From time immemorial, people have suffered from violence and war.Through the history of the tunnel passed the "prophets" who defended the peace and quiet.Today, these warriors of peace and light called pacifists.
concepts of "pacifist" and "pacifism"
word "pacifism" has Latin roots and means "peace-keeping", "bearing peace".This notion generalizes the ideology, social movements and philosophical trends, single purpose is to fight against violence, establishment of peace, preventing wars and bloodshed.Often it merges with the antimilitarist movement and the anti-imperialist struggle, as it has with them common ideological roots of non-violence against the person.
Pacifist - a party, a supporter of peace movement.The man who advocates total elimination of violence, defining it as immoral phenomenon.Methods of struggle and non-violent pacifists: peaceful rallies, manifestos, a compromise through negotiations.
origins of pacifism
meaning of the word "pacifist," has received a scientific definition only in the XIX century, but with the dawn of mankind there has been a confrontation between the forces of good and evil.
believed that the foundation of pacifism, his birthplace, is Buddhism.This religious-philosophical doctrine of the basic doctrine of non-violence and a peaceful co-existence of all humanity.Siddhartha Gautama - the founder of Buddhism, in fact, the first known pacifist.He's still in the VI century BC.e.He promoted enlightenment and spiritual awakening through the development of the mind and heart.
Milestones peace movement
Next antiwar baton took the early Christians.In the II century BC.e.they refused to do military service, so as not to participate in wars and killing people.For this, many were martyred, but historical documents evidence of their incredible stoicism and faith in Christ.
Pacifism flinch when Christians took the idea of a "just" war.The Christian religion was taught that any war of liberation and the struggle against the enemy are sacred.But they vowed never to go to war first, not to go to the aggression against the unarmed, to defend "God's peace" throughout the world.
In XVI-XVII centuries of religious wars swept Europe.It was the time of the Reformation, when a single Christian world was divided into a number of national churches.This fact had a mixed historical consequences: the brutal bloodshed gave rise to many anti-war movements across continental Europe.His outstanding representatives were Alexander Mack, George Fox, Grebel, Marpek, Simons, Erasmus.
Napoleonic Wars served as an impetus to the emergence of the next wave of pacifism.Were anti-war demonstrations, international congresses, pacifists demanded to prohibit any military action to disarm completely all countries and interstate disputes are resolved in court.
in Russia in the XIX century lived a famous pacifist.It - Leo Tolstoy.His work for the peaceful transformation of society and the impossibility of any social change by violent means have made a huge contribution to the ideology of pacifism.
Flag pacifist
After the Second World War, which claimed millions of lives, pacifism has become an extremely popular concept.The focus of human development pacifists put principles of humanity, respect and individual freedom.Now pacifist - is not just a single leader who stands for peace throughout the world, but also a member of the multi-million dollar organized movement, which has its own doctrine, offices and international offices.
in 1958 for his mark pacifists took the symbol, which became the basis for the rune Algiz.Its traditional meaning - protection consciousness striving upwards.In the inverted form it resembles a tree, rooted into the earth, symbolizing the mystery of ancient knowledge and wisdom.
This sign pacifists portray on their flags fluttering in the hands of anti-nuclear protesters at rallies and on the office of the Defender of the world.
