Peace and Conflict - 4 - Nuclear and Weapons of Mass Destruction

Nuclear Weapons

Weapons of mass destruction (WMD)

Chemical weapons (CW)

Biological warfare (BW)

Hiroshima

Justification for nuclear weapons

Fundamental problem for Christians on the use of Nuclear weapons

Commandment (from Exodus 20) that can be used against indiscriminate killing of nuclear weapons

Quote on behalf of Baptist and Methodist churches

Christian Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

The use of chemical weapons

The use of biological weapons

Quote from Old Testament (Exodus 21) used to justify proportionate response to violence (not WMDs)

Two reasons why Christians would be against WMDs

Pakistan

Islamic attitudes to nuclear warfare

Quote from Quran (2:195) that appears to rule out the use of any weapons

Outcome of the Chemical Weapons Convention

The recent use of chemical weapons

Warning from the Quran about disproportionate action, and putting others at risk

General religious comment on indiscriminate warfare

Sanctity of life as an argument against WMD

Long term effect of chemical weapons

WMD and lack of justice

Argument for the use of Nuclear weapons and WMD

Financial argument against the use of nuclear weapons

Fear of nuclear weapons getting in the wrong hands

Quote from the Roman Catholic Vatican II council against the use of nuclear weapons, 1960s