We humans are complex beings with many, many tendencies. The one we
keep avoiding is also a basic Human tendency. It is called Self
Control.
We also have a tendency to deceive ourselves in order to arrange facts
and events to be more favorable to us. So tell me, was George
Washington a Traitor, or was he a great patriot?
Well, that depends upon who won the war. But once we agree that
George Washington was painted Red, White and Blue by the winning side,
how was he different from the British Generals, fighting against him?
I'll not go into long lists of war crimes committed by both sides, you
can research those for yourselves. But if there really is any "Evil",
it is within the act of war, itself, not within each individual. A
young man who has been drafted, trained in how to kill in order to
live, and sent with a crowd of others, has little control over what
happens. He might go forth and return untouched. But he might find
himself surrounded by forces bent on killing him. He becomes a killer
in order to live. And if the action is frantic enough, he could well
blow away innocents in the belief they were coming out to destroy him.
His actions could, after the fact, be considered "Evil", if he had
blown away several elderly people and small children. But in fact, he
has a very strong tendency call Survival. Survival in and of itself
is not an Evil instinct. But to his enemies, he is seen as a monster.
Yet, his comrades call him, "Hero".
We Humans need to learn self control over our emotions, no longer
striking out blindly. We need to identify clearly that War and
Violence are Evil. And the way to destroy Evil is to simply stop
destroying ourselves.
Carl Jarvis
On 11/19/15, Bob Hachey <bhachey@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
~Hi Miriam and all,
I've been doing a good bit of thinking about recent discussions on how we
should be dealing with those who perpetrate terrorist attacks. Firstly, let
me back off of my wish to take out Netanyahu. While I do believe the
bastard
doesn't deserve to live, taking him out would likely be counter-productive.
AS for perpetrators of attacks like the the one in Paris, the best approach
is to arrest them and put them on trial and imprison them for life. When
police raided the perpetrators of the Paris attack they were greeted with
large volumes of gunfire and the perpetrators were killed in the ensuing
battle.
I do believe there are evil people and that they do not deserve to walk
freely. Yes, I recognize that Israel and the west caused the spark that lit
the fire of terrorism. But the perpetrators were the ones who convinced
others to become suicide bombers.
Finally, I'd say that we humans have barbaric tendencies and there is at
least a smidge of barbarism within all of us.
Bob Hachey
