Latter-Day Saint Proclamation of Peace

Thoughts and Principles From the Latter-Day Saints Community

It is our divine calling to ..."Sue for peace, not only to the people that have smitten you, but to all people; And lift up an ensign of peace, and make a proclamation of peace unto the ends of the earth " (D&C 105:38-39).

The First Presidency of the LDS Church issued a proclamation in 1942 that the "Church is and must be against war. The Church cannot wage war unless and until the Lord shall issue new commands. It cannot regard war as a righteous means of settling international disputes; these should and could be settled--the nations agreeing--by peaceful negotiation and adjustment." (A message from the First Presidency: 112th Annual General Conference of the Church. Conference Report, Apr. 1942, 88-97);

"While recognizing the need for strength to repel any aggressor, we are enjoined by the word of God to Renounce War and Proclaim Peace! We call upon the heads of nations to sit down and reason together in good faith to resolve their differences. " (First Presidency: Spencer W. Kimball, N. Eldon Tanner & Marion G. Romney, Church News; 20 Dec.1980)

We are reminded by the remarks of President Gordon B. Hinckley, "War I hate with all its mocking panoply....War is Earth's greatest cause of human misery. It is the destroyer of life, the promoter of hate, the waster of treasure. It is man's costliest folly, his most tragic misadventure." (Salt Lake Tribune:July, 2007)

Nations should not to rush to war when prophet Moroni "...taught never to give an offense, yea, and never to raise a sword except it were against an enemy, except it were to preserve their lives". (Book of Mormon: Alma 48:14)

We recognize..."The designs of God...to establish peace and good will among men; to promote the principle of eternal truth; to bring about a state of things shall unite man to his fellow man: cause the world to "beat their swords into plow shares, and their spears into pruning hooks," make the nations of the earth dwell in peace..." (Teaching of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg.248)

Let us remove the causes of war by pressing forward in eliminating hatred, oppression, poverty, and imperial nationalism. Indeed, let us promote the teachings of Jesus Christ; for through him will the world find true peace.

Let us "seek to go forth build and establish the cause of Zion". For it is written..."that every one who will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety...and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another" (D&C 6:6 and 45:68-69)

Contact Bart Tippetts, the author of this document at barttip@msn.com. Phone: 801-859-8150