Thoughtful response from a reader

A reader writes:

Last week my pacifism was challenged by a Christian (Seventh Day Adventist) who said he is re-thinking his conscientious objector status. He has been studying the Bible, and what Jesus says about protecting people. It's easier for us to condemn Israel's attacks on Lebanon than it is to understand what it is like to be a small country in the middle of people who not only hate you but want you destroyed...I don't know what I think.

I think this is a very thoughtful comment.

In an earlier post, I tried to correct the impression that I might be blaming Israel for the whole problem that is currently in existence. I may have failed in that effort.

My concern is not that Israel responded to being attacked. My concern has been the proportion of that response and the actions that would result in civilian death.

Hezbollah was the aggressor in the present conflict. There would not be an escalating conflict right now if Hezbollah had not crossed the border, attacked an Israeli unit, and kidnapped two of its men. Hezbollah has a couple of wings in Lebanon- a political and a military wing. Its military wing is, without question, willing to engage in terrorism. Whatever legitimate political complaints one wing may have, the terrorism of the military wing is completely without justification. They have engaged in terrorism for years- with the support of both Syria and Iran. They are currently targeting civilians in Israel. Israel is not only entitled, but also obliged to defend itself and its citizens. If they had moved militarily against Hezbollah targets in the south of Lebanon exclusively, I think they would have been quite clearly within their rights. Bombing Beruit, however, raises concerns for me.

In terms of pacifism, I sometimes don't know what to think either. I'm not sure Jesus ever intended to say that we should use violence to protect others, but I'm not sure he would reject that either. Gandhi once said that the only people who don't think Jesus was a pacifist were Christians. But I'm torn when I see people who cannot defend themselves- take the Jews of Europe during WWII for example. I guess I would have to say that I'm not a pure pacifist as I think that situations can arise when nations need to use their militaries to defend the defenseless.

That said, where I am somewhat of a pacifist, is in my belief that we need to look very closely at our actions and ask whether they are leading us more in the direction of conflict or in the direction of peace. I see too little of that reflection from many government leaders- here and around the world. Here is where I believe that Israel has made a mistake- they have, I think, not helped their cause of peace and security by over-reaching in the current conflict. For example, some media reports indicate that in the last week expressions of support for Hezbollah on the so-called "Arab street" has grown. Why? In large part due to the spread of news and photos of deaths of civilians in Lebanon- not just from radical media, but mainstream media as well. Whatever we do in this world, we don't need to fuel the radicalism and hate that is out there.

A long, meandering post. Sorry.

Let me close by saying I am very happy that there are people out there like the person who sent the comment quoted above- looking deep inside, listening to the ideas of others, and trying to develop the conscience necessary to make a better world.

GP