I would like to respond to Barry Collins (Letters, November 25), if I may.

Jesus told his disciples "The Kingdom of God is within you" or "among you". The Kingdom is God is here and now, whenever and wherever we allow God to rule in our hearts. My primary allegiance is to God. Any other allegiance - to my nation or to a football team or even to a church - is secondary. Jesus made it clear that we should love our enemies as well as our friends. I agree with Barry that if someone is threatened in some way and I am in a position to defend them, then I must do so.

Barry and I disagree about the means which may be appropriate in defending people.

Physical restraint may be necessary and effective in some circumstances. I have no problem with that.

But it does not make sense to try to defend human life by using lethal violence.

Along with the singer Holly Near I would ask "Why do we kill people who are killing people to show that killing people is wrong?" She goes on: "What a foolish notion that war is called devotion, when the greatest warriors are the ones that stand for peace!"

But pacifism is not just a personal ethic. We are called not just as individuals but as church communities to work for peace, which is why I choose to belong to a peace church.

Gordon Matthews, Warden, Evesham Friends Meeting House.