Joint Interfaith Statement on the 75th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

PPF is a proud signer of this interfaith statement. In the 1980s PPF was one of the founding organizations of the US-Soviet Bi-Lateral Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign, leading the PC(USA) to become the first major church to endorse the proposal. We continue to support work toward disarmament happening in the PC(USA) and beyond. As a wide coalition of faith-based communities from around the world, we have committed to speaking with one voice that rejects the existential threat to humanity that nuclear weapons pose. We reaffirm that the presence of even one nuclear weapon violates the core principles of our different faith traditions and threatens the unimaginable destruction of everything we hold dear. Nuclear weapons are not only a future risk, their presence here and now undermines the ethical and moral foundations of the common good. We call for your commitment to a world that is more peaceful, safe, and just—a world only possible with the elimination of nuclear weapons.August 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki—attacks which devastated these cities causing up to 213,000 deaths by the end of 1945 and many more in the following years. The attacks inflicted excruciating pain and suffering on both humans and the environment.We are grateful for the global hibakusha, survivors, who have courageously borne witness, often in the face of intimidation and the recurring tragedy of loss and illness. We must meet the courage of the survivors with our own. We must abolish nuclear weapons forever.We lament the racism and colonialism that drove the nuclear-weapon States to test their weapons on the communities that they deemed expendable, lives far away from their own, lives that mattered less, lives that were taken in pursuit of destructive power for a few. We acknowledge the immense suffering, oppression and exploitation faced by the Indigenous communities around the world whose bodies, lands, waters and air have served as the testing grounds for the ambitions of those who dominate with force.Few who believe in the disingenuous notion of nuclear deterrence have witnessed or experienced the devastation of these weapons in their own communities. After seventy-five years we can see that nuclear weapons have not brought an end to war. Nuclear weapons do not create peace, rather they intensify the scourge and threat of war in our world, lives and communities. Because they are designed to cause massive and indiscriminate destruction, because they siphon precious resources that are needed to meet human needs and protect our shared planet, and because they enforce and sustain a global system based on domination and unending violence, the existence of nuclear weapons fundamentally contradicts the principles of any moral, religious and ethical system that values life.Whilst many of our lives and imaginations might be far removed from memories of “hell on earth” and the legacies of environmental impacts, shattering health conditions and trauma wrought in a nuclear explosion, the impacts of the current global health crisis have given us all a glimpse into how life would change in the event of a nuclear explosion. Like the COVID-19 pandemic, the health, environmental and economic consequences would not be contained in space or time. Nuclear tests and accidents have revealed that radiation spreads through the atmosphere, oceans, plants, animals, and whole human populations. Our economies, production chains and ability to grow food would be severely disrupted.Many have consigned the stories of the horrors of this time to our distant past—stories only to be revisited when certain leaders deem it necessary to remind their citizens what others might do to them if they give up their own nuclear capacities. But we will not forget or ignore the powerful witness of those affected by developing, testing and using nuclear weapons. We are committed to ending nuclear weapons forever to honor the global hibakusha and to save our children, grandchildren, and future generations from experiencing what they suffered. As we build a world where equality, peace and justice are abundant for all, there is no place for nuclear weapons in our shared future.Despite commitments made—including under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)—nuclear-weapon States have continued to maintain and develop their nuclear arsenals, while other States have worked to acquire them.Despite our clear-eyed awareness of the dangers of the present moment, we are united in our irrepressible belief that change for the good is possible—in individual lives and in our world. We know that in the most dangerous and threatening times, human beings are capable of cooperation, creative problem-solving and mutual trust. Indeed, the existence of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) itself reaffirms that hopefulness. The NPT was born out of a moment when fears about nuclear war and distrust were at a peak, and it acted as a beacon to remind nations that international collaboration was possible and that each nation’s security does not demand the insecurity of others, but rather is contingent upon the security of all. We find ourselves again in such a moment in which the reaffirmation of international norms and the embrace of the NPT’s ultimate promise—abolition—must be realized.In 2017, this goal of abolition moved closer to becoming reality when the UN adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, calling for the complete elimination of all nuclear weapons. Once 50 States have ratified it, it will enter into force.We urge our governments to use the opportunity of the 75th anniversary of the only occasion that nuclear weapons have been used in conflict, to ensure that they are never used again in any circumstances. We call upon all States to join the growing community of States which have rejected nuclear weapons entirely. We appeal to you to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.    Endorsing OrganizationsAction des Chrétiens pour l'Abolition de la Torture (ACAT-France)Advocacy For JusticeAll Africa Conference of Churches All Souls Nuclear Disarmament Task ForceAlliance of BaptistsAmerican Baptist Churches, USAAmerican Friends Service CommitteeAnglican Pacifist FellowshipANUVIBHAArbeitsgruppe 11 "Evangelium und gesellschaftliche Verantwortung" der Vereinigung Evangelischer FreikirchenArticle 9 of the Japanese Peace Constitution in NCCJAssociation of Roman Catholic Women Priests Awakening Art & Culture Baltimore Nonviolence CenterBeloved CommunityBirmingham (Alabama) Friends Meeting (Quaker)BPFNA-Bautistas por la PazBruderhof Calvary Presbyterian Church Casa Esther Catholic WorkerCasa Maria Catholic WorkerCatholic Peace MinistryCatholic Shrine of the Immaculate ConceptionThe Catholic WorkerCCFD-Terre SolidaireCenter for Peace Education - Miriam CollegeCentre for Applied BuddhismChristian Campaign for Nuclear DisarmamentChristian Conference of AsiaChristians for Peace Newcastle (Australia)Church and Peace e.V.Church of Norway Council on Ecumenical and International RelationsThe Church of ScotlandCleveland Nonviolence NetworkColumban Center for Advocacy and OutreachColumbia, MO Catholic Worker Comisión General Justicia y PazThe Commission for Justice and Peace – Archdiocese of MaltaCommittee on Social Issues of the German Baptist UnionCommunauté de GrandchampCommunity of ChristCommunity of Christ (British Isles)Community of Christ EuropeCongregation de Notre Dame of MontrealCongregation of Notre Dame USACongregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S  ProvincesCouncil of Churches in the Netherlands Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, USADes Moines Catholic WorkerDev Sanskriti University, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, IndiaDisciples Peace Fellowship Dominican Sisters of HoustonDorothy Day Catholic Worker- Washington, DCDutch Association 'Kerk en Vrede'Ecumenical Ministries of OregonEdmund Rice CentreThe Episcopal ChurchEpiscopal Peace FellowshipFachgruppe Gerechtigkeit, Frieden und Bewahrung der Schöpfung der Evangelisch-methodistischen Kirche in DeutschlnadFaith Action Network - WA stateFaiths Forum for London Fellowship of Reconciliation (England and Scotland)Fellowship of Reconciliation USAFondazione Proclade Internazionale-onlusFriedensnetz, HammFriends Committee on National LegislationGlobal Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of ChristHampshire and Islands Area Quaker MeetingHeiwa Peace and Reconciliation Foundation of New YorkHelp YateemThe Hindu Temple Society of N.A.Home for Peace and JusticeHumanists International Institute for Mediation, Freiburg, GermanyInterfaith Council of Sonoma CountyInternational Fellowship of ReconciliationInternational Network of Engaged BuddhistsInternational Peace Research AssociationInterReligious Task Force on Central America and Colombia (IRTF Cleveland)Iowa CUREJain NetworkJapanese American Religious Federation of San FranciscoJust Peace Task Force, Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, IndianaJustice and Peace ScotlandJustice For AllKairos Peace Community, New York, NYKings Bay Plowshares 7Lake City Catholic Worker FarmLeadership Conference of Women ReligiousLoretto CommunityLoretto Peace Committee Los Angeles Catholic WorkerMartha Justice Ministry, Sisters of St. Martha, AntigonishMartin Luther King Jr. Memorial Berlin Komitee Maryknoll Office for Global ConcernsMay Peace Prevail On Earth InternationalMennonite World ConferenceThe Methodist Church in BritainMetta Center for NonviolenceMichigan Poor Peoples’ CampaignMore Ecumenical Empowerment Together (MEET)Multifaith Voices for Peace & JusticeNational Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good ShepherdNational Council of ChurchesNevada Desert ExperienceNew Vision Interspiritual SeminaryNorfolk Catholic WorkerNorth Carolina Council of ChurchesOffice of Peace, Justice, and Ecological Integrity/Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth On Earth PeaceThe Open Door CommunityOrthodox Peace FellowshipPace e Bene and Campaign NonviolencePacific Conference of ChurchesParoisse Saint François à Louvain-la-Neuve, BelgiquePAXPax Christi - PerúPax Christi Aotearoa-New ZealandPax Christi AustraliaPax Christi AustriaPax Christi DallasPax Christi England & WalesPax Christi FlandersPax Christi FrancePax Christi Hampton RoadsPax Christi InternationalPax Christi IrelandPax Christi ItaliaPax Christi Korea Pax Christi Metro New YorkPax Christi Northern CaliforniaPax Christi PhilippinesPax Christi ScotlandPax Christi USAThe Peacemakers' Circle Foundation, Inc.PeaceworkersPennsylvania Council of ChurchesPhoenix Settlement TrustPlum Village Community of Engaged BuddhismPooha-Bah Traditional Native American Healing CenterPresbyterian Church (U.S.A.)Presbyterian Church (USA) Office of Public WitnessThe Presbyterian Church of the RosesPresbyterian Peace FellowshipThe Rabbinical Seminary InternationalRavidassia Community CentreRedwood City Catholic WorkerRedwood Forest Friends MeetingReformed Church in America Religions for Peace PhilippinesReligions for Peace UKReligious Society of Friends (Quakers in Britain)Roots of PeaceRotarians 4 Nuclear BanSaint Junia United Methodist ChurchSan Francisco Friends Meeting Peace CommitteeSilsilah Dialogue MovementSisters of Charity FederationSisters of Charity of Nazareth Congregational LeadershipSisters of Charity of New YorkSisters of Charity of Our Lady of MercySisters of the Good ShepherdSisters of the Presentation, Dubuque, IA SojournersSoka Gakkai InternationalSs.Anthony and Philip ParishSS.Francis and Therese Catholic WorkerSt Peter's Episcopal Parish, Seattle, WASt. Benedict Catholic Worker Strangers and Guests Catholic Worker FarmSwedenborgian Church of North AmericaTariki Buddhist Therapists ForumTemple of UnderstandingTikkunUnion for Reform JudaismUnitarian Universalist AssociationUnitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter RockUnitarian Universalist Congregation, Santa RosaUnited Church of Christ, Justice and Witness MinistriesThe United Methodist Church - General Board of Church and SocietyUnited Reformed Church (UK) United Religions InitiativeViva House, Baltimore Catholic WorkerWestern Episcopal District AME Zion ChurchWindsor Community United Methodist ChurchWon BuddhismThe World Bosniak Congress World Council of ChurchesWorld Yoga Community