Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: epicure who wrote (41116)	6/20/1999 12:42:00 PM
From: Ilaine	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 108807

I think if I had witnessed others being murdered, and if an armed gunman asked me if I believed in God, I would say yes. If I thought that I could avoid being murdered, maybe I would lie, but I don't think she was given the opportunity. It doesn't make her brave, just honest. I weep for every one of the children who were killed, and for the children who killed them.

To: epicure who wrote (41116)	6/20/1999 2:05:00 PM
From: The Philosopher	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 108807

No Pax, eh? Okay, then: If one could prevent oneself from dying one should do it ... Dying for a cause, ANY cause, without a VERY good reason repulses me Gosh. All those soldiers who died to stop Hitler when they could have feigned sickness or run away were foolish, silly, because they were willing to die to protect the dream of freedom. And those who fought the Revolutionary War for that thing called freedom when they could have prevented themselves from dying just by saying "sure, England, we'll gladly pay your taxes and submit to your governors and save our lives." Dumb clucks. But as for me, I am eternally grateful to those dumb clucks, and am proud to say so.

To: epicure who wrote (41116)	6/20/1999 2:39:00 PM
From: E	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 108807

X, I think here you are discussing, or expression your opinion, of the idea of martyrdom, in a generic, abstract way. There are a range of possible opinions or convictions one could have on that subject. And most people would know of one incident of martyrdom that they felt very foolish, and another that seemed to them both noble and right. (I am thinking of the non-Jewish teacher, Catholic I believe, who, rather than abandon his students on their journey to the gas chambers, chose to go with them to death.) But in an individual case we don't have to debate The Concept Of Martyrdom: Rational or Irrational and decline to see what happened to the specific life of the specific martyr. Assuming the facts are as we have understood them, this is what happened in Littleton, to this one individual. She did not engage in an analysis of martyrdom and make a logical error. What she did was, in a split second in which her life was in the balance and a gun was at her head, try, when she was asked the question, "Do you believe in God?," to be the best, strongest girl she could be. Of course she did it according to her lights, and according to what she was taught. That's how we all try to "be good" in this world. And X... the remark about the gene pool? Way cold.... So I'm glad you didn't say it.