Scottish church leaders say Trident is 'immoral'

In advance of sharing a platform in Renfield St Stephens Church Glasgow on Tuesday 27 June, when they will speak against the replacement of Trident, The Right Reverend Alan McDonald, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and Cardinal Keith Patrick O'Brien, President, Bishops' Conference of Scotland today responded to media reports that Gordon Brown is in favour of updating Trident. Speaking, during a visit to the Royal Highland Show, the Moderator said: "When the Prime Minister is calling for a debate on the possible replacement of Trident, it is essential that people understand that the churches stand united in the belief that nuclear weapons are morally and theologically wrong. As Disciples of Christ, our calling is to be peacemakers today in the world. There can be no place for weapons of mass destruction in a world that God loves so much." Cardinal O'Brien said: "The use of weapons of mass destruction would be a crime against God and against humanity that must never happen. Since it is immoral to use weapons of mass destruction in an act of war, equally, storing, accumulating and replacing them far from eliminating the causes of war actually risks aggravating them." Source: SCMO