Pacifism is a SIN?
The Sin of Pacifism?
I’m a pacifist. I refused to fight in the Vietnam war, never hit back at schoolyard bullies, and have never spanked my child. (I have stepped on some bugs, though.) I thought that made me highly moral.
However, I’ve just read an excellent book that suggests otherwise. “The End of Faith” by Sam Harris is provacative and intellectually stimulating. One tiny portion explains that it’s immoral to stand by as a pacifist and do nothing if you see a purse snatcher hitting an old lady. I never thought about it that way.
While I recommend this book because of Harris’ analysis of how religious fervor repeatedly messes things up in our world, it’s not the main subject of this post.
Intellectual stimulation is what's on my mind. I love having my views challenged and being made to think and see things differently. Don’t you? One reason we’re not challenged enough is because books play too small a role in most of our lives. TV, internet, and the inconvenient trip to a bookstore hold us back. Even if you’re using Amazon and can “Search Inside,” there’s still the risk that you’ll spend $25 on something you won’t like.
The solution is easy and cheap: USE YOUR LIBRARY! When did you last go there? Your taxes already pay for this most wonderful service, and it’s the best value in your wallet. Here’s what I do:
Hear of a book that may be of interest, but not enough to go buy it? Log on to your library’s website and place the book on hold. No driving or time wandering the stacks deciphering the Dewey decimal system.
They’ll email you when it’s ready to pick up. Leaf through the book. Sometimes, I don’t like the writing style, or think the author is wacked out and that’s the end of it. Mostly, I just read those portions of the book that catch my interest. The main ideas come through if you peruse the Table of Contents and read some portions.
No cost or inconvenience is what I love. I visit the library once a week. Pick up the held items that are waiting for you, return the books you’ve skimmed. What a great service! You already pay for it with your taxes, so use it. As an author, myself, I know it’s blasphemous to advocate checking out books rather than buying them. However, it just makes sense.
Please, contribute to the intellectual upgrading our society. Break the bonds of narrow-mindedness and don’t let the media or bloggers dictate how you think. Read (or even skim) books with challenging ideas.
Just don’t use your library books to squash any bugs.
I’m a pacifist. I refused to fight in the Vietnam war, never hit back at schoolyard bullies, and have never spanked my child. (I have stepped on some bugs, though.) I thought that made me highly moral.
However, I’ve just read an excellent book that suggests otherwise. “The End of Faith” by Sam Harris is provacative and intellectually stimulating. One tiny portion explains that it’s immoral to stand by as a pacifist and do nothing if you see a purse snatcher hitting an old lady. I never thought about it that way.
While I recommend this book because of Harris’ analysis of how religious fervor repeatedly messes things up in our world, it’s not the main subject of this post.
Intellectual stimulation is what's on my mind. I love having my views challenged and being made to think and see things differently. Don’t you? One reason we’re not challenged enough is because books play too small a role in most of our lives. TV, internet, and the inconvenient trip to a bookstore hold us back. Even if you’re using Amazon and can “Search Inside,” there’s still the risk that you’ll spend $25 on something you won’t like.
The solution is easy and cheap: USE YOUR LIBRARY! When did you last go there? Your taxes already pay for this most wonderful service, and it’s the best value in your wallet. Here’s what I do:
Hear of a book that may be of interest, but not enough to go buy it? Log on to your library’s website and place the book on hold. No driving or time wandering the stacks deciphering the Dewey decimal system.
They’ll email you when it’s ready to pick up. Leaf through the book. Sometimes, I don’t like the writing style, or think the author is wacked out and that’s the end of it. Mostly, I just read those portions of the book that catch my interest. The main ideas come through if you peruse the Table of Contents and read some portions.
No cost or inconvenience is what I love. I visit the library once a week. Pick up the held items that are waiting for you, return the books you’ve skimmed. What a great service! You already pay for it with your taxes, so use it. As an author, myself, I know it’s blasphemous to advocate checking out books rather than buying them. However, it just makes sense.
Please, contribute to the intellectual upgrading our society. Break the bonds of narrow-mindedness and don’t let the media or bloggers dictate how you think. Read (or even skim) books with challenging ideas.
Just don’t use your library books to squash any bugs.
posted by George Walther | 9:32 PM
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