How to get in the way of people with guns

May 6, 2009 9:21 PM

Peace groups that don't require religion

I'm looking at ways to spend some of my youthful years (i.e. peace corps, earthwatch, habitat for humanity, vso), and one that struck my interest is Christian Peacemaker Teams. The only problem is that they demand that I be a deeply rooted christian; I assume that they'd look past that, but I wouldn't want to work with an organization that had intolerance written into its requirements. What other groups involve achieving peace by 'getting in the way', but don't ask me to be aligned to any faith?
I'm not looking for fundraising work or tech support; I'm trying to go somewhere to do something, but I have none of the qualifications for say a Peace Corps volunteer. Thanks in advance.

posted by KingoftheWhales to society & culture (8 comments total)

Peace Brigades International does some good work.
posted by edgeways at 9:41 PM on May 6

Quaker Friends
posted by rhizome at 10:04 PM on May 6 [1 favorite]

Seconding rhizome. The American Friends Service Committee is a great place to start looking.
posted by fuzzbean at 10:34 PM on May 6 [1 favorite]

The right answer here depends on what causes you consider to fall under "peace." But what about Greenpeace? They may be more famous for enviro stuff, but disarmament is a peace issue and their work includes direct action against arms build-up (for example, getting in the way of weapons tests -- recently anti-missile launches).

(Tangentially, there is also Greenpeace's more radical cousin, Sea Shepherd, essentially a pure anti-whaling group that seeks to physically prevent whaling. They recruit crews from the general, unskilled population.)
posted by grobstein at 1:30 AM on May 7

Habitat for Humanity is a deeply Christian group, but they totally get what that means and DO NOT force anyone to do any religious type stuffs...it's right in their day plan about how some people might havea prayer to start the day, but feel free to wander off and come back when they are done. I had a blast working on the Jimmy Carter Work Project when he was in Los Angeles and there were peeps from all walks of life on my team and not once was I made to feel uncomfortable about being non religious. They do work overseas on projects, but you do pay your own way for them which may be something you aren't looking to do. But anyway, that's my experience for you :)
posted by legotech at 2:10 AM on May 7

I am a Quaker. Liberal unprogrammed Quakers are not necessarily Christian and do not necessarily believe in God. Some of my friends who fit that description are very involved with Christian Peace Teams in our area, serving on the board, for instance. I wouldn't write off CPT until you've looked into it more. The rhetoric about Christ and God in their materials doesn't necessarily mean intolerance on the ground. Their page on what they look for in volunteers says they are open to "all interested people" and does not mention personal Christian faith.

AFSC tends more toward relief work.
posted by not that girl at 7:07 AM on May 7

KingoftheWhales: "The only problem is that they demand that I be a deeply rooted christian; I assume that they'd look past that"

I would not assume this.
posted by WCityMike at 9:20 AM on May 7

The Unitarian-Universalists. (Some UUs are christian or other kinds of theists, but far from all.) Also, many Buddhist groups.
posted by phliar at 1:06 PM on May 7