Blessed are the Peacemakers
By Tom Fairbank
I am more than a pacifist. I believe in complete Non-Resistantence. Gandhi was a pacifist. He never used violence himself. But he supported the British in both World Wars and fought a Non-Violent War for many decades. Gandhi and many modern day pacifists believe in resisting evil. I do not.
I believe all humans deserve love. And I believe it is impossible to do, say or think anything that would cause someone to be undeserving of love. So while a situation may arise in which violence can save lives, my focus is not on the body count. My focus is about the attitude I have at any given moment. Am I acting in love? Am I serving others? Am I being faithful to God? This matters more to me than if my fellow man is using an animated body or if he has left his body for a different existence. Since I believe in an afterlife, quantity of life does not matter only quality.
There are many semantic issues that arise in this debate. I will try to answer three of these questions now.
How does one define quality of life? In the most absolute sense every life is in a state of perfection. But in the realm of the relative, the materialistic plain called Earth; I believe the most quality filled life is the life of love. Living a loving life frees us from the unhealthy worries that occupy the minds of so many men and women and allows us to focus on the joy of every moment. It is what some have called 'Inner Peace'. Now many do not desire this state and prefer the excitement and challenge that comes from struggle. I myself often oscillate between these two extremes. However, I believe the most quality filled life is a life that emphases the spiritual, rather one's physical existence.
However, some may disagree because they feel that a life is better if one has a chance to live longer. Again, in the absolute sense the 'best' life is the life that is being lived right now, because every experience is valuable to the growth of each individual. While I have mourned the death of the few friends who have passed away from this world, I do so because I loved them and will miss them. But I believe that to pity their death and to wish them alive for their sake is unwise. Just as people come and go in this world, so do lives, and a healthy philosophy would be to see death as natural change that every soul goes through, like puberty. To wish that someone never die is similar to wishing that someone never mature.
Oh course, one could have this belief and still claim that none should die below the age of 60, or some other arbitrarily chosen number. Yet I believe to place any moral standard on the universe is inaccurate. (I have written another article on Moral Bankruptcy to discuss this point). Let the universe unfold as it may and let us find the place we choose to occupy in this ever-changing world. I have chosen the Non-Resistance path because it is the path of complete love.
Finally, some may ask how I define love. I define love as treating others how you would like to be treated. Since I do not desire others to be violent towards me, I will not treat others violently. Oh course, the Non-Resistant position goes even further and concludes that since I do not desire any to coerce me into a particular action; I will not coerce others through threats, humiliation, non-cooperation or other forms of coercion.
One final note. I am not perfect. I believe the Non-Resistant lifestyle to be an ideal. However, I often fall short of this ideal, but with God's help I believe this existence is obtainable.
|
