Violence breeds violence

Tom, I'd like to know your opinion concerning the carrying of concealed weapons, for self-protection. Please don't just tell me I have freedom of choice, what I really want is to know what YOU think about it. I'm pretty sure I won't learn much by bleeding to death in an alley, just because I had nothing to be stolen of (this actually happened here in Portugal). Do you condone violent self-protection?

Carrilho

I have expressed my view in The Freedom of Choice book (page 56). Please read it again. In essence, violence always breeds more violence - especially in your mind.

Do not be so sure that you "won't learn much" by bleeding to death. Just consider how much of your intellectual and emotional effort TODAY goes into considering this single issue. If you haven't experienced what you did - would you EVER think about it so much? Would you EVER thought about finding the REAL answer that would fully satisfy YOU?

We never think about the ESSENCE of our existence, death, etc. until we HAVE to. Without undergoing extreme experiences - the ESSENCE is just a "theory" and most people simply ignore it.

Personally, I do not mind dying. If only I was accepted at The Light - I would stay there a long time ago.

I understand that it is not my time yet and I plan to make the best use of the time and opportunities that I have left.

For example one thing that fascinates me greatly is the possibility to witness (or participate in the avoidance of) a very unique event - our planet becoming one more asteroid belt in the Solar system.

"..sometimes a planet will disappear in a solar system..." [1]. I just want to verify my understanding of the Reality of the Universe and see if I can learn to communicate it to other people...

Tom

Isn't letting someone or something harm or destroy our body when we have the means to stop it from happening comparable to abusing our body?If you are being attacked by a parasit or an illness, it's your responsability to fight it.If your body is being attacked by an angry blood thirsty French poodle wouldn't it be stupid to let him bite you to death? Wouldn't it be a proof that you do not appreciate the body that was given to you? What if someone was attacking your loved ones?

Jacques

Instead of planning a fight, wouldn't it be BEST if you could make an attacker LIKE you?

Wouldn't it be better if you could use your intellect, imagination, sense of humour etc. to divert the attention of an attacker to something more inspiring than hurting you or your loved ones?

Have you ever tried to apply the above technique to a dog that is barking at you? Why don't you try it out?

This was a theory that actually works on most dogs.

In practice it is extremely hard to make a great joke when you are seriously threatened and there is little time to think. Since we need to live with our intellectual limitations, we need to consider each case separately - as it comes. Sometimes we may succeed in avoiding violence, but ONLY if we aim for it. If you do not specifically aim for it - you will ALWAYS FAIL.

Tom

Tom, I take your reply regarding the violence as an insult to all the brave people who fought in the second world war against Hitler to prevent him from transforming the world into a monstruous society of fear,intolerance and cruelty. You say that it's better to let some idiot kill you than to defend yourself?Are you saying that it's more acceptable for the idiot to attack you than for you to defend yourself?Are you saying that IF your attempt to avoid a fight in a peacefull way FAILS then you should let yourself get killed rather than to take a defence? I agree that it's better to solve a conflict in a peacefull way (ie.as you say to make the attacker like you)but this approach very often fails (for whatever reasons,not everybody is as psychicaly advanced as you for transforming mentally the badies into the goodies)) and then you have only two options left.Take a defence or die.What choice is more intelligent?Especially if you have a familly and childern who you love. You think it's better for you to die, causing the childern to lose a father,rather than giving the attacker a few blows and perhaps a broken hand and getting out of it alive.(you AND the attacker)? And above all,the very possibility you have today to write and publish your ideas is result of these 'bad and violent people' who fought Hitler back in the 40ties,cause if he won the war, you wouldn't even be able to say hello without his permission. Has that ever crossed your mind?

Daniel

You take quite narrow emotional view and miss the very essence of the entire issue of Hitler.

You imply that Hitler was the problem. Not at all. The problem was that the German society was founded on totally wrong principles. Have you ever thought WHY the entire German society supported a crazy politician with dangerous ideas?

Suppose that every man in Germany was conscious and intelligent enough to recognize an idiot and CHOOSE to stay at home with his family. Do you think there would be any war?

Suppose that the society was based on healthy principles and its members were brought up in the atmosphere of integrity. Do you think members of such a society would choose an idiot for a leader? In a healthy society there may be thousands of idiots with extraordinary ideas, but they will never be allowed to become leaders...

Hitler could ONLY hurt so many people, because he obtained a TOTAL support from the FLOCK. People in Germany had totally surrendered their intellect and integrity and AGREED to act as puppets of the "Reich" rather than as human beings.

For anyone conscious - the phenomenon of Hitler is one of the best examples in the history of Earth how dangerous could be following the flock.

"Majority of the stupid is guaranteed at all times" wrote Albert Einstein before Hitler came to power. How do you feel TODAY about being lead by leaders who are chosen by the majority? Aren't we repeating the same mistake over and over again?

Of course, when we allow things to go too far - we have to face consequences. When we allow a house to become on fire - it is too late to maintain the house in good order. We need to apply emergency procedures and destroy the house in the process. When people allow idiot to become a leader - ridiculous situations such as fighting become inevitable.

My view is that the best thing to do is to keep the house in a good order to begin with, by using our Intellect to predict and avoid dangers. Intellect FIRST.

Tom