by Ken R Smith, Keighley Quaker Meeting

AT this time of the year, we commemorate the allied dead of two world wars.

I pray for and remember all the dead whether military or civilian, friend or foe.

Those whom we have regarded as enemies all had parents and spouses and friends who mourn their death. It is a Christian duty to love our enemies as well as our friends.

Christian national leaders published a letter in The Times in September. It said: "As leaders of faith communities in Britain we believe that one significant contribution to a safer world is the abolition of nuclear weapons.

"It is unacceptable that British citizens should be persuaded that their security depends on a credible threat to kill millions of innocent people. Our faith traditions reject the notion that reliance on the threat of mass destruction could ever be right.

"We believe the government should cancel the replacement of Trident. The £100 billion saved should be diverted to combating poverty at home and overseas, in providing affordable homes and investing in education and the NHS."

Governments of all political parties have refused to give Trident up. Especially at a time when we are so short of money and resources it is a great national folly that we continue to contemplate spending such vast amounts of money on something that we can never use.

Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword."