The View of Pacifism
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The question of whether or not going to war is appropriate is a pragmatic question that causes controversial answers. A great range of opinions exists to answer this question. The idea that war is never appropriate is called pacifism. Although pacifists have several beliefs in common, different varieties and different variations exist. "Pacifism is not a single unitary theory about war and peace but rather a collection of related theories… there are different varieties of pacifism" (Teichman 1). Pacifists portray a general rejection to the violence that takes place during war.
Particular religious beliefs urge us to consider violence to be wrong. An example is Buddhism. Buddha even believed that it was always wrong to kill animals. He held this conviction even in the case of attack, when killing an animal might be the only means of survival (Teichman 10). However, hating violence is not the same thing as pacifism. Pacifists are opposed to violence that takes place during a war. The word "pacifism" literally means "anti-war-ism" (Teichman 4).
Civilians completely uninvolved in a war effort are at a high risk of being killed or injured during a war simply by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. An example of this fact was the bombing that took place in Japan during World War II. Thousands were killed and injured in this incident. In her article, "Damages Caused by Atomic Bombs," Jane Mothra describes the devastating effects on the Japanese citizens during the bombing that took place in World War II. The United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945. The population dropped drastically, with approximately 140,000 deaths due to the bomb (Mothra, par. 6). N...
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...means to achieve this. The books of Isaiah claims in chapter forty-two, verse one, "that his Spirit will restore justice to our nations." This is another passage of Scripture that shows that God desires justice, and if that can only happen through war, then war becomes absolutely necessary to maintain peace in the long run.
Issues of war do not have any easy answers. War is obviously an extremely controversial topic, even among members of the same religious group. The most important factor in determining your own personal feelings toward the issue of war is education. Education is the most important factor that can help determine your own personal feeling towards the issue of war. When we are educated, we will have the power to examine, analyze, and critique our views. However, it is possible to be open-minded enough to investigate the other side with open eyes.
...to Abina’s testimony, agree with one another – continuously rewording the question, “How do you know that you were a slave?” “Because of this worldview, they [being the British] often believed that slaves could be legitimately described as “wards,” “apprentices,” ”foster” children, or even “wives,” and frequently declined to liberate them or to punish the owners unless physical abuse could be proved or the evidence was beyond dispute” (Getz and Clark, 2011, p. 111). In Abina’s case, abuse had not been present.
Seaney, Column By Rick, and Ceo Of Farecompare. "Post 9/11 Flight Security: When Increased Safety Isn't More Effective." ABC News. ABC News Network, 09 Sept. 2011. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
"Food Allergy Facts and Statistics - FAAN." Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. N.p., 2010. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
In the modern era we recognize pacifism from its great figures on non-violent resistance. Ghandi, and Martin Luther King, Jr. stand as the most recognizable and prominent figures of the ideology. However, these figures do not provide a complete picture of pacifist thought. Pacifism has a long and distinguished history stretching from the origins of Christianity to the modern day. This review will evaluate and compare the ideological characteristics of early 20th century pacifism from two distinct angles: 1.) pacifism based on Judeo-Christian tradition, using Leo Tolstoy as an example; and 2.) pacifism as a secular belief, with a focus on the writings of intellectuals Bertrand Russel and Albert Einstein. While they share the same basic ideological
...fists can be uneffective in a war minded society. If an aggressor is attacking with no opposition, one cannot rely on the morality of the aggressors to halt the attack. Intervention of the attacks would be impermissible by the standards of absolute pacifism, as it would contribute to the overall amount of violence. The absolute pacifist would become a martyr for their beliefs, and without opposing the aggressive force societies would be annihilated. I believe while pacifism is morally better than war in terms of the amount of violence projected, and diplomatic negotiation should be the main solution to world issues, it is a commonality of society that war can potentially be the quickest solution to stop an aggressor. Although the notion of a Just War is unattainable, the causes of war as described in the theory set a standard for global leaders to promote justice.
War is on some level a game. Usually there is two sides, making moves and taking turns. The only difference is, there are no rules in war. War is a game without rules, without mercy, without emotion. Although certain situations require human emotion and interaction, war is most productive when all emotion is removed and as humans we just perform. Emotionless, robotic, cold, ruthless, and morally indestructible; these are the traits of the ultimate war culture. War on any level is impossible without first burying personal principals and destroying the moral compass.
Goodwin, Chuck. "Airport Security & Body Scanners: An Overview." (n.d.): N. Pag. Rpt. In Points of View Reference Center. N.p.: N.p., 2013. Web.
guard and says 'all who live by the sword, will die by the sword.' And
As a response to the 9/11 attacks, one would expect that the TSA would improve airport security. In reality, it's just security theater. Originally, the use of metal detectors and luggage x-rays in airport security checkpoints was enough. However, on December 25, 2009, an inbound international flight was the target of an attempted bomb plot. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab got past security screening and successfully boarded the plane with explosives packed in his underwear. He nearly succeeded in detonating the bomb, but the detonation didn't go as planned and passengers overpowered him before he could fix the detonation[0]. As a result, the TSA increased the use of full-body scanners to replace metal detectors. Before the 2009 attack, there were only 40 full-body scanners in use across 19 airports. After the attack, the government planned to have over 1000 machines in use by the end of 2011. However, the expensive machines are ineffective. In 2010, TV personality Adam Savage unintentionally managed to get two 12" long razor blades through security[1]. In 2011, an undercover TSA agent was able to successfully pass through the scanners with a handgun in her underwear, repeatedly[2]. The TSA is clearly incapable of creating a truly safe airport checkpoint, and is becoming less effective the longe...
What is war? Is war a waste? Is war honorable? I view war as a necessary evil. Sometimes it has to happen for good to triumph over bad. War poets like Wilfred Owen, writer of Anthem for doomed youth focus on death in war and the dehumanization of solders. In contrast Soldier written by Rupert Brooke thinks that to die in war, to be the noblest death. And Siegfried Sassoon’s Suicide in the trenches focuses on the youthful soldiers deaths being the responsibility of war promoters.
Human race is known to have developed numerous allergies to various known and unknown allergens. An extreme allergic reaction which can be “life-threatening”. (Mydr.com.au, 2014) is referred to as Anaphylaxis.It is a “medical emergency”(Lloyd & Sisman,2013).Statistics indicate that maximum deaths occur due to allergic reactions of various medicines. The other causative agents can be insects, food, latex, hair dye, etc(Lloyd & Sisman,2013). The most common trigger to stimulate anaphylaxis among children are food products such as peanuts, dairy, seafood etc. Exposure to any of these allergens can result in severe anaphylactic attack within 20 minutes.(Australian Resuscitation council, 2012).However the doctors discuss the history of symptoms occurring in children suffering with peanut allergy before declaring them to be anaphylactic and prescribing medication. (Unknown, 2014). Symptoms of anaphylaxis may occur in varied forms depending upon the severty of the reaction. For instance in mild cases swelling of lips, eyes or face occurs along with hives, rash, tingling of mouth and vomitting accompanied with abdominal pain. Nevertheless in extreme conditions the former symptoms may be accompanied with noisy breathing, wheezing, hoarseness and unconsciousness. (Lloyd & Sisman,2013).
Non-violence. Many people confuse this term with pacifism. Pacifism is defined as the belief that any violence, including war, is unjustifiable under any circumstances. Non-violence is defined as the use of peaceful means, not force, to bring about political or social change. The difference between the two are fairly simple to see when we define them side by side. Pacifism states that war is unjustifiable, however, it does not specify that Pacifism shows any inclination toward preventing war. Compare this to non-violence, which states that issues should only be solved in peaceful means. In this comparison, it would appear that Pacifism allows war, whereas non-violence tries to completely eradicate or avoid it. Now that we have clarified the
Pacifists believe that war and violence of any kind should be unacceptable and that this nation should never be at war. They believe that negotiation and compromise as a way to achieve peace and harmony is a better way to solve conflicts rather than violence. People who are not committed to pacifism sometimes think that the best way to solve a failure of foreign policy is to go war. At times, military intervention is necessary, especially when the target is a person or a nation that threatens the welfare and livelihood of millions of people. It’s also understandable if military action is in self-defense of an imminent threat of our nation. But when you tackle the issue of pacifism as a whole, it is very difficult to decide whether it is strictly a positive or negative thing.
War has been a prominent phenomenon that can be seen throughout the history of mankind, and it has been used as a tool by people in order to fulfil their needs. It is influential in reaching a peaceful resolution, and it acts as a refresher because without it society would be in chaos. War has allowed great empires, like the Napoleon Empire, to flourish and prosper, and has caused great empires, like the Roman Empire, to fall. War is needed in order to maintain a healthy and stable society. It is beneficial to the strength and socialization of a society, the health of its people, the productivity of the economy, and it can be used to force social changes and call for justice.
Every day we are surrounded by stories of war. In fact, we have become so accustomed to it, that we are now entertained by it. Video games, movies, and books filled with heroes who once dominated the battlefields. However it is constantly stated, “no good comes from war.” Even famous songs state “war... what is it good for… absolutely nothing.” But what if war was actually necessary? Throughout history, we see examples of the good things wars have brought. War has freed slaves, modernized medicine, brought down evil empires, and even brought countries together