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120 Comments
- atlasdugged, on 05/23/2009, -3/+69Compassion is timeless.
- umanchik, on 05/23/2009, -2/+57An oldie, but a goodie; timeless essay by a war vet makes you reflect on the many lives lost.
- Alwaysandnever, on 05/23/2009, -2/+54Humanity is Humanity, no matter the face, the God, the color, the uniform.
- laughtears, on 05/24/2009, -7/+45dugg for no more war. period. (naive, I know.)
- alanocu, on 05/23/2009, -1/+37For our remaining World War II veterans, the days dwindle down to a precious few. Some of their veterans associations held their last reunion this past year; too few are left to gather again. Fewer than 5 million are left of the 15 million who wore the uniform between 1941 and 1945, and they're disappearing from among us at the rate of 30,000 each day.
- pingpants, on 05/23/2009, -0/+30I love the stories from the Great War about the European troops honoring unoffical truces on Christmas Eve and Day. One side lit fireworks, painting a 'Happy Christmas' banner and setting up candles so the other side could see. Or a Belgian baritone standing up at midnight and singing a Christmas hymn only to be applauded from across the fields by Germans in the trenches.
- wannaBdug, on 05/23/2009, -2/+32Thanks for finding this. It's a beautiful reminder.
- walker4bc, on 05/23/2009, -4/+31This author makes a compelling case for mourning your enemies. Where do you draw the line though? It is hard to mourn the loss of enemy leaders if they have committed atrocities, for instance. This article really makes you think.
- kaosethema, on 05/24/2009, -1/+26i was 17, he was 19. i beat the crap out of him, fair and square.
i picked him up and helped him home.
he was my enemy but true victory is maintaining honor. - yesbeegee, on 05/23/2009, -1/+25Good question! I think that in most traditional wars (mostly government sponsored ones), where the soldiers are mostly pawns in a larger game, I can see the author's viewpoint.
- Berkana, on 05/24/2009, -4/+27It really bugs me when some Christians seem shocked that someone can feel compassion for their enemy and wish to treat them justly. Jesus taught compassion; it shouldn't seem so shocking that someone would take his teaching seriously. Nowadays, if you do that, some conservative commentators, often identifying themselves as Christian, would ask you why you hate America. (Sean Hannity, for example)
Matthew 5:43-48
43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." - pinkflyingpig, on 05/23/2009, -4/+26With so many lives lost in the two current ongoing wars, Afghanistan and Iraq, this essay brings special meaning to us to “mourn for all soldiers and all civilians, to mourn for all victims of militarism”.
- GreenZephyr, on 05/23/2009, -4/+26I think this article is especially poignant now since we are in the midst of a SECOND war with Iraq. It’s painful to think how many more Iraqi children have died since the start of this current war. The American people need to realize that war is a huge business and supporting our man and women in uniform does not mean we have to allow the war machine to profit and operate in perpetuity.
- Bermused, on 05/24/2009, -0/+21If you are lucky enough to visit Turkey go to the Gallipoli memorial to see the daunting landscape of a noble, bloody, terrifying, pointless battle between brave young men from Turkey, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and more. One of the greatest generals and of the 20th century - Ataturk - delivered some incredible words of compassion for both sides. Probably could only be delivered by such a great leader and fighting soldier:
“Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives. . . You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore, rest in peace. There is no difference to us between the ‘Johnnies’ and the ‘Mehmets,’ where they lie side by side here in this country of ours. . . You, the mothers, who sent your sons from faraway countries, wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.” M. Kemal Ataturk - nemomarlin, on 05/24/2009, -2/+22
"I realized then that my enemy was not the North Vietnamese, not the Viet Cong, but militarism. "
Be the change you want to see in the world - Gandhi
It's very hard to love our enemy, but our compassion must not be blinded by hatred and anger. We're all human, after all, we're all the same. - pingpants, on 05/23/2009, -3/+22Dugg in memory of those who fought for freedom from oppression.
- Berkana, on 05/24/2009, -2/+19We should mourn the soldiers who get killed regardless of what side they're on because war is a racket. It's always the rich man's war, but the poor man's fight. Soldiers get played as expendable pawns by evil men at the top. Mourn for that at the very least.
- Ghoztt, on 05/24/2009, -2/+19A day when humanity will see itself as indivisible.
United as One.
Divided by Zero. - MayorMcCheapo, on 05/24/2009, -2/+19Holy cow that is so timely, so right to read right now. Thanks for posting.
- sunnycalif, on 05/23/2009, -2/+18Very interesting viewpoint. It makes you think about how relevant it is for today's world.
- mitchellisdumb, on 05/24/2009, -3/+19I don't want to make assumptions about the author's beliefs, but the phrasing of "love your enemy as yourself" is a conjunction of two Biblical commands from Jesus (love your neighbor as yourself, and love your enemy). As a Christian, I think that, however weird it might seem, we should love our enemy even if he has committed atrocities. Loving him doesn't mean approving of his actions by any means, but no matter what he's done I believe he is still a person who is loved by God.
- drew101, on 05/24/2009, -5/+21i'm not religious but, Amen to that.
- MacEnvy, on 05/24/2009, -1/+16A month ago I lost my grandfather. He was the driver of a LST ship in the Pacific in WWII, and he was a wonderful man. His generation lived through so much, and saw so much societal change.
About a year ago I drove from Maryland to northern NY to fix his computer, because he was having some trouble with it (turns out a power surge had fried his modem). While I was there, a thought occurred to me and I asked him, for the first time, if he had known anyone who had fought in the Civil War. It turn out that of course, he and my grandmother had known Union soldiers (who were themselves very old while my grandfather was a child). He spoke of "Old Stumpy Joe", who had his legs blown off below the knee during the War Between The States.
What an incredible expanse of time. To know those from the Civil War, to have fought a war against Japan while later buying a car made by Isuzu (and holding no grudge, despite losing friends in the war), and to have experienced the wonders of the Internet and seen three generations grow up to reap the benefits of his service.
I'm so grateful to have had that time with him, and I only hope that my own generation can prove to be as well-equipped to lead the world as his was. - cruisinaruban, on 05/24/2009, -0/+15I know. Imagine something like a person being conflicted between doing his duty to protect his buddies and not wanting to take another human's life. I mean, he'd be almost human at that point ::sigh::
- opiniastrous, on 05/24/2009, -0/+14The Australians, New Zealanders and the Turks have a relationship much like this. We fought and killed each other at Gallipoli, but in 1934 Kemal Ataturk, the first president of Turkey and once a Lieutenant Colonel who resisted the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) invasion, said this:
"Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives... you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours... You the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. Having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well."
Later, in 1985 the Turkish government recognised the cove that the ANZACs landed at as 'ANZAC Cove' and the Australian government commissioned the Kemal Ataturk Memorial right beside the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australia's capital city. Today, it is not uncommon for 15,000 Australians and New Zealanders to travel to Turkey for ANZAC Day, which is effectively our Memorial Day. - inactive, on 05/24/2009, -1/+12this wasn't referring to leaders but nice going completely missing the point here
- Corneileus, on 05/24/2009, -1/+11I'm reading this beautiful paper, and what do I see an add for? Star Wars.
*Sigh* Damn associations. But I'm forwarding this to my family, great article. - Innuendo24, on 05/24/2009, -0/+9I stopped calling myself a christian because of how far most "christians" are from being christ like. I still claim many of the tenants of the faith, but the name felt arbitrary. Do I do a good job, not by a long shot, but I try to be this type of person.
- BotchaMcCoola, on 05/24/2009, -1/+9I wonder what kind of a God you'll contact with that type of prayer.
- BotchaMcCoola, on 05/24/2009, -0/+8I think you are talking about real or true Christianity. I believe there is still some of that in the Amish community. Not sure if anywhere else. Anyone know?
- waspbr, on 05/24/2009, -0/+8heads of state and politicians are the ones that create the wars to begin with, those that willingly start a war should not be mourned, these are exactly the ones that enforce the militarism suggested by the author.
- buckrogers1965, on 05/24/2009, -0/+8Most people that fight have been lied to about why they are fighting. In the end it is always about profits for a few rich men.
Why shouldn't we feel sorry for our enemies? And if a battle was hard fought what is wrong with respecting your enemies that did their best and in the end lay defeated? What does it cost you to show a little compassion, a little respect to a defeated enemy? - TexMexRex, on 05/24/2009, -1/+8Yea, but I was in a wheelchair.
- carter5434, on 05/24/2009, -1/+8If I'd die tomorrow
I'd feel no kind of sorrow
I'd smile at my memories
And pray for my enemies - spriggig, on 05/24/2009, -12/+19Someday we'll give up war. We have to believe we can do it before it can happen.
Bury away. - irkalla, on 05/24/2009, -1/+8"We have to believe we can do it before it can happen."
Not necessarily. Look at, for example, democratic peace theory. No two stable democracies have ever engaged in a major war with one another. But it isn't as though the founders of modern democracy conscientiously thought to themselves, "Hm, this might be a great method to end war!" The correlation wasn't even found until years later.
Regardless, I do agree, someday we will give up war. But it will likely be because of a hearty surplus of resources and a natural progression to more democratic forms of government, not through a simple, unfounded will for it to happen. - nyxerebos, on 05/24/2009, -1/+8He advocates mourning the victims of militarism, not those responsible for it.
- arethuza, on 05/24/2009, -0/+7When I was a kid I used to argue with my father, who had been in the RAF in WW2, about this very topic. He hated war and politicians most of all as he regarded them as the ultimate cause of conflicts.
Now that I have my own kids and my father is dead I look back and feel so embarrassed for my youthful naivety. If only our politicians had as much honour as the men and women in our armed services then the world would indeed be a safer place. - scoot87, on 05/24/2009, -3/+10The beauty of Christianity is that we can imitate the love of Jesus Christ towards our enemies because we base their worth and value not on their actions, (since if we did do that, how could we love ourselves with all the things we have done wrong) but on the value of them being a human being. Of course, you do not need to be a Christian to love your enemies, but it does give a more substantial reason to do so. Of course religion has scarred the value of love by replacing it with abhorrence to those who do not fit the "Christian values". All the condemnation of Christianity as a religion is justified by agnostics and atheists because of the past actions by people proclaiming themselves Christians, but whose actions look nothing like Jesus Christ.
- KyotoWolf, on 05/24/2009, -2/+8I mourn the death (not literally) of many dictators, imagine the insight we could gain on these people if they were alive and able to be interviewed or write books about why they did such things. Their deaths are a great shame for those who want to know what went on in their heads.
I'm an atheist but I do understand the merits of love thy neighbor and enemy, I don't believe any human is born evil (apart from Damien Thorn, of course), it's the environmental conditions that mold them into who they are. Hitler for instance was abused as a child, had his dreams crushed, lived on the streets, witnessed his entire companies deaths, was gassed and witnessed Germany's surrender by those in power (who he thought were Jews and Bolsheviks). Whilst not excusing what he did he had a pretty crappy life. - ChiefUCF, on 05/24/2009, -0/+6All gave some.
Some gave all. - EIEAviv2008, on 05/24/2009, -0/+5In mainstream America the enemy is very much demonized within media and society. Thus showing compassion for the enemy is showing sympathy for the devil.
- tgc1, on 05/24/2009, -0/+5Wooooooooooooshh....
- Innuendo24, on 05/24/2009, -1/+6You don't have to be religious to say "amen" it has no implicit religious meaning, simply translating to "It is so." Said at the end of prayers as a way of saying "This person speaks the truth, It is so."
Amen is honestly a beautiful Hebrew word with very wonderful meaning. - tgc1, on 05/24/2009, -1/+6This is why it's so insidious that the government and the military use dehumanizing techniques to distance a combatants mind from the fact that they are killing humans just like them. But because they wear a different color uniform, fight under a different flag, are of a different race perhaps, they use that sort of difference to perpetuate myths and devalue their humanity. Phrases and labels abound in military circles for the enemy. All but human they say. All but like you and me they say. Anything and everything to get you to hate them and put a bullet or some other such device squarely into them.
It's no wonder we never get visited by Aliens. Militarism runs rampant all over the world. Under all flags, colors and credos. Until this is put to an end, we will never have peace. - hfactor, on 05/24/2009, -1/+6Dugg for the quote... But please don't refer to any battle as "noble". That's just one of the favourite lies of militarists trying to fool young men into killing each other.
- seltaeb4, on 05/24/2009, -2/+7Let's mourn all war dead, civilians included.
- XkenX87, on 05/24/2009, -2/+7Im In The Navy I Rock
Never
Again
Volunteer
Yourself
as we say - BaphClass, on 05/24/2009, -4/+8And THIS, gentlemen, is how you act like a divisive, partisan hack. Way to stimulate cooperation, bud.
- danro, on 05/24/2009, -0/+4Nope Michael, incorrect actually. Learned in history class that one night the American and German soldiers got out of their trenches and had a party to celebrate Christmas together.
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