Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

of the Religious Society of Friends

Peace & Social Justice

Information and Resources Around Conscientious Objection to War

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In the United States, people who were assigned male at birth and are ages 18 to 25, will be automatically registered for the U.S. military draft by December 2026. This change is intended to streamline the current self-registration process, according to the agency that oversees the system. Many people have questions about this mandated change, as well as conscientious objection.

Before the mandated change, United States law required that all eligible people 18 to 25 register for the draft through the Selective Service System with a valid Social Security number in case a draft is reinstated. the United States military draft, however, has been inactive since 1973, when the country switched to an all-volunteer force.
When the registration places an eligible persons name in the system their conscience objection is something they must share and document if called to serve. This is because The Selective Service System does not grant conscientious objection at the time of registration.

Conscientious objection is considered only if a draft is activated in the United States. If a draft is activated they would need to submit a written statement of conscience that explains their beliefs and shares that they have been consistent over time, along with any supporting materials.

Resources
New York Yearly Meeting (NYYM) has a page on their website dedicated to conscientious objection to war. Much of the following information comes from that page and as well as from Friends Peace Teams. Thanks to NYYM and Friends Peace Teams for making the information available.

Organizations working on Conscientious Objection to War:

  • Center on Conscience and War
    The Center on Conscience & War is a non-profit organization that advocates for the rights of conscience, opposes military conscription, and serves all conscientious objectors to war.</li
  • Friends Peace Teams
    Friends Peace Teams is a Spirit-led organization working to develop long-term relationships with communities in conflict around the world to create programs for peace building, healing and reconciliation.
  • Quaker House
    Quaker House is a manifestation of the Friends’ Peace Testimony. Based in Fayetteville, NC, home of Fort Liberty, Quaker House provides counseling and support to service members who are questioning their role in the military; educates them, their families, and the public about military issues; and advocates for a more peaceful world.

Statement of Conscience
A Statement of Conscience is a formal declaration that shares ones sincere moral, ethical, or religious objection to participation in war or military service.

Friends Peace Teams Shares the following Steps for Writing a Statement of Conscience:

  • Stop, get quiet, and listen inwardly to what you believe about war.
  • Reflect and take notes on:
    • what you believe;
    • what influenced your beliefs; and
    • how your beliefs are evident in your life.
      • Ask others how they see your beliefs and these influences in your life reflected in the way you live.
      • Read and take note of quotes, verses, or other examples of influences on your beliefs.
  • Write your statement—anything from a few sentences to an essay; it’s your statement. Don’t strive for perfection; keep it simple, focus on your experience, and add or update later as led. Make your case for others to clearly understand your position.
  • Enter your statement of conscience in your monthly meeting minutes, send to your quarterly meeting and yearly meeting to include in their archives and files, and/or share with Friends Peace Teams: friendspeaceteams.org/conscientious-objection-to-war/

Steps for a Building a Case File:
A case file is concrete evidence demonstrating and supporting your statement of conscience.

  • Tri-fold your Statement of Conscience, tape it closed, and mail it to yourself. The postmark on the paper creates a legally dated record, which serves as strong legal evidence for a “long-standing belief” later in life.
  • Request letters of support from community members for your stand on conscience who attest to your sincerity and integrity.
  • Collect documents of your actions, participation in events, or writings that reflect your beliefs.
    Seek counseling on registration, alternative service, tax witness, purchasing, and other options or choices.
  • Submit your statement to your religious community to acknowledge in their records and keep on file.
    Share your statement widely with family, friends, newspapers, and federal Representatives and Senators.
  • Post your statement as a public witness on the Friends Peace Teams website.

Another resource Friends may find helpful is an issue of the Pastoral Care Newsletter that Philadelphia Yearly Meeting shared in 2003. The issues shares issue an article titled How Is Your Meeting Facing War and Militarism? Written by Suzanne Day.

If you have a resource that is connected to conscientious objection to war and an activated draft, share it with Philadelphia Yearly Meeting at communications@pym.org.

Quick Facts about Indigenous Americans | Baltimore Yearly Meeting

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Where do you look for facts about Indigenous Americans? Now a Native-led research team has made them available in one free document you can download, use, and distribute as needed.

Quick Facts About Indigenous Americans is a compendium of current information that provides an overview of life circumstances for many American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. While this population is too large and diverse to represent in any one document, common challenges can be outlined. Inequities are stark, and solutions are called for – including full funding of federal programs. At a time when the administration is drastically cutting funds and failing to honor established rights, Quick Facts provides evidence of the injustice of such arbitrary actions.

The data digest was prepared by Alexis Contreras (Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde) and sponsored and produced by the Indigenous Affairs Committee of a regional Quaker group, Baltimore Yearly Meeting. Quakers started the Committee in 1795 to protect Tribal rights and individual well-being; it continues as an advocacy and ally group.

Native leader Suzan Shown Harjo describes Quick Facts as baseline data “for those trying to share needs and concerns of Native Peoples… a free report, in digital, searchable format.”

For further information or to provide feedback on this document, contact indigenousaffairs@bym-rsf.org

PYM Explained

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This book explains how Philadelphia Yearly Meeting functions as a community of Friends, meetings, and ministries. It describes Sessions, the warp and weft framework, governance, staff roles, collaboratives, programs, grants, and the many ways meetings stay connected across four states.

PYM Explained supports the many ways Friends and meetings take part in the work of weaving our community together. If you notice a typo or formatting issue, please email communication@pym.org. Your care helps us strengthen this shared resource; if there is an error, please keep using this publication while we work toward future updates. Each message is read and appreciated.

Creating a Playbook for Climate Action 2025

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This Yearly Meeting guide is intended to help schools generate thoughtful responses to the climate crisis.

The final edition of Creating a Playbook for Climate Action in Schools is still being refined, but the current version is available to support care for the Earth in schools. If you notice a typo or formatting issue, please email communication@pym.org so this resource can keep improving for everyone.

Download the resource here.

National Art Education Association Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Hub

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NAEA has created a wide-ranging and flexible repository of multimedia resources, readings, and materials that support our membership’s commitment to grappling with interpersonal and societal issues that still impact oppressed communities in the field. A key recommendation from the NAEA ED&I Task Force is to create space intended to support the ongoing learning of our members at all stages of their discovery of personal and collective agency to counter oppressive practices and structures in the art classroom and in the community, now and into the future.​

https://www.naea-edi.org

LGBTQIA+ Resources | PYM

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During the 2025 Annual Sessions, Friends approved a yearly meeting minute in solidarity with LGBTQIA+ people. This minute, adapted from one shared by Germantown Monthly Meeting and Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting, connects to the ongoing threats to the safety and well-being of the LGBTQIA+ community and reaffirms the shared commitment to stand beside them.

Minute of Solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ Community

Below are a few provided resources that Friends may choose to utilize, learn, and share when connecting with the LGBTQIA+ community members and Friends. The following resources were compiled by Karen Lightner of Germantown Monthly Meeting, There is hope that this list will continue to grow, if you have additional resources to share, we invite you to send them to communications@pym.org.

[Read more…] about LGBTQIA+ Resources | PYM

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