Pacifism

Our next meeting is on Pacifism. 

 There are tons of kids (and adults) that strap themselves with a Peace emblem, and they really don’t know why they endorse such an idea. This is nothing  new, it is just probably more prevalent as huge corporations use it to sell clothing accessories.

 Here is the shocker: The Peace emblem that we have all come accustom to seeing actually has a more precise meaning. The symbol was originally developed as a logo to represent the political push to disarm nuclear weapons. Over the years the symbol has been seen to connote a general hippie ideology, an opposition to war, and the moral principles involving Pacifism.

What is Pacifism? Well, it is a practical ideology that makes a case against the use of violence—the practice of non-violence. Now, Pacifism gets a little but tricky because there are varying degrees of Pacifism. Some views deem violence to be legitimate in particular situations, while another view advocates the aversion of violence by any means necessary (excluding violence).

Religions serve as a powerful platform for Pacifism. Jehovah Witnesses, world-wide, do not engage in any military efforts, directly or indirectly. Buddhism has historically carried strong pacifist ideas. Religions usually do not invoke a pragmatic reason for encouraging peace and straying away from violence, rather, their metaphysical assumptions of mankind’s place in the order of the universe is what brings substance to their beliefs.  For the hyper-rational Atheist there are intricate theories that attempt to explain the derogatory nature of war/violence.

 Things to consider:

• Is violent conflict among humans natural because we are evil by nature?
• Do nations operate in a different moral realm than individual persons?
• Can I punch a violent attacker, and still be a Pacifist?

 Where / When: Thursday 11/05/09, 11:15 by the clock tower.