Creativity is God's Language

by Katrina Alton, CSJP

“It’s an absurd contradiction to speak of peace, to negotiate peace, and at the same time promote or permit the arms trade.”

These words from Pope Francis galvanised the commitment of hundreds of people last September at the London ExCel Centre as they participated in creative nonviolent resistance to stop the setting up of the Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEI).

DSEI is the second biggest arms fair in the world held at the ExCel Centre in London every two years. It is heavily subsidised by the UK government to promote arms sales worldwide, and each year hosts representatives from countries with a record of grave human rights abuses. In successive years DSEI has been found to be selling weapons that are banned from sale in the UK, such as electro-shock, torture equipment and cluster bombs. The arms fair also invites some of the most repressive regimes, many of whom are known to use such weapons against their own people.

Under the umbrella of Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT), for seven days prior to the arms fair commencing, activists used every nonviolent and creative means possible to stop it taking place. One such day was led by No Faith In War, a coalition of faith groups. With three times the number of people involved than in previous years, and over 100 arrests, I wondered why Christian activists, especially women, felt called to give their time, energy, creativity, and in some cases their liberty? How did their faith inform their actions? What follows is just a taste of the words and images so generously shared with me.

Christabel McCooey, 28

London

I am currently a barrister specialising in criminal law and mental health law.

I previously spent some time in Israel/Palestine with the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, who challenge the demolition of Palestinian homes. I’m not currently attached to any particular Christian denomination but my faith in Jesus is the most important force in my life.

I want to live a life that is congruent with my faith and my understanding of Jesus. The more I reflected, travelled and spent time with people of different cultures abroad, the more I began to see the insanity of war and the illogicality of violence as a means of solving international disputes. Having once intended to join the Army Legal Services, I became a pacifist in Jerusalem after speaking with ordinary people, Israelis and Palestinians, who didn’t want to live as enemies but were compelled to do so by the narrative of security and militarism. I reflected on Jesus’ words ‘love your enemies’. Could that mean killing them?

I noted the cyclical nature of war and violence generally: the ‘good guys’ being attacked by the ‘bad guys’ (both sides seeing themselves as ‘the good’). I supported the arms fair actions because there is a maddening silence about our government hosting the world’s biggest arms fair, and therefore our tacit consent to it. Those who are willing to shout about it and make a (nonviolent) fuss are heroes, modern-day prophets, whom history is likely to look back on as speaking only the obvious.

I have not risked arrest (as yet) because my job keeps me firmly on the other side of the dock in court. But my faith requires me to speak out, to defend the cause of the poor, the outcast and the weak, to not let money be a God; Jesus says to ‘test everything’ and that includes laws that acquiesce in the face of injustice.

Creativity is God’s language and it’s in all of us. Many are allowing themselves to explore their own creativity and how it captures messages we care about and want to share. I think more people are seeing the arms trade as a key ethical issue in society, regardless of whether they are people of faith; they therefore want to respond, if only with their presence. 

I loved the week of “Art the Arms Fair” which brought together comedians, poets, musicians and artists to react creatively against our government’s support of DSEI. I sat on the Banksy exhibition which sold for around £250,000. I love the fact that Banksy made an appearance and is united in this cause. This event can seem like such a tiny place to be in space and time yet he came along too! It gives me hope that we are on the right track (and being rightfully awkward!) ℘

Nora Ziegler, 28

London

I’m 28 years old, live in London, from Germany originally. I grew up in a Methodist Church but am also influenced by Catholic spirituality and theology which I discovered through the Catholic Worker Movement. I am a member of the London Catholic Worker. I have lived at our house of hospitality, Giuseppe Conlon House, for three years. I have been involved in stop the arms fair since the previous DSEI in 2015. I was part of organising and taking action on the No Faith in War day in 2017. I also take part in other actions and protests against arms trade, nuclear weapons and for safe passage for migrants.

My faith calls me to love others and make myself vulnerable to God’s love and care. I blocked the road to the ExCel Centre, risking arrest, to show my love for people who are affected by the arms trade, and that I do not put my faith in the “defence” and “security” promoted at DSEI, but in God’s love.

I think the war in Yemen might also have mobilised a lot of people to protest against the arms trade.

The box in this photo was intended as a peace altar and I like the idea of not just blocking the road but creating a prayerful space. Other non-faith actions did similar things like having a picnic or dancing in the road and thereby creating a space for sharing and celebrating in resistance to the fear and divisions that arms trade both promotes and exploits. ℘

Susan Clarkson, 71

Bradford, West Yorkshire

I was a member of a Catholic religious congregation for over 40 years. After leaving the sisters I became a Quaker. I am active in local Quaker work and also volunteer with a project for asylum seekers. With others I started the West Yorkshire CAAT group.

The source of all my peace and anti-war activity is Jesus’ message of nonviolence in the Gospel. Added to that is the influence of the Catholic Worker Movement and the Peace Testimony of the Society of Friends. I risked arrest because I’d read Andrew Feinstein’s book about the arms trade, Shadow World. I was also inspired by the whole tone of the No Faith In War day.

I think the great effort CAAT put into preparing for this week of action bore fruit in the number and variety of actions. I was pleased to be part of training days for this week of action and learnt a great deal. It was a joy to work with people for whom this was their first experience of direct action. It gives me hope. ℘

And it gives me hope too—hope that our faith, our prayers, our cries for peace and justice, can be expressed diversely and creatively. Like these women I too have No Faith in War, but in solidarity with them and many hundreds more, I witnessed abundant faith in Jesus’ way of nonviolent love.

This article appeared in the Spring 2018 issue of Living Peace.