Our colleagues and friends at the Silicon Valley Interreligious Council (SiVIC) issued an important and thoughtful statement regarding the Gaza Conflict. With their permission, we share an excerpt here. Go to the end of this article for a link to their website where you can read the full statement.
On the Gaza Conflict
Regardless of our individual stances, we share a recognition of our common humanity and a conviction that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict must cease, that there is no violent solution to that conflict, that all human life is valued, and that all parties must cooperate to achieve a just and lasting peace on behalf of God’s children who reside in the land that many of us call holy.
On April 24th, the Marshall Islands filed landmark cases in the International Court of Justice and U.S. Federal District Court.
The Claim: The nine nuclear-armed nations have failed to comply with their obligations, under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty and customary international law, to pursue negotiations for the worldwide elimination of nuclear weapons. This unprecedented lawsuit seeks to hold the United States government (and the other eight nuclear weapon states that were signatories to the NPT) accountable for flagrantly violating the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Take A Stand: Everyone has a stake in this. Let world leaders know that it is the will of the seven billion of us who live on this planet to end the threat of nuclear weapons hanging over all of creation. Click here to sign the petition now!
To learn more, visit the petition website at www.nuclearzero.org/, full of important history and information!
Former military chaplain Steve Torgerson objects to Palin's description of waterboarding as baptism (see article below) in this brief but compelling "Perspective" from KQED. Click here to listen.
WASHINGTON – Today, religious leaders sent letters to the National Rifle Association and Sarah Palin, asking them to denounce torture and to apologize to the U.S. Muslim and Christian communities for statements made by Palin at the NRA’s Annual Meeting in Indianapolis this past weekend.... “For Christians, baptism is a profoundly holy act. It is in stark contrast to the abhorrent act of waterboarding. Equating baptism to an act of torture like waterboarding is sacrilegious – and particularly surprising coming from a person who prides herself on her Christian faith.”
Click here to read the full press release from NRCAT.
To sign a petition from Faithful America denouncing her remarks, and "setting the record straight about baptism, torture and violence," click here.
We thank the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) for reminding us where our tax dollars go. About 40 cents of every dollar of federal income tax we pay goes to current and past wars! As we approach April 15th, it is a good time to express our concern to members of Congress. While taxes are an important way that we contribute to the common good, tell Congress that we want our money directed to important, life-giving needs, and not to the death-dealing destruction of war. Click here to read more from FCLN. Consider writing a letter to the editor about this!
The MVPJ Steering Committee watched this documentary at our April 2014 meeting. We found it quite compelling. It not only introduces and explains the egrecious nature of U.S. use of drones, but tells true and personal stories of people affected by them. We highly recommend this film!
Our friends at American Muslim Voice invite you to help make this year's peace convention the best yet! Please read the message below from AMV's Samina Sundas.
Dear peace partners,
We have cherished your support for American Muslim Voice Foundation for over a decade now and we have been grateful for that. We are celebrating our 10th year of service to Muslim community and community at large. We would love for you to be a part of this peace convention as we celebrate and look ahead to strengthen our relations to build a better world for our next generations.
1: Please reserve a table. 2: Send us a message for our brochure. 3: Place an ad. 4: Help us with outreach by sending this information to all your contacts so your constituents would have a chance to hear our wonderful diverse, speakers, panelists, presenters and authors on critical issues faced by our communities.
Please do google our speakers, panelists and authors, especially Shane Claiborne.
Malalai Joya spoke out publicly against domination by warlords in 2003. She was one of 68 women elected to the Afghan National Assembly in 2005. A remarkable young woman raised in refugee camps in Iran and Pakistan, she became a teacher in secret girl's schools under the Taliban.
Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice was formed in March 2003 before the United States began the war in Iraq. Since then, we have devoted our efforts to the elimination of war, torture, injustice, and reduction of civil liberties, all guided by the core values of each of our faith traditions. We have prayed, marched, sung, worshiped, advocated, laughed, cried, lamented, protested, served, studied and vigiled on street corners, city plazas, and in mosques, synagogues, churches, meeting houses and parks. We have met with our congress people and learned from our religious leaders. Through it all, we have built strong relationships of trust and respect. In many ways, we have become a community of sisters and brothers across faith lines.
Click here to download a history of our efforts and activities over the past 10 years.
Now we want to take this 10-year anniversary to reflect on actions, the effect we've had on our community and the world, and to think and pray about what we are called to do next.
Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice issued this statement on Sept. 4, 2013. We give thanks for the continued efforts to work for a nonviolent resolution to the tragic conflict in Syria, and urge you to keep the people of Syria in your prayers and support humanitarian efforts on their behalf.
"As people of faith from diverse traditions, Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice joins with a growing number of faith organizations and people of good will around the globe in condemning chemical weapons use in Syria or anywhere, and insisting that the world community, in particular our own United States government, respond to this tragedy using diplomatic and political tools, not military intervention. We implore Congress to refuse to authorize any military action against Syria. Bombing and killing Syrians to send a message that bombing and killing Syrians is wrong makes absolutely no sense.
U.S. military interventions in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan over the last 60 years make it clear that war as a solution to world problems is NOT the answer. By denying the president the authority to use military force against Syria, the United States Congress could bring us one step closer to the end of senseless war.
We thank the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) for reminding us where our tax dollars go. About 40 cents of every dollar of federal income tax we pay goes to current and past wars! As we approach April 15th, it is a good time to express our concern to members of Congress. While taxes are an important way that we contribute to the common good, tell Congress that we want our money directed to important, life-giving needs, and not to the death-dealing destruction of war. 
Our friends at American Muslim Voice invite you to help make this year's peace convention the best yet! Please read the message below from AMV's Samina Sundas.
Prospects for Afghan Women and Non-Intervention in My Country
Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice was formed in March 2003 before the United States began the war in Iraq. Since then, we have devoted our efforts to the elimination of war, torture, injustice, and reduction of civil liberties, all guided by the core values of each of our faith traditions. We have prayed, marched, sung, worshiped, advocated, laughed, cried, lamented, protested, served, studied and vigiled on street corners, city plazas, and in mosques, synagogues, churches, meeting houses and parks. We have met with our congress people and learned from our religious leaders. Through it all, we have built strong relationships of trust and respect. In many ways, we have become a community of sisters and brothers across faith lines. 
Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice