World Conference Resolution 1177

Peace

Adopted 3 April 1982 

Whereas, Christ came into the world as the Prince of Peace, denoting God’s concern for caring within the human family throughout the world; and 

Whereas, We are commissioned to “lift up an ensign of peace, and make a proclamation for peace unto the ends of the earth” (Doctrine and Covenants 102:11); and 

Whereas, The official seal of the church, as a symbol of peace, should be a daily reminder of our individual and collective obligation to promote peace; and 

Whereas, We have been reminded that “These are portentous times. The lives of many are being sacrificed unnecessarily to the gods of war, greed, and avarice. The land is being desecrated by the thoughtless waste of vital resources. You must obey my commandments and be in the forefront of those who would mediate this needless destruction while there is yet day” (Doctrine and Covenants 150:7); and 

Whereas, We are a World Church and must address the issues of peace throughout all nations; therefore, be it 

Resolved, That 

1. We, as a church, promote peace. People motivated by Christian love promote peace through constructive and peaceful activities. The cause of peace is positively, though not exclusively, furthered by the following:
2. The propagation of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ who has the power to regenerate people making them true brothers and sisters.
3. Providing opportunity for self-expression, recognition of equality, and acknowledgment of personal worth before God and all humanity.
4. Upholding law which supports individual and group dignity and freedom, and by opposing oppression and tyranny. It is a Christian duty to participate responsibly in governmental processes and to support good and wise people in positions of governmental leadership (Doctrine and Covenants 95:2).
5. Addressing the root causes of war and violence and working toward the elimination of these evils.
6. We, as a church, share the responsibility for world conditions. The great commandment of Christ that we love God and our neighbor as ourselves gives us purpose and challenges us as stewards of God’s creation to be responsible for world conditions. We recognize that personal sin and the resultant evils of the social order are the source of civil and international violence. We accept responsibility to bring reconciliation in situations of hostility. We express our sense of responsibility in ways, such as:
7. Calling on people to accept their stewardship over God’s creation.
8. Encouraging people to adjust their personal lifestyles toward the elimination of waste, greed, and insensitivity.
9. Committing our resources in the pursuit of peace, justice, reconciliation, and human development.
10. Encouraging individuals to support leaders who are promoting peace.
11. Speaking out against human inequity wherever and whenever it is found.

III. We, as a church, oppose all forms of destructive violence, such as national and international conflict, war, withholding of food, terrorism, and mental and physical abuse. These destructive actions have their roots in fear and greed and are characterized by unregulated and immoral behavior. As long as selfish interests, materialistic desire, or forms of special privilege are valued above human needs, rights, and dignity, there will be such violence. While acts of terrorism, unprovoked war, and wanton mental and physical abuse cannot be supported under any circumstances, we understand there are instances where reasonable avenues to reconcile differences appear to have been exhausted and resorting to force is deemed unavoidable. We deplore this sinful situation and the resulting consequences. The existence of this dilemma intensifies our pursuit of peace. 

1. We, as a church, urge nations toward responsible reduction of the instruments of mass destruction. It is the urgent and sobering obligation of people of goodwill to influence individuals, organizations, and governments everywhere toward this end.
2. We, as a church, emphasize that peace is not attained by mere nonparticipation in violence. The best form of Christian witness strives to promote peace and remove the causes of aggression. These causes are removed from society by the application of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the lives of individuals and the community. To support our belief in the value of peace we proclaim again that we shall do all within our ability to make the gospel of peace an incarnate reality. The contents of this resolution in no way condemn those who choose to work from within the military establishment to bring the love of God to bear in such a way that the cause of world peace is promoted.
3. We take these additional actions:
4. We call for the continuation of the Committee on World Peace and ask the First Presidency to expand it by the appointment of international members. The functioning of the committee is to provide for the ongoing study of the role of the church in relation to peace, war, and the use of force. Reports and program resources should be made available to the church through normal publication procedures.
5. We will move toward participation with other organizations constructively promoting peaceful existence of humanity. 
6. We encourage the church, at the national level, to develop and disseminate adequate information with respect to military service, as well as adequate information with respect to various legal alternatives tomilitary service. This information should include the World Church’s position on peace. 
7. In nations where conscientious objection to military service or to bearing arms is in harmony with the law, we urge that a statement regarding individual conscience be developed by the church at the national level.
8. We ask the First Presidency to investigate the feasibility of designating one week per year to celebrate and honor peace.
9. This resolution shall supersede WCR 1052, 1087, and 1129.