Letter to Christian leaders

Christian CND worker Russell has generously re-written our letter to religious leaders for a specifically Christian audience. Feel free to copy, edit and share this letter to promote the London Nuclear Ban Communities initiative in your locality!

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Dear [NAME ]

You may be aware that earlier this year the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons entered into legal force. This means that nuclear weapons are now illegal under international law, just like chemical and biological weapons. More than 80 states have signed the Treaty and every continent is represented among those that have ratified. Last year 130 voted in support of it at the United Nations.l

Around the world Christians have been leading the efforts to bring the Treaty into law. The Holy See was one of the first states to sign and ratify the Treaty in 2017 and the church has been an active voice for disarmament around the world, including across the Pacific and throughout Africa. At home leaders in every major denomination have spoken out in favour of the ban and called on the UK government to engage with the process.

Despite this broad international support, the UK government not only opposes the Ban Treaty but is planning to increase our nuclear stockpile by more than 40%. As part of local efforts being made around the country, [I / We] write to seek your support for the London Nuclear Ban Communities initiative, which aims to lead the city of London to join the growing ranks of cities pledging their support for a global ban on nuclear weapons internationally. Those who have already done so include Manchester, Edinburgh, Paris, Geneva, Helsinki and Washington DC

Nuclear weapons are capable of murdering millions of innocent people by the press of a button. Were there ever to be a nuclear war our world would be changed beyond comprehension forever. People of all faiths across the world have hope for a better world where we can be rid of this threat.

You will find enclosed the London Nuclear Ban Communities Pledge, which you can also sign directly on our website: https://www.londoncnd.org/sign-the-pledge. You can either sign in a personal capacity or on behalf of your church.

[I /We] would be pleased to discuss this initiative and the Treaty further with you. Please get in touch at info@londoncnd.org. 

Yours in peace,

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Links

-        For Christian leaders, link Christian CND’s page on the Biblical case against nuclear weapons https://christiancnd.org.uk/the-biblical-case-against-nuclear-weapons/

-        For leaders of other faiths, link Religions for Peace (https://www.rfp.org/)

New leaflet! - Nuclear Ban Communities

London CND has produced a leaflet with Yorkshire CND, providing background and details about the Nuclear Ban Communities initiative. The leaflet has received the approval of CND for national use.

It is freely available to all CND groups. Feel free to get in touch if you’d like us to add your local group’s contact details at the end.

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Click on the buttons below to download the leaflet. We currently have two versions: one has the contact details of CND in the final contact box, and one is left blank for local groups to add their own contact details.

Download the leaflet…

A letter to religious leaders

With the help of Bruce Kent and Christian CND, we have written a letter calling religious leaders to participate in the London Nuclear Ban Communities initiative. We hope it will help you collect pledge signatures from religious individuals in your locality.

We’ve added it to the Toolkit among other letters to London Borough Councils, Majority Groups, Councillors, local organisations and local Labour Parties. You can find the Toolkit below:

The letter

Dear [NAME ]

[I / We] write to seek your support for the London Nuclear Ban Communities initiative, which encourages London to join the growing ranks of cities pledging their support for a global ban on nuclear weapons internationally.

The London Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is part of a peace campaign taking place across Britain to persuade the UK government to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) which passed into international law on 22 January 2021.

Nuclear weapons are capable of murdering millions of innocent people by the press of a button. There is no faith on earth which would support such a position, and the leaders and members of all the major faiths have opposed nuclear weapons since their invention. People of faith have hope for a better world where we can be rid of this threat.

[I / We] enclose:

·        an appeal for support from Emma Dent-Coad, who is leading the campaign in London,

·        The London Nuclear Ban Communities Pledge, which can also be signed directly on our website: https://www.londoncnd.org/sign-the-pledge
   

[I /We] would be pleased to discuss this initiative further with you and/or let you have more information about the Treaty and the campaign. Please get in touch [contact details]

Yours in peace,

Links

-        For Christian leaders, link Christian CND’s page on the Biblical case against nuclear weapons https://christiancnd.org.uk/the-biblical-case-against-nuclear-weapons/

-        For leaders of other faiths, link Religions for Peace (https://www.rfp.org/)