the army, they shall appoint commanders over it. Deuteronomy 20 :5-9
A Reading
Has anyone built a new house and not yet dedicated it? Go home.
Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done.
How like a definition of home that sounds;
A sound roof, a safe haven, perhaps a garden,
A place for family to gather, friends to visit,
Along the banks of the Columbia, the Mississippi, the Hudson,
The Tigris or Euphrates.
Beiti, beitak, my house is your house,
Let us bring home now everyone who would rather be home
Than in a foreign land,
Everyone whose home would be blessed and a blessing,
Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2
Has anyone planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it? Go home.
Every time you drink of this cup…
Cold water from a well or spring is needed to nurture a vineyard
Just as it is to slake a dry mouth or roll done mountains like justice.
Turned soil, warm between the toes in Spring, is need to awaken the vine
Just as it is to take the seed for corn and wheat for the bread to eat with the cup.
Pruned vines, secured again after the winter to stays and guy wires require our attention,
Just like children growing up each day, elders aging not far from the hearth.
How could conscience not call us home to the vineyard, home from the warring front?
Do this in remembrance of me and of the least of these our brothers and sisters.
Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best for till now. John 2:10
Has any one become pledged to another and not married yet? Go home.
Our daughters pledged to those who would become our sons,
How do they, or we, hide our tears when the trumpet sounds?
Our sons pledged to those who would become our daughters,
How do they, or we, hide our fears when the drums roll?
Our grandchildren who would from this union come,
How will they be born or raised if the pledge is broken before tide?
The eye of the metal bird beholds an assembly,
Why would so many gather on a hillside, in a garden?
Why would they dance through the streets and in a courtyard?
Why would the fruits of the vineyard be so widely shared?
Who pulls the trigger half a world away to come between the betrothed,
And then goes home to dine, bride and bridegroom, and the fruits of marriage?
Is anyone of afraid of warfare, faint-hearted about killing others? Go home,
Faint at the sight of blood even after computer games, television, movies.
Sickened by the archive of journalists abroad in the fields of war.
Not far enough removed even in the comfort of sleep and dreams
It seems a miracle to have been the fruit of descent through so many generations of violence
Why do I shudder at loud noises, curl into a ball away from flash and blast,
Suspect disturbances of the earth and strangers on the horizon?
Lightly girls running naked down dirt roads in hysteria,
sitting with their heads buried in their knees covered, blood-splattered.
Bring them home, give them homes, protect us all from warfare.
My conscience is clear. But that does not make me innocent. I Corinthians 4:4
Who is left to construct battles, to arm for conflict, to do war?
What if no one would take command, pick up the arms, obey orders?
What if everyone went home from every side and party?
Who then would lay blame and who would be to blame for the lack of killing?
What factories would have to close, which equities would collapse?
What would the cost be to us?
They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Isaiah 2:4
posted by Mark at 5:00 PM
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