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Kirby Page Quotes
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Kirby Page was an American Disciples of Christ minister, an author, and a peace activist.

✵ 1890 – 1957
Kirby Page: 248 quotes5 likes

Kirby Page Quotes

“To the extent that a political party bent upon socialization is supported by a substantial majority of voters, it will be able to utilize the powers of government in diminishing the power of ownership.”

Kirby Page

Property (1935)

“It seems… wholly out of the question to assemble a genuinely international police at this time. Before that can be accomplished it will be necessary to reduce to a minimum or disband altogether the various national armies and navies, and to create an effective world government with power over matters that are international in character which transcends the power of single nations. In the meantime, any armed force that went by the name "international police" would not be impartial but would be dominated by one or two large military powers.”

Kirby Page

"What is War?" (1924)

“That graft and corruption are found in governmental enterprises is a fact, but that they are more prevalent there than in business cannot be demonstrated.”

Kirby Page

Property (1935)

“The incident in the temple when Jesus used the scourge of small cords (John 2:13-17) is often cited as indicating Jesus sanction of war. The very most that can be said in this regard is that Jesus' sanctions the use of force. To say this is not proof that Jesus sanctions war War. …If Jesus had used force in such a way as to give supremacy to military necessity, to destroy human life, to break down reverence for personality, to retaliate with evil for evil, to compel the surrender of his moral freedom, we might then well believe that he sanctions war. The use of force is one problem, the morality of war as a means to an end involves so many additional factors as to be quite a different problem. Each should be judged on its own merits.”

Kirby Page

Source: The Sword or the Cross, Which Should be the Weapon of the Christian Militant? (1921), Ch.4 p. 62-63

“If the principle is accepted that killing in defense of property and life is valid and mandatory, armed preparedness for war follows automatically.”

Kirby Page

Individualism and Socialism (1933)

“Supporters of the American plan of outlawry and advocates of the League are alike agreed… that new international law should be enacted and that a constantly recurring series of international conferences will be required if codification is to be kept up to date.”

Kirby Page

An American Peace Policy (1925)

“Shall we resort to violence, on the ground that the end justifies the mean? The answer of Jesus seems conclusive. There is no place in the home for violence—as distinguished from less extreme forms of coercion—and the killing of beloved kinsmen.”

Kirby Page

The Personality of Jesus (1932)

“When Indian nationalists in their non-violent resistance to Britain rule permit themselves to be beaten prostrate to the ground without retaliatory acts on their part, they are exhibiting coercion and suffering in a form that is not provocative but redemptive.”

Kirby Page

Individualism and Socialism (1933)

“The police function as neutral third parties for the purpose of restraining criminals and bringing them before a judicial body for trial and judgement. In war, force is used by the belligerents themselves, no effort being made to bring evildoers before a judicial body, each army acting as judge, jury and executioner.”

Kirby Page

"What is War?" (1924)

“God is Father of all mankind and is seeking to create a community in which His children will dwell together harmoniously and cooperatively as beloved kinsmen. Therefore attitudes and practices which debase personality or embitter human relations must be avoided.”

Kirby Page

Property (1935)

“Followers of Jesus in our day will, by their compassionate concern for the victims of greed and blindness, be stimulated to search more diligently for means of increased persuasiveness of wrongdoers, on the one hand, and for ethical means of restraint, on the other. They will be prepared also to rely exclusively upon means which are consistent with the worthy ends sought, and to take consequences of following Jesus' way of life.”

Kirby Page

The Personality of Jesus (1932)

“Jesus assumes the wisdom, power, love, and accessibility of God. Without attempting to prove these attributes, he simply acts as if their truth were beyond dispute.”

Kirby Page

Source: Something More, A Consideration of the Vast, Undeveloped Resources of Life (1920), p. 16

“The race of armaments is nothing less than a race to mutual suicide.”

Kirby Page

What Does God Want Us to Do About Russia? (1948)

“It is possible to deal with criminal rulers or officials by strengthening the liberal forces within that country.”

Kirby Page

"What is War?" (1924)

“If Christians give their consent and support to preparedness to wage war with atomic bombs and other weapons of annihilation and devastation, they will thereby repudiate the way of Jesus.”

Kirby Page

Now is the Time to Prevent a Third World War (1950)

“Professor Toynbee reminds us that sixteen civilizations have already been destroyed and that nine others are mortally sick and destined to go the way of the preceding sixteen. This just leaves one, our own civilization. And it is highly vulnerable because it is a machine civilization, it is a city civilization, and this generation has power to smash the machine and demolish the city.”

Kirby Page

What Does God Want Us to Do About Russia? (1948)

“The United States not only helped to encircle Germany with a strangle-hold but continued to maintain that starvation blockade for more than seven months after the Armistice, on the ground that if the blockade were lifted Germany might refuse to accept the peace treaty. No sane American desired to prolong the process of starving German women and children; this atrocity was continued because it was considered necessary. No idea is more inextricably interwoven into war than the doctrine of military necessity.”

Kirby Page

Must We Go to War? (1937)

“While it must be admitted that the class of rich absentee owners or investors would doubtless be far less interested in industry if the profit motive were eliminated or subordinated, they represent the group that makes the smallest actual contribution to efficiency in industry.”

Kirby Page

Property (1935)

“Many solutions are offered as to how to gain the something more in life. …Wealth, strength, and keenness of intellect, taken separately of together, do not constitute the essence of real life. …At its best, life consists of these things, plus something more. …In Jesus Christ we see perfection in life. …From an imperfect understanding of Jesus Christ, it would appear that real life depends upon the fulfilling of three conditions—the dwelling on friendly and affectionate terms with God, with ourselves, and with our fellowmen. …If we fulfill to any degree these three conditions of being in friendly relations with God, ourselves, and our fellows, we shall discover something more of the meaning of life.”

Kirby Page

Source: Something More, A Consideration of the Vast, Undeveloped Resources of Life (1920), p. 63-67

“It is no longer possible to place a halo around war and speak of it in idealistic terms.”

Kirby Page

What Does God Want Us to Do About Russia? (1948)

“In former days the struggle for existence was chiefly a struggle against nature, today it is primarily a struggle against other human beings.”

Kirby Page

"The Commercial Motive" Christian Century 40 (Feb 22, 1923)

“We must take the time to be alone with God, to enjoy his companionship, to listen to his voice.”

Kirby Page

Source: Something More, A Consideration of the Vast, Undeveloped Resources of Life (1920), p. 69

“The truth must be driven home that it is sinful to prepare to annihilate millions of God's children in other lands.”

Kirby Page

What Does God Want Us to Do About Russia? (1948)

“As was the case with him [Jesus], the Christian militant should lose sight of temporary suffering and persecution in seeking to advance the ultimate well-being of mankind. He should recognize that it was this long distance view of time that compelled Jesus to refuse the sword and to make no military effort to bring about the immediate political freedom of his people, and that it was this same vision that caused him to choose the way of the cross and to go down in defeat, as the world measures success. And if the Christian militant is to be true to the Master, he must also choose the way of the cross and must follow Jesus even though the path lead to seeming defeat.”

Kirby Page

Source: The Sword or the Cross, Which Should be the Weapon of the Christian Militant? (1921), Ch.6 p. 106

“Repudiation of the principle of defensive killing and the reliance upon ethical means of resistance are imperative if the vicious circle of taking life in order to save life is to be broken.”

Kirby Page

Individualism and Socialism (1933)

“A powerful consumers cooperative movement helps to maintain an equitable balance between prices and profits, and thereby decreases the power of owners and investors.”

Kirby Page

Property (1935)

“Non-resistance in the sense of rejecting all forms of coercion is not always a legitimate expression of love toward man and love toward God. …the refusal under some circumstances to exercise forcible restraint is a betrayal of love and therefore a betrayal of higher religion.”

Kirby Page

Individualism and Socialism (1933)