BumperSticker Story - Contributors to Messenger

Contributor Stories Collected for the November 2013 issue of the Church of the Brethren Magazine, The Messenger
Aeschbacher, Vicky  Amador, Estella Arrillaga, Katy Baile, Martha Beckwith, Rev. Carl and Carrie Beckwith, Rev. Jim Brown, Dr. Dale	Campolo, Rev. Tony Daté, Dr. Barbara deCoursey, Rev. Audrey Farrell, Mike (BJ Hunnicutt on M*A*S*H) Flores, Nohemi Flory, Todd Flory Replogle, Rev. Shawn	Gross, Bob Haldeman-Scarr, Rev. Sara Heishman, Rev. Nancy Sollenberger Heishman, Tim Hosler, Nate Hurst, Dr. Tom Lee, Dr. Dena	Lennard, Jeff Long, Joe Ludwick, Christine Wilson McKenna, Jarrod Mikkelson, Patricia Mitchell, Rev. Belita Noffsinger, Stan	Rodriguez, Sandra Scala, John Oren Sollenberger, David Stoner, John Watson, Eve Zook, Dawn

  

WILLIAMS, LINDA K.

REFLECTIONS AND ANECDOTES RE: THE BUMPERSTICKER AND ITS MESSAGE, AND HOW THE SONG WAS "BORN"

(Please note: This was written at On Earth Peace's invitation in April, 2008, with some additions for the 2013 Messenger article)

"Everybody living in the neighborhood of your church should know that there are Christians who believe that we shouldnt go to war, that to follow Jesus' teachings means that we will love our enemies, not kill them." 

Art Gish's words resonated strongly with me, and I smiled, thinking, "YESSS!!!  Each time someone reads our bumpersticker--- or other format of 'When Jesus said, "Love your enemies," I think he probably meant don't kill them---- they're receiving exactly that crucial message!"  And, it is even more crucial than ever to get this concept into the mainstream consciousness since our country has been engaged in "preemptive strike" wars for the past 5 years in both Afghanistan and Iraq--- and since in the next several months, our citizens will be choosing a new "Commander in Chief".  Will we have at the helm someone who resonates with the concept that diplomacy and the moral high road, not brute force, are the best ways to go---- both to reach our own goals of national security, and to reach out to our brothers and sisters around the world with the extended hand of friendship, rather than a fist ready to crush perceived opposition?  (Read Full Article)