‘I advise thee to wear it…’
George Macpherson believes George Fox’s words to William Penn still hold good
We live in a military society. British culture, prosperity, ceremony and government structure are built on conquest and annexation. Our empire, though, is over and we have to readjust.
Britain’s armed forces have dwindled. More and more disputes are solved by negotiation. Our population prefers to spend its money on housing, health, cars, clothes, computers and fun – but government ministers still campaign for a substantial increase in expenditure on armaments. And yet – what would Britain be without royal weddings, Trooping the Colour, Armistice Day and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo? We see solemn funerals with slow, precise marching, and magnificent guardsmen demonstrate how men and women can move in perfect synchronisation. The royal family dress in glorious uniform for the most formal occasions, proudly wearing medals demonstrating their participation in conflict. Most British people are proud of and enjoy these ceremonial events. Uniforms project a picture of upright honour and reliability – and ignore the disgusting results of battle. Our prime minister apparently feels naked without a ‘sword’ of nuclear submarines. These, I believe, lost their only possible relevance (of ‘deterrent’) when the Japanese brought in the ultimate weapon of suicide bombing, which is now widely employed.
We Quakers want to change all this – following the preaching and example of Jesus Christ. Many Friends were despised, punished and humiliated for making a stand against militarism. We do our best to tug on the conscience of the nation by opposing the shameful production and sale of arms to anyone with cash who can afford to pay for them. We are not against men and women in uniform – simply against the violence that is a small part of their existence. There are so many ‘better things to do’ that, in the long term, are less expensive. Our ‘national defence’ forces do a lot of good: let’s keep them. Our politicians, influenced strongly by arms manufacturers, allow war while, personally, keeping away from any battlefield. Every missile, mine, lethal drone, bullet and bomb exported supports our treasury and pension funds. Our children are brought up to admire military exploits and stories of valour. We celebrate our assassins and condone distant killing by remote control. The question is, can Quakers make any impact on creating change? Yes, but not instantly, as it is going to take time, like any change in national thinking. George Fox recognised this by allowing William Penn time and understanding for him to give up his sword.
Can Britain, also, convert its ‘fighting force’ into a ‘force for nonlethal defence and law enforcement’? This is a suggestion as to how – by keeping: the command structure; the recruitment; the excellent training in so many artisan and technical skills; the great engineering ingenuity; the communications excellence; the medical expertise; the pomp and pageantry; awards for bravery; the camaraderie and team spirit; the career structure; the overseas bases to meet emergencies; the sporting teams and the rules of conduct.
In my experience, all these existing things are not to be much bettered – before becoming a Quaker I served three years in the RAF in the 1950s. Since then I have worked for other large organisations, but the RAF was outstanding in its procedures, humanity and efficiency.
Let us redefine the role of our military services and leave out weapons of war, mass destruction and combat. Instead, let’s expand into the design and development of nonlethal defence equipment for emergency use against crazed violence, criminal acts and despotic rulers. Let’s refine prevention nets, vehicle cripplers, darting, Tasers, anaesthetic gases and, of course, digital intelligence to predict future incidents and prevent them. Let’s redirect our spending towards, for example, disaster relief; housing and services; renewable energy; rapid response to pandemics; the United Nations and international law and order; and environmental conservation.
The living message of Jesus is surely to change by convincement with the practical support of Love (as he defined God). Our army, navy and air force do a great deal of good and, in time, our society will feel that it, too, can leave its sword, as did William Penn.
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