I don’t know any true pacifists. I know many, many people who are gentle, kind and would never intentionally hurt anyone, and one who was a conscientious objector back when there was a draft, but I know no one in the Gandhi or Schweitzer mold. Do you?
If so, how strong would you say are his or her principles? If a bad guy held a gun to the pacifist’s most-beloved’s head and the pacifist could save the loved one by attacking, would he or she? What if there was an invasion of his or her hometown? What if… you tell me.
My grandparents are Mennonite, and therefore pacifist by religion.
I think part of the lure of living in Amish country for them (other than the fact that grandma was raised Amish) is that, for all intents and purposes, that sort of shit (guns, invasion) does not go on there so they get to not think about it. Although, frankly, it makes me think of In Cold Blood so whatever.
I can imagine my grandparents trying to talk their way out of a dangerous situation, sure. Talking about The Lord and stuff, like that lady who was kidnapped in Georgia. I can see them giving every earthly posession to their attacker in exchange for life. I can see them up and leaving their homes behind if their hometown was invaded.
If they did end up needing to fight back at someone for whatever reason, I’m sure it could be justified in their minds by being the will of God that they were not actively seeking to hurt someone, they were defending themselves. They would probably not come to this conclusion until way after the American Justice System would come to it.
John and Eloise Bergen (Canadian couple attacked in Kenya) are my relatives (second cousins, I think it is) on the Mennonite side of my family. If almost being killed (John was close to being killed, and Eloise was repeatedly raped and beaten) isn’t beyond forgiveness for them, I don’t think much is. I consider myself a pacifist, but I’m not at their level.
Zipper - we should exchange family trees and see how far back we have to go before we’re relatives. 