There are fanatics in this country, but few of them have their children running around with automatic weapons. Where I suspect we are most likely to find them is on the Internet.
Most of the folks who take the time to read this blog either write or comment on blogs. So this post is about and for you. How do you know when you have become a fanatic? And it is about me too. I also want to know I risk crossing the line. The extremes to which we each are capable endanger us far more than any outside enemy. While most of us have the good sense to seek moderation, we all have the tendency to pursue moderation with fanatical zeal, particularly if we are political bloggers.
Consider the definition of fanaticism:
fanatic outlook or behavior especially as exhibited by excessive enthusiasm, unreasoning zeal, or wild and extravagant notions on some subject
Then consider its opposite, apathy:
lack of interest or concern, especially regarding matters of general importance or appeal; indifference
Obviously neither trait is suitable for the people of a republic. Yet many people either exhibit one characteristic or the other.
Because they care deeply, political bloggers error toward excessive enthusiasm, that is, fanaticism. Political bloggers deeply want to make people care about their causes. Yet because they care; I think it is safe to say that most political bloggers honestly want to do more good than harm. Few want to be fanatics. Unfortunately, when we allow our passions to lead us, we can easily become fanatic.
When we consider the causes we take up, it pays to remember that we are our worse enemy. Consider a famous old strip from Pogo (see here).
As Pogo said, the enemy is us. Too often, before we consider the full consequences, each of us grabs for the things we want. For example, consider the environment. Don’t we all buy things we don’t need? How many of us take the trouble to dispose of our waste properly? Look at your own back yard. When you fertilize it, how many of you stop to think about the pollutants you are dumping onto your own back yard?
How do you know when you have become a fanatic? Is your blog about judging others or setting an example? Do you promote a cause or the hatred of some supposedly vile group? Is your blog about judging others?
Matthew 7:1-6
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
Judge, but judge as you would have others judge you, with mercy — clear-eyed mercy. Judge another harshly only when you have no other choice.
Citizen Tom,
As always, you have fine words to live by.
…………………………….”Well, believe this,”
No ceremony that to great ones ‘longs,
Not the king’s crown, nor the deputed sword,
The marshall’s truncheon, nor the judge’s robe,
Become them with one half so good a grace
As mercy does”….
Isabella pleads for Claudio’s Life.
MEASURE FOR MEASURE, Act II, sceen ii
Best regards,
GUNGA DASS
Nice picture. is that thing for real and if so what gun is that? strong point by the way and way to get the word out about american fanatics.
NW
The picture is something I found on the Internet without much explanation. What struck me is how much the child looks like one of my own children when she was a child.
I do hope the gun is not real, and the picture is just a gag. Nonetheless, there are monsters who seek to turn children into ravening killers.
Tom,
you started this blog with the following:
“There are fanatics in this country, but few of them have their children running around with automatic weapons. Where I suspect we are most likely to find them is…”
I submit that many of our neighbors around the world could easily conceive an objective, rational argument using your definition of fanatic to complete the sentence above as follows:
“… in positions of great power working in fill-in-the-blank U.S. administration.” (In my judgment it is true of almost all of them since 1813.)
(Most) American’s grow up with the concept that killing an innocent person is wrong; yet killing thousands of innocent people with cruise missiles, precision-guided weapons, cluster bombs, and through demolition of their country’s infrastructure is seemingly acceptable to Americans if it is for a ‘justified’ war.
You read “the bible” and consider yourself a Christian from what I have read in your blogs.
I do not know where you stand on the issue of war as it is implemented in this era – meaning post WWII.
I once had a conversation with a man who considered himself a Christian. He attended his church at least once a week, read the bible regularly, and believed Jesus Christ to be his (our) savior. He professed that the killing that occurs in war is acceptable to God – and presumably Christ. He “knew” this to be true because of bible teachings he had learned over his life.
I do not presume to know where you stand with the issue of war. (Please note that I did not bring this topic up as a gateway to discuss the war in Iraq and its justifications be they right or wrong.) My desire is learn how one can hold the teachings of Jesus Christ in his head and heart and not be conflicted with our country waging war. Why does it seem that many if not most “true followers” of Christ in this country are not adamantly against any and every war to the extent that they actively condemn war and the support for war?
The reason I had put “the bible” in quotes earlier, is because my belief is that the Old Testament can provide numerous passages that attempt to justify war, killing, hate, etc. My understanding of the New Testament is that Jesus taught us to love, not hate, treat one as you would want to be treated, turn the other cheek, and so forth. Perhaps I missed the parts where Jesus condoned killing and that he would accept men killing people (they judged “innocent” or “guilty”). As men and women do we have the right to judge that many innocent people must die so that a small number of ‘evil’ people can be “justly killed”?
I would truly appreciate any clarifications/answers that you can provide.
thank you,
Jeff
Jeff – When Jesus preached, he affirmed the Old Testament. The Old Testament and the New tell different parts of the same story, God’s effort to redeem His creation.
Jesus spoke of two commands that we must obey. We must love God, and we must love each other. When the Moses brought the Israelites to the promised land, it was already occupied, but the people there did not love God. Instead they worshipped idols; they committed abominations such as human sacrifice. So God instructed the Israelites to destroy them.
In our era, people have not changed much. The Nazis and the Communists murdered tens of millions in concentration camps. Their leaders said that God was not important or that he did not exist. These men worshipped power. They worshipped themselves. They demanded that we worship them. Such men offer the choice of submission or death.
We cannot submit. If we did, our conquerors would insist we become complicit in their crimes. However, if we refuse to submit, we will be tortured and killed. Moreover, everyone we know and love will be given the same choice.
So torn between evil choices, we choose to fight and kill before those we love are murdered.
Consider again the fifth commandment. In the King James version, Exodus 20:13 is translated as “Thou shalt not kill”. Today’s New International Version provides a better translation: “You shall not murder” (from here).
It is not wrong to kill in self-defense or in defense of the innocent. What is wrong is murder.
The true aspiration of Jesus, as I see it, is perfect peace. We have not evolved as far as Jesus. Nor have we evolved as far as a great many other religious leaders and miracle workers. If we had, we would have evolved right out of war, hatred, and disregard for others. Still we need to keep trying within the perameters we have set (no spell check today….sorry).
No matter what our religious beliefs, our goal, I think, should always be love whenever possible. How we get there will always be matter of dispute. But get there we must or destruction will prevail.
BTW, to avoid political or any kind of fanaticism, we need to try to understand the views of others and diversify our interests. Hence, I enjoy blogging on a variety of issues. Pure, political blogging numbs the mind and heart.
“You have forgottne the first rule of fanaticism. When you become obsessed with your enemy, you BECOME the enemy.”
Just heard this, ironically, on BABYLON FIVE (Sci Fi).