November 9, 2025: Reflections on Veterans Day and Armistice Day

Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray

This service will reflect on the origins of Armistice Day and the shift to Veterans Day. How do we honor those who answer the call to serve one’s country even as we remain dedicated to peace and non-violence? Special music from Voces Novae with gratitude for all of the support from UUCB.

View the video archive of this service here:

Sermon Text

Reflections on Armistice Day and Veterans Day

Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray

UU Church of Bloomington

November 9, 2025

READING

Enduring words from the great Universalist minister, the Rev. Olympia Brown - Brown was the first woman to be ordained to the ministry by her tradition, the Northern Universalist Association, in 1863.

She writes:

“We can never make the world safe by fighting. Every nation must learn that the people of all nations are children of God, and must share the wealth of the world. You may say this is impracticable, far away, can never be accomplished, but it is the work we are appointed to do. Sometime, somehow, somewhere, we must ever teach this great lesson.”

SERMON Reflections on Armistice Day and Veterans Day

Former UUA President, Rev. Bill Sinkford, often shared a story about a visit he made to Japan in the early 2000s. You may have heard it before. If so, perhaps, it was a story that stayed with you as it has certainly stayed with me.

Beginning in the 1960s, the Unitarian Universalist Association began working to develop interfaith partnerships around in the globe in hopes of fostering peace in the world. Through that work, then UUA President Dana Greeley and Nikkyo Niwano, the founder of the Rissho Kosei-kai - a Buddhist tradition founded in Japan that follows the Lotus Sutra - formed a deep friendship. Both shared a commitment to interfaith partnerships and to the work of peace in the world. Together, these two leaders were instrumental in the creation of the World Conference on Religion and Peace - an organization that for many decades brought people of many faith traditions together to learn and grow in understanding and peace making. Through that relationship, the UUA also developed partnerships with Shinto communities in Japan as well, including with the Tsubaki Grand Shrine.

Since those early days, these relationships have continued and each president since Dana Greeley has visited Japan to connect with our partners there.

During Bill Sinkford's time in Japan, he was able to visit the memorial at Hiroshima where on August 6, 1945 the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the city. Three days later, we would drop a second bomb on the city of Nagasaki.

Following the visit to the memorial, Sinkford asked a powerful and difficult question of his hosts. I'll read his words describing the conversation:

“That evening in Japan, the [head priest at the Tsubaki Grand Shrine] - the Guji - hosted a dinner for us. The senior priests were there and members of the shrine's board of trustees, including Mr. Feruta, a retired nuclear physicist and chair of the Grand Shrine's board. We celebrated our long history of partnership.

“But even as I enjoyed the warm hospitality, I was still trying to process my visit to Hiroshima, to understand my place in that story. I finally asked the question that was in my heart.

“How could the Japanese people have forgiven America for dropping those atomic bombs, for killing so many innocent civilians? It was a conversation stopper. After a moment, Mr. Feruta thanked me for the question. He said that in his decades-long contact with Americans, no one had ever asked. He asked if he could think before responding and the conversation at the table started up again.

“Later in the evening Mr. Feruta offered his answer. He said: ‘Yes, we have forgiven you. We have not forgotten. So many families had members or friends who died as a result of the bomb. We were able to forgive you because we have come to see the bombs, finally, as a blessing. Japan was on a dangerous course in those days,’ he said. ‘If America had not dropped those bombs and ended the war, we would have continued on that path. We would still be a militaristic nation, searching always for more raw materials, more territory, and more glory. If you had not dropped those bombs, we would have become you...and it would have crippled our spirit.’”

“We would have become you.”

Japan was on a dangerous course in those days - and had been for some time. We know the stories of the kamikaze fighters, sacrificing themselves flying their planes into ships. This was reflective of the militaristic culture that had taken root in Japan - one that taught death over defeat, capture, and shame. And some too know the stories - or themselves knew of the torture, violence, and death experienced by Americans taken as prisoners of war. Maybe fewer know of the unspeakable atrocities committed by Japanese soldiers in China, and specifically in Nanking in the late 1930s.

This is not a blanket judgement against Japan. The U.S., too, has its history of torture at Guantanamo Bay, at CIA black sites, and of alleged war crimes in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Rather, it is a recognition of the dangers and distortion to humanity that can happen under militaristic cultures that believe themselves superior to others and deserving of all the valuables, raw materials, land, glory, resources they want - and willing to sacrifice their own people and humanity to take it. Empires throughout history followed similar paths - and as Mr. Feruta names, this includes the U.S.

Now before going further, let's be clear that the militarism of Japan in the World War II era did not represent all of Japanese people or culture. And similarly, the nationalistic militarism that has been growing in the U.S. and is now proudly on display by the President and Secretary of Defense - or as he likes to be known, the Secretary of War - has not and does not represent all Americans, or even all of those who answer the call to serve our country in our armed forces.

I use this term “nationalistic militarism” to indicate the intertwined growth of both nationalistic and militaristic ideology in the U.S. It is meant to reflect both the ways that ideas of American exceptionalism and superiority have grown alongside aggressive militarism. One indication of this is the fact that “patriot” used to commonly mean one who loved this country and would work to defend its values and Constitution. Today, more and more, this word is being used exclusively in military terms. This is not something new - militarism has long dominated our economy and even domestic politics, but we are on a far more dangerous course now.

As an example, recently the Secretary of Defense gathered all the generals to articulate new priorities for the military. “From this moment forward, the only mission of the newly restored Department of War is this: warfighting, preparing for war and preparing to win, unrelenting and uncompromising...And since waging war is so costly in blood and treasure, we owe our republic a military that will win any war we choose, or any war that is thrust upon us. Should our enemies choose foolishly to challenge us, they will be crushed by the violence, precision, and ferocity of the War Department…”

His words reflect almost a perfect example of the marriage of nationalism and militarism.

Of course, the Secretary was sure to engage in the predictable Orwellian double speak of “peace through strength” suggesting that “we prepare for war, unrelenting and uncompromising..because we love peace.” There is a long tradition in the U.S. of this narrative. Indeed, throughout history there have always been those who claimed that war would make us safe, that war can create some hopeful future, that war will bring peace or justice. Even Christianity, particularly when associated with the Empire, has emphasized a theology of redemptive suffering as a way to make war seem moral.

Unitarian Universalist theologian, Rebecca Parker calls this out for what it is - wrong. In her essay, “Against Vengeance: Witness for the Things that Make Peace,” she begins with process theologian Alfred North Whitehead. She writes, "Whitehead observed that there are times when violence is a last resort in personal or national defense. But the most violence can do is stop something. It can stop a violent aggressor. But violence can never create. It can never console. It can never bring peace into being. It can never repair what has been lost.

This week our country will honor Veterans Day on November 11th. This day was first set aside for national observance in 1919. It was called Armistice Day to honor and commemorate the armistice that was signed initially ending hostilities between the Allied Forces and Germany, bringing toward an end what was, then, simply called the World War, or the “War to end all Wars” - a war that killed roughly 20 million people.

The armistice was signed on November 11, 1918 and was to take effect at 11am - the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. The Allied countries all established an Armistice Day or Remembrance Day on November 11th to honor the sacrifices of the millions who served and the millions who lost their lives.

At first, Armistice Day was not a federal holiday. In 1919, and continuing for more than 20 years, the allied countries involved in the war rang bells and held two minutes of silence every November 11th at exactly 11am to remember the service and sacrifices of the soldiers. President Woodrow Wilson, who established the day, called for it to be a day to honor the sacrifice of those who served, to give gratitude for peace, and to support international cooperation that might ensure a lasting peace.

In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared Armistice Day a federal holiday and specifically dedicated it to the cause of world peace. Schools and religious and community organizations were asked to honor the day with programs that contributed to international cooperation and understanding.

But unfortunately, peace did not last. Many historians argue that the way that peace was carried out after World War I, specifically the severe reparations and punishments imposed by the victors onto Germany, contributed to the rise of Adolf Hitler and eventually to World War II. The dream of peace undermined by vengeance and retribution, and despite the world's hopes, built a road back to war.

And just as peace did not last, neither did this vision of Armistice Day. In 1954, with the reality that the United States had another massive deployment of soldiers for World War II, and then to Korea, Congress changed the name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day. And while this change importantly expanded the day to honor all veterans from all of America's wars and military excursions, the call to create practices of international cooperation and peace making was lost. And sadly, too many Veterans Day celebrations seem to glorify war without recognizing that understanding its costs, should lead us all to commit more fervently to peace.

It matters that we honor Veterans Day - and honor both those who serve our country in the armed forces, as well as their families and loved ones who sacrifice alongside them. We also honor those who lost their lives - and the loved ones, family members and friends who they left behind.

But is it not also true that we best honor our veterans - first by making sure they have all the resources and care and healthcare they need to return to their civilian lives? And second, we best honor them by investing our resources in efforts to ensure that we will not continue to send our children to war.

This means investing in the things that create peace - like ensuring everyone has enough to eat, has shelter, has healthcare. It means investing in programs that build bridges of understanding and cooperation between peoples and communities and nations. It means working together to share the resources of the earth, working together to tackle the world's problems like climate change.

It also means divesting from the military industrial complex. This is not to say a military is not needed (although I wish we could get to the point of seriously asking that question), but it does mean recognizing that the military has long controlled not just foreign policy, but also domestic policy. We invest more and more in militarism, while claiming to not have enough resources to ensure that all Americans have enough food to eat, safe shelter, and healthcare for their well being. This is morally bankrupt. Consider what we all know so clearly now - as the government fights to withhold emergency SNAP funds - that 42 million Americans - that is 1 in every 8 Americans - does not have enough food.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said in his famous speech, “Beyond Vietnam” -

“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.”

Whereas military leaders and political leaders in our country speak of war as a way to create peace, our greatest spiritual leaders tell us something else. May we listen for those voices that speak to us of our moral responsibility to one another, that speak to us of God's hope for humanity, that speak to us of love.

The Rev. Olympia Brown reminds us that “we can never make the world safe by fighting. Every nation must learn that the people of all nations are children of God, and must share the wealth of the world.”

The Buddhist scriptures, the Dhammapada, teaches that “victory breeds hatred; the conquered dwell in sorrow and resentment. They who give up all thought of victory and defeat, may be calm and live happily at peace.”

The Doaist teacher Lao-Tse taught that “if there is to be peace in the world, there must be peace in the nations.” As Deepak Chopra says, “There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.”

War is a blunt object - some can make arguments for its necessities at times, but it will never foster the conditions of compassion, care, and justice that are necessary for peace. And this is where faith and love call us - to nurture what gives life, to what sustains our spirits, to what rejects cruelty and superiority - to what reclaims our humanity.

When Rev. Bill Sinkford asked that question of his Japanese hosts and interfaith partners, “how could you forgive America,” Mr. Feruta’s answer was both an explanation and a warning to us of what is happening as we continue down this path of militarism - it is a path that bears too many costs - and a path that can never create more compassion, more justice, or more peace. It is a path that is crippling our spirit and our moral foundation.

Somehow, someway, we must continue to hold up a light for peace, to work for peace, to invest in programs and partnerships that foster peace. “You may say this is impracticable, far away, can never be accomplished, but it is the work we are appointed to do” - for humanity, for a future, for our children and our children's children where they will learn war no more.