Quakers, Krishna, and ICBMs

INTERCONNECTEDNESS: “the state of having different parts or things connected or related to each other.”

 

How are these three books interconnected?

Nonfiction: Religion, History

Portrait In Grey: A Short History of The Quakers by John Punshon

I read this book as a follow up to one I read last month, The Spirit of Quakers and because I have Quaker ancestors in my genealogy.

Portrait In Grey was recommended as a standard introduction to Quaker history. The Religious Society of Friends, also called Quakers, was founded in England in the 17th century by George Fox. He and other early Quakers were persecuted for their beliefs, which included the belief that the presence of God exists in every person - "Inner Light."

Some facts that have particular interest for me because of my genealogy:

Quakers didn’t have official clergy and believed in spiritual equality for men and women. After emigrating from England to New York, my widowed 7^th. Great-Grandmother, Mary Washburn Willits, held Quaker Meetings in her colonial home. There she was made “distraint of her property by the English authorities for non-payment of a ministers’ and church rate.” Mary did not pay the ministers’ tax because Quakers don't believe in official clergy - ministers. Mary lost her home because of her religious beliefs.

Quakers practice pacifism and discipline members who ‘bear arms, train with arms, or complete military service’. “The steadfastness of American Friends towards their peace testimony was severely tested during the Seven Years’ War (1756-63) … many Friends in the back country suffered from the incursions of the French and their Indian allies … the Discipline was toughened.” After his father’s barn was burned down during the French and Indian War, my 4^th.Great-Grandfather, Isaac Willits, joined a militia in order to defend his community and was disowned from his Quaker Meeting.

What does it mean to be “disowned?”

The Society of Friends did not profess to any theological creeds yet did have a set of standards by which members were expected to live. In Isaac’s case, a committee visited him and attempted to have him acknowledge his error of military service. Isaac could have sent a written note to the Monthly Meeting stating that he was sorry for his misconduct and hope that he would be reinstated. However, Isaac did not “witness that Godly sorrow” and was disowned.

It was not uncommon for one member of the family to be disowned yet the rest of the family would retain membership. The disowned person could continue to attend worship Meetings but could not participate in business meetings. Isaac continued to live and worship in his Quaker community, but he was not permitted to participate in the Monthly (business) Meetings. It was the Quakers’ hope that with continued worship and fellowship the “disowned” would be drawn back into Discipline.

Isaac’s son, Levi Willits, was a Quaker because his mother had not been disowned. Levi married another Quaker, Rachel Field. They moved to Wayne County, Indiana.

There the Second Great Awakening had a direct impact on my Quaker ancestors in Indiana. In 1827 and 1828, a controversy involved most of the Society of Friends in Indiana, and finally caused an irreconcilable split into two groups. Those that held strictly to doctrine and rejected change were called  the "Old Lights" and the Quakers who relied less on doctrine as proof of faith and wanted change were called the "New Lights".  “Inner Light” continued to be their central belief but the New Lights “held that doctrines, were not essential to Christian faith but were fruits of it.”   

In Indiana, my Willits ancestors became part of the New Lights movement and had Meetings with their neighbors. Eventually they established a church with their neighbors: “Franklin Church, about 2 1/2 miles east from Milton (Indiana), was organized June 27, 1840, some of whose members (including my ancestors) had belonged to a society called ‘New Lights.’"

Thus, I learned why and how my Quaker ancestors left the Society of Friends.

Obviously, this book was extremely helpful in understanding my family’s history. It was after my ancestors left the Society of Friends that the Quakers became heavily involved in the anti-slavery and Underground Railroad movement. Later many Quakers, like several of my Willits kinsmen, served in the Union Army during the Civil War. However, this time the vast majority of Quaker soldiers were not disowned for their military service. Perhaps they had a new understanding of their duty as moral people.

Nonfiction: Religion, Spirituality

Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation by Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Stephen Mitchell (Editor)

After learning more about my ancestors' choices about their duty within the context of Quaker history, I was reminded of the story of Arjuna and Krishna. So I decided to reread this book.

Written sometime between the 5^th. century B.C.E. and the 1^st. century C.E., Bhagavad Gita means “Song of the Blessed One.” It was written as an independent poem which was later inserted into Book Six of the Mahabharata.

The Gita takes place on the battlefield of Kuru at the beginning of a war. Arjuna has his charioteer, Krishna (who turns out to be God incarnate), drive him into the open space between the two armies. There Arjuna surveys the armies. As he becomes overwhelmed with dread and sorrow at the imminent death of so many men, Arjuna drops his weapons and refuses to fight. This is when Krishna reveals Himself and begins his teachings about life, death, non-attachment, love, spiritual practice and duty.

Arjuna is told to do his duty as a warrior and fight, which is seemingly contradictory to the lessons Krishna teaches. How can God tell us “to do our duty” and harm anyone, even evil men who launch an unjust war? This is still an open question. Moral people, during every war, have come to opposite conclusions about what their duty is. Gandhi believed the deepest spiritual awareness implies duty to complete nonviolence.  Meanwhile, I can imagine a buddha defending his community against  authoritarianism.

Arjuna’s question of whether to fight or not is a question we all must contemplate daily; what is our duty? “Whatever you do, Arjuna, do it as an offering to me- whatever you say or eat of pray or enjoy of suffer. In this way you will be freed from all the results of your actions, good or harmful; unfettered, untroubled, you will come to me. I am the same to all beings; I favor none and reject none. But those who worship me live within me and I live in them.”

 

... which brings me to 2024, polemology and the threat of war facing us now. 

Nonfiction: Military History, Politics, War 

Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen

“This book terrified me—and I wrote it.” – Annie Jacobson

This superb book is based on 47 interviews with both military and civilian experts; 40 pages of notes with citations; a 15-page bibliography; and an index. Nuclear War is authoritative. This extremely informative, book details a minute-by-minute scenario of how a nuclear attack on the United States by North Korea, might play out. It is all over within 72 minutes; our world will be destroyed. All it takes is one ICBM and then all hell breaks loose.

Here are a few facts I learned:

• Department of Defense satellites are “parked” over North Korea to examine for ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles) exhaust for 240 – 290 seconds into their flight.
• A few seconds later the ICBM will complete powered flight and go dark – it can no longer be seen or tracked by early-warning space satellites. “Satellites can only see hot rocket exhaust. They cannot see the rocket after the rocket motor stops.”

• The best way to defend against a North Korean ICBM is to fly MQ-9 Reaper drones over the Sea of Japan 24/7, 365 days of the year. There are NO Reaper drones presently patrolling the Sea of Japan.
• Our total number of interceptor missiles is 44. As of 2024, Russia has 1,674 ready-to-launch nuclear weapons; China has over 500; Pakistan and India each have 165; and North Korea has 50 – we have only 44 interceptors!
• The President of the United States has an emergency satchel called the “Football.” Inside is a set of documents known as the Black Book, a list of nuclear strike options to choose from. Our nation is under Launch on Warning which means America will not wait and absorb a nuclear attack before launching its nuclear weapons – we will launch on a warning of a possible attack.
• The President of the United States is the ONLY person who can give the order to physically arm and launch our nuclear weapons.
• Due to the Earth's curvature, if the United States launches nuclear missiles against North Korea they will have to fly over Russia. This means Russia will need to decide if those missiles are meant for them or the Koreans. As such, any missile attack by North Korea and counterattack by the US will likely result in nuclear war with Russia too.
• Because of the danger associated with misinterpreting a nuclear launch the United States, Russia and China maintain open channels of communication and announce each other of nuclear tests. North Korea does not notify the United States of its nuclear tests.
• Submarine launched ballistic missiles can be launched without being detected just off our shores.

During a nuclear war there will be several sources of death: radiation, massive fire, disease, starvation, and finally nuclear winter caused by the ash clouds covering the sky and blocking the sun.

The fundamental idea behind this book is to demonstrate, in appalling detail, just how horrifying nuclear war would be. Exceptionally well researched, the author’s sources are impeccable, ably supported by technical information.

I think about this book at least once a day, and how important it is to have a President who has the character and diplomatic skill necessary to avoid a war no one can win. Will our current and future Presidents, like Arjuna and my Quaker ancestors, seriously contemplate how to answer the question: "What is my duty?"

Genealogical studies illustrate how our ancestors addressed the polemological issues of their lives. Now it is our turn. How will we answer the question: "What is my duty?"

Every American should read this book or, at the very least, watch this TED talk. - “We’re just one misunderstanding, one mistake, or one fanatic politician away from nuclear conflict.”