I must take issue with the pope when he says “All religions want peace, it is the others who want war” (Associated Press story, Sun Journal, July 28).

No matter how much we say we want peace, if we then go ahead and use war as a method to achieve peace, then continuous violent escalation of hostilities will occur. We who wage war cannot honestly say “it is the others who want war.” That kind of rhetoric gets us nowhere.

If our God is violent, whether we call ourselves atheist, agnostic or theist, we will continue to fight fire with fire and convince ourselves our side is just and the other side guilty.

If our God is non-violent, we put ourselves at great risk.

Should we not consider — where have the present strategies gotten us?

Greg Boardman, Lewiston