Going to War or Serving in the Military Think before you Fight

The Principle of Peace

Although war can not always be avoided - there is no honor or victory in war. We believe war always represents the failure to achieve peace and it is always something to be ashamed of. War is to be remembered from the perspective of failure and as a lesson to learn to avoid war in the future. We in the Church or Reality understand - especially in this day of nuclear and biological weapons - that peace is not something that is optional, and that we have a responsibility to our fellow human beings to do whatever it takes to avoid war.

Sometime going to war is the right thing to do. There are times due to the mistakes of others that going to war becomes necessary. However it is more often the case that war is not necessary and is in fact counterproductive to the effort towards peace. And if going to war is necessary there is a code of moral conduct that Realists should follow in the execution of the war. This document is here for the purpose of giving instructions and guidance for those of you who are being pulled into battle. Realists do not behave like other soldiers. As a realist you are required to set a higher standard and to actively adhere to this higher standard even if it puts you into personal risk.

If the cause is a just cause then the Realist would be the ultimate war asset in order to maintain intellectual discipline to make the right decision and positively affect the outcome of the struggle. The Realist should set an example of personal behavior and inspire his fellow soldiers to be smart and wise and to fight efficiently and effectively and to not degenerate into committing atrocities. The Realists sees into the future and envisions the end of the war and to building of the peace and to integrating the enemy into the world's society as a productive peaceful member.

The Church of Reality doesn't prohibit its members from going to fight in a war. It does however prohibit its members from fighting in an unjust war - and it requires its members to make a personal determination if the war they are about to participate in is just or not. Members who do participate are required to adhere to a code of moral conduct that puts the Sacred Principles ahead of everything else and are required to refuse to participate in anything that is clearly immoral and to actively resists orders of superior officers who would lead troops down the wrong path. Realists are expected to think for themselves and to make wise choices in times of war.

Preventing War

The best way to win a war is to make sure war never happens in the first place. To that extent Realists are the first soldiers on the battlefield to make sure that the enemy never becomes the enemy in the first place. We are the ones who fight the war so that the war never needs to be fought. Or duty to the Principle of Positive Evolution is to move forward into a world where war is not part of the human experience.

To this end the Realist is involved in peace organizations who's charter is to avoid war from happening in the first place. This activity to resolve conflicts and to maintain the peace is the front line to winning war. The biggest military victories are not the ones that are won on the field of battle - but the ones that make sure we never end up in battle in the first place.

Unjust Wars

We put unjust wars first because most wars are unjust. War mentality relies heavily on using the human herd instinct to shame the soldier into fighting the unjust war. One is told that they should be a brave soldier and fight for some cause that is in fact a bullshit cause. They are promised glory and honor and that if they die then their memory and their families with bet attributed with greatness because the honorable brave soldier gave his live for the supposedly noble cause.But often the noble cause is just some oil company trying to set up an unelected puppet president in order to steal oil from a less powerful group of people.

The Realist is required to think things through and to determine as best he can what the truth is and if the war is unjust to resist the war and to refuse to participate in it. In an unjust war the Realist is expected to fight against the war effort - to protest - and to make the truth known to as many people as possible. Realists should participate in anti-war efforts and aid other in evading military conscription.

Just Wars

Sometime a madman is allowed to seizes power and becomes a threat to the civilized world and has to be taken out. I think most people would agree that taking Hitler down in World War II was something that was absolutely necessary to preserving the future of mankind. In such a situation the Realists will conclude that war is necessary and will do whatever it takes to win the war with the goal of restoring the peace.

In such a just war the Realists should be the military's best friend - even if the chain of command doesn't fully appreciate the Realists contribution. In times of a just war - the Realist is expected to be a shining example of conduct and to lead by example to influence his fellow soldiers to do the right thing.

A realist does not participate in atrocities. He does not rape and pillage the enemy. He does not deliberately slaughter the innocent. If a Realist sees a commander misbehaving he will do what it take to stop the misbehavior whether or not it follows the chain of command or whatever rules the military think apply. If the Realist needs to leak information to the press or bypass the chain of command then they are required to do so.

War is a difficult time and often judgment is impaired by the stresses of war. Strong factor are present that obscure reality and cause people to make bad choices. The Realist maintains self discipline and uses his wisdom to cut through and to make sure that the best choices are made. The Realist is to become the voice of wisdom during war and to help guide the effort to it's best conclusion.

It may also be advantageous for the Realist soldier to inform his commanding officer of his religious affiliation and to explain to the military unit that he has a religious duty to Reality as it really is and that he is required to think for himself and that thinking for himself is as much of a religious right as other have to pray to invisible deities. The Realist should explain that this is a good thing and if the Military is wise they will welcome realistic thinkers because being realistic helps achieve the goals of the military.