Religious leaders in the UK called for the government to support the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell, the Anglican Bishop of Chelmsford, and Most Rev Malcolm McMahon, the Catholic Archbishop of Liverpool, pleaded for Prime Minister Theresa May to sign the treaty and to terminate nuclear weapons, reports Premier Christianity.
The majority of countries around the world want the ban of all types of nuclear weapons. If the treaty is approved, it will be illegal to “develop, produce, manufacture or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons.” More than 100 states are set to sign the legally binding document, but the US and UK decided against it.
“We really believe in the Christian value of hope, we think that’s very profound and is completely in opposition to death and destruction which is symbolized by nuclear weapons,” said Juliet Prager, from Quakers in Britain.
In an open letter, church leaders urged the government to rethink its decision and sign the nuclear ban treaty.
The clerics explained that nuclear weapons will not help the people. Instead of protecting mankind, it will put the survival of humanity at risk.
Part of the open letter said, “The Bible teaches us that we are stewards of the earth, with a duty to protect all life. Nuclear weapons are the antithesis of this teaching.”
In June this year, the UK did not participate in talks during the drafting of the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty, according to Independent Catholic News.
Pat Gaffney of Pax Christi said, “It is a tragedy and we believe a gross failure of duty, that the UK Government will take no part in these meetings, despite pleas and lobbying for months in advance of the meetings.”
Meantime, the Methodists, Baptists, United Reformed Church, Church of Scotland and Quakers issued a joint statement supporting the abolition of nuclear weapons. “We believe that the possession and threat of use of nuclear weapons is a sin against God and humanity,” the religious leaders said.
Sources:
Premier Christianity
Christian Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Independent Catholic News
