Selective Service System Form 150

[Text of responses to Selective Service System Form 150 requesting I-O classification as a conscientious objector. Transcribed from a carbon copy of the handwritten response.]

Question 1

I believe that waging war is contrary to the commands of God as brought to us by Jesus and his disciples because the concerns of waging war do not include concern for some people (most notably the "enemy" soldiers). further, I believe that the military, as an institution for the conduct of war, is also apart from God and contrary to his commands and his will. The basic part of this statement, that concerning the sinfulness of waging war, is grounded in much of [the] teachings of the New Testament but is especially clear in the following teachings: The second greatest commandment, that we should love our neighbor; the commandment that we should love our enemies; the teaching of Paul (in Romans 12:17) that "If someone does evil to you, do not pay him back with evil." (These teachings are repeated and restated in many places.) I can not believe that killing and destruction are good or manifestations of love. beyond this, Jesus taught that even wishing to do evil is evil; this is in Matthew 5:21ff.

Question 2

I was raised in the Methodist Church by parents who had been raised in Methodism and our family was always active in the local church and the conference. I became accustomed to reading the Bible and thinking about it and about the world. I learned early that it is not only bad but poor policy to fight back — to "return evil for evil." Albert Schwietzer [sic] was popular and his story widely told when I was at an impressionable age; among the stories I heard or read was one concerning his respect for all life (even the disease-bearing mosquitoes). apparently this affected me more than I realized for many years and my dissatisfaction with killing increased and has continued to increase. (I don't accept the needless killing of anything and man, as Jesus taught, is more important than the grass and the birds.) Throughout my life the people I found I could most admire were those who had thoughtful concern [for] other people and my bent towards introspection enabled me to see that this was an attribute I should attempt to emulate. By my senior year of high school these things and my general experiences of life had just about decided the question of conscientiously opposing war. The final decision was a result of the first semester of my first year at college, specifically a religion course taken then. As I have said, I already was accustomed to reading the Bible. As a result of the greater knowledge of the Bible received in this course, I continue to study it with more interest and more insight; the result of this study was the belief stated above.

Question 3

There is nothing in my belief to prohibit free and willing service to any person in need at any time or in any place. There is everything to prohibit my personal support of or participationin the military whose purpose is armed might and victory in war. This applies to all parts of the military. I believe I am quoting correctly when using the Army Medical Corps as an example: "The primary duty of medical troops as of all other troops is to contribute their utmost to the success of the command ...."

Question 4

Ocassionally [sic] I have stated some aspect of my beliefs; however, being generally undemonstrative and tending toward introversion, I have not advertised my position. Some of these thoughts have been entered in my private journal. The most complete discussion I have ever entered on this subject was one occassion [sic] in an empty math room with a friend. I believe that the best expression of my belief is my adherence to it in my life.

List of references

Dr. Wm. H. Naumann Asso[c]. Prof. of Religion Teacher and Advisor
Rev. Bud C. Wilder Pastor Former pastor
Clifford Saari Vice-principal Former teacher
Gerald Ruge Instructor of Data Processing Friend
Jon Hardt Customer Engineer Friend
[added later]
Dave Whiteman
Friend

[not separately listed on form] Alton Cardinal, father


September 1971
January 2021