Pacifism facts for kids
Pacifism is a belief that war and violence are never good ways to solve problems. People who are pacifists believe in finding peaceful solutions instead of fighting. They think that peace is always the best path. This idea has been around for a very long time. A conscientious objector is someone who refuses to fight in a war because of their strong beliefs or conscience. They believe that violence is wrong.
Pacifism in India
Many ancient religions from India teach about caring for all living things. This includes both humans and animals.
- Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world. It teaches about kindness and respect for life.
- Buddhism was started by a person named Siddhattha Gotama, also known as the Buddha. He taught about peace and avoiding harm.
- Jainism was founded by Mahavira. This religion also strongly believes in non-violence towards all living beings.
Interestingly, both the Buddha and Mahavira were born into a social group called kshatriya. This group was traditionally made up of soldiers and officials. Even so, they chose to teach about peace instead of war.
Related ideas
Images for kids
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An anti-war activist arrested in San Francisco during protests against the war in Iraq in March 2003.
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Vereshchagin's painting The Apotheosis of War (1871) shows the terrible side of war. It is seen as an early artistic expression of pacifism.
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Penn's Treaty with the Lenape people. This shows a peaceful agreement.
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"Peace". A drawing of Henry Richard, who was a strong supporter of pacifism in the mid-1800s.
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A woman protesting for peace during World War I.
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Soldiers of the Red Army in Russia who refused to shoot targets because of their religious beliefs (Baptists or evangelicals). This happened between 1918 and 1929.
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Children who were refugees from the Spanish Civil War at a special home in the French Pyrenees. This home was run by the War Resisters' International.
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A demonstrator giving a flower to military police during an anti-Vietnam War protest in 1967.
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A protest against new nuclear weapons in Europe. This took place in Bonn, West Germany, in 1981.
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The shadow of the cross shows how religion and war can be connected in the film Constantine's Sword.
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Jewish people fighting back against the Nazis during World War II.
See also
In Spanish: Pacifismo para niños
