Allen Johnson

Rt. 1, Box 119-B

Dunmore, West Virginia 24934

March 6, 1993

Mr. Pat Robertson

The American Center For Law and Justice

P.O. Box 64429

Virginia Beach, Virginia 23467-4429

Dear Mr. Robertson:

Some time back I received from your organization an invitation to join and support The American Center For Law and Justice. Thank you for your invitation. I share with you on many of your concerns. Certainly the government should not restrain the free expression of religion or Christian faith even as it should not establish or endorse a particular expression of religion, either. Most of the examples you stated I agree were government abuse of its constitutional authority. I also agree with you that abortion is a murderous assault on human life, and furthermore, that society has become biased against the traditional family.

However, before I can join you I need to have you clarify your position on a religious, faith-based matter which is usually at odds with government policy, namely conscientious objection to military service. In your flyer and enclosed survey I can find no reference to conscientious objection to war and war preparedness.

In this country within this century thousands of young men have been imprisoned or gone into exile rather than disobey the calling and practice of their religious or faith-based convictions. My grandfather and his family left this country in 1917 rather than take up arms against other human beings in violation of his church's teachings. Recently there have been a number of military personnel imprisoned because of conscientious refusal to participate in the Persian Gulf War. Additional others have been persecuted for refusal to register for the draft, or for withholding of taxes which are going for exhorbitant military expenditures.

Although "just war theories" are bandied about whenever this nation prepares for a war (such as the Persian Gulf War), in reality this country does not recognize selective conscientious objection. Just War in the United States is an fictitious illusion.

It is hard for me to think of a greater assault on freedom of faith in this country than that which coerces a person to kill another human being against his will.

I will be eager for your response to this matter. I trust that you will see this as entirely consistent with the rest of your agenda, and will be capable and committed in advocacy for those who in faith and conscience refuse to participate in military violence.

Respectfully,

Allen Johnson