Caught at the End of a Loaded Gun: A Choice

[Francis king]

whats the blue oyster cult? I was paraphrasing zapata..

[juantoo3]

Kindest Regards, Francis!

Originally Posted by Francis king

whats the blue oyster cult? I was paraphrasing zapata..

BOC was / is a 70's rock'n'roll band, perhaps you have heard "Don't Fear the Reaper"? They also toured around the San Francisco Bay area (where they are from) by the name Soft White Underbelly. I believe Snoopy was referring to one of their more obscure compositions.

[cyberpi]

In my mind would begin a prayer to God for help. It is hard to predict what God's will is for the situation. There is nothing wrong with learning anything new. I would be thankful to learn their way to gain more information, and be as expressely open as possible to learning this alledged truthful way. If pressed to disavow anything, I would inform them that I can not choose from what I do not know, so I would have to learn their way and verbage first.

If I am ignorant of their ways and vernacular then I would wait to learn more so that I can judge them with their verbage. Based on the description of kidnapping, blackmale, religious intolerance, etc... I would immediately judge any crimes being perpetrated and inform them. While a situation is obvious, it has to be placed into words so that the perpetrator can hear it. If that results in hostility then I would inform them of the obvious evidence that they are not peaceful, and yet I would not physically fight back. I would be as docile as possible with stated open ears, even asking questions... but with a sharp tongue. I would try to reassure them that I mean them no harm. Any inflicted punishment as a result would reflect on them, and it will permanently damage them. If people have been murdered then evasion or countering force may be necessary if the situation permits. It really depends on God's will and who can be helped, both the religious fanatics and family alike. Realize that all evidence says that life is going to end trying to either help your's truly, or to help someone else. Either it is contending with ailments of disease and old age, or contending with the needs of others. Better to lose a life trying to help others than to lose a soul.

[Francis king]

cheers, juan... might surf n see if I can find some of their stuff..

[cavalier]

Originally Posted by dauer

cav,

I tried to leave it open so people could play with it. So for example, another question that could be raised, is there a difference between the experience of this being done by a religion and this being done by some type of atheist entity? Is it more significant if they have a radically different worldview or a radically different way of life? But more relevant to your query: How would you respond if the violation was a small one? How would you respond if it was larger? Would your response be different if the small violation was something that seemed to run contrary to the thinking of most of humanity today? (say for example, at the beginning of each month each family was expected to aquire a mouse or some other type of mammalian pest and physically torture it until it passes out from the abuse? I'm listing the torture of an animal as small because, in this case, it's something generally viewed as a pest that we we already use inhumane methods to capture and kill. I of course still find this type of torture abhorrent.)

Another question I suppose, how do you pass on something that's in violation of what you believe/your way of life/etc to your children so that they might pass it on to theirs and help eradicate your original way of approaching the world?

Dauer

Bring on the mice.
I guess would probably torture mice just to save my own skin, with the added dimension of wanting to protect my family, I'd do it without much thought.
Exactly how big, or what kind of violation would make me choose death, I'm not sure.

[17th Angel]

Originally Posted by dauer

He leaves the room, never having given you an opportunity to speak out. He returns exactly ten minutes later. What do you choose? Why? What are the difficulties in making such a choice, if any? How do you approach a problem such as this?


Dauer

I smile, and say sure. I leave, I carry on with my normal life... Not changing one thing from my life... But I then hunt him and his family down and I kill them slowly and as painfully as I can The most evil and sickening ways I could ever imagine possible, would be made reality... obviously keeping them alive as long as I can at the same time... His family, their family and their pets. for daring to enter MY house. Heh, I have no guilt or hesitation you never insult me by sneaking into my house or threatening my family's lives... Never.*nods.*

[17th Angel]

Then again, If we are realistic... My home is like fort knox, I have a dog that would rip an intruder to bits and for afters we have a desert eagle in the drawer next to my pillow.... bang. So I don't think it would get that far....

[juantoo3]

Hmmm, so Cyberpi, Angel and myself are pretty much in agreement, in general terms...

<look carefully at post 15...>

[flowperson]

Yep Juan...stealing away into the woods appeals to my sense of rebellion...but I do like my comforts at my somewhat advanced age...and therein lies the rub, eh ?

And Dauer...I like the way that you extended the scenario of Eric Allen Blair's (aka George Orwell's) horrific story, 1984, into a logical domain that might be coming true for some people as we speak.

I believe in the arts and their inherent ability to reveal truths through human channels that all might interpret according to their needs. People know the truths of the world because they experience them each day that they live.

To exist in the alternative scenario that you suggest seems to be more death than life to my way of thinking and living. If one is not free to create originality and live with the consequences of the processs, then they are not alive. My beliefs center around an assumption that G-d intended the world to be that way for humans. As a believer I could not survive in that sort of existence and would not wish that for my children either. But then they are grown and might choose differently if given the choice. Utopias rise and fall regularly in the history of the world.

flow....

[Francis king]

I thought he was called edward

[Francis king]

oh, edward arthur

[Francis king]

war is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength

[juantoo3]

And love is...not.

[17th Angel]

Originally Posted by Francis king

I'd lie, and be convincing, and get my family to lie too...after all, better to live on ur knees than die on ur feet...

Uhm, no. It really isn't..... lol.

Originally Posted by juantoo3

Hmmm, so Cyberpi, Angel and myself are pretty much in agreement, in general terms...

<look carefully at post 15...>

Ah Juan I didn't read the posts... Just put my answer... But yeah seems we are on the same side of the fence... Just I am in the extreme area :P

[Prober]

Originally Posted by dauer

"You are fortunate we found you when we did, for this is a matter that concerns your very being. Had you continued along the path you were on, you would have surely been lost to the world. It was a path of lies and deception. But we have come to share with you the truth of this world, and we hope that you can join us and be free from your former life of transgression."

Dauer

Wait a second...this is Mozart's "The Magic Flute" isn't it?

I choose execution. No man of truth and righteousness would execute an unbeliever. It would be better to be dead than to be compromised.