Rodney Davis applied for Conscientious Objector status toward the end of WWII but didn't do alternative service until the Korean War, when he served as a hospital orderly.
A lifelong peace activist, Rodney currently works with a colleague to promote public discussions about the war in Iraq as part of his "Church Coalition for Peace." These meetings are part of an initiative started by the World Council of Churches called "2001-2010 Decade to Overcome Violence." Rodney's group works to end support for "just wars," as well as providing his neighbors with a place to talk about the spiritual costs of modern warfare.
"Men like Ernest Snell and the Dean of the College, people like that, they spoke out against the war. And they were influential in my beliefs. We were sitting in the living room one time and a brick came through the window and somebody yelled 'CO,' or something like that. So there was a lot of feeling going on in the community about supporting the war and being patriotic and stuff like that. For me, it was never something that I entertained changing my point of view on.... There was one person in the Brotherhood, Dan West, who came to youth camps and he was instrumental in getting BVS [Brethren Volunteer Service] started. He was a very strong presence in the Church for the peace position. He had a great impact on all the young people. And he had an impact on my life...."
Copyright 2006-2008 by speak4peace.com. All rights reserved.
