No Joke

To the idea of pacifism there exist a gamut of responses from reverence to avoidance to mockery. I would like to briefly comment on the response of mockery.

The mocker is a person who finds special joy in exulting over others through demeaning language. The mocker does not pause to consider the complexities of life, but rather rapidly moves to an ignorant commentary with a sneer on the face. When the mocker hears the word 'pacifism' he goes to his work without heed to the depths of the idea. "Look where Gandhi's pacifism got him. Isn't it ironic that he was trying to end violence when he was violently killed?" Such a sentence is usually followed by cackles.

Now there is nothing wrong about having fun with a poor idea. Poor ideas deserve to be shown for what they are. But, this is not what the mocker is doing. The mocker reverts to second grade. He sets up his straw man and gets a thrill out of knocking it down time and time again. Should the mocker be interested, he might examine the idea thoroughly for all that it is worth. Perhaps then he would have something of real humor to offer on the subject. I predict that his humor would have a bit more respect though.

Gandhi preached the virtue of courage. To him courage was a more elementary and more weighty virtue than any other. He once said that people who lack courage should not be pacifists. To him it was better that they commit violence and thereby prove their courage versus avoiding violence as a matter of cowardice. A pacifist need be ready to lose his life to the violent for the sake of peace. Additionally, according to Gandhi not only is the person who hides behind pacifism a coward, but also the person who gives intellectual assent to just war but avoids active duty in that war.

To the mocker I say, 'What's to laugh at here? Should we poke fun at courage?' Perhaps the mocker mocks because he lacks the kind of courage needed.

The mocker who scorns pacifists for not achieving 'their goal' of world peace is an ignorant man. The goal of a pacifist is not necessarily to bring global harmony. At the root of the sort of pacifism which I am examining is a refusal to respond violently to violence. Christ on the cross did not pray, "Father help them to follow my example and put an end to violent reprisal. Amen." Nor did He pray like the fundamentalist, "Father, smite them in Thy holy vengeance for what they have done unto Thy faithful servant." No, no, no, no. His prayer was, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Listen to that. This is no silly John Lennon idea of the whole world getting caught up in a global hug. Nor is there any cry for retaliation. This sort of pacifism is courageously reckoning with the world as it is and refusing to be conformed to it even to the point of death. This sort of pacifism is about paving the path for future reconciliation, even if it means that the pacifist must lay down his life as the first step in that path.