"At some thoughts a man stands perplexed, above all at the sight of human sin, and he wonders whether to combat it by force or by humble love. Always decide: 'I will combat it by humble love.' If you resolve on that once for all, you can conquer the whole world. Loving humility is a terrible force: It is the strongest of all things, and there is nothing else like it".
- Starets Zosima, The Brothers Karamazov (Fyodor Dostoevsky), as quoted in The Orthodox Way (Kallistos Ware)
Some things truly do just need force (at least in the moment) to stop it (I'm thinking criminal behavior, evil leaders...), but I'm thinking no real change happens in the heart without love (for humankind, at least). Speaking for myself, meditating on this idea would surely eliminate a lot of the negative things that bubble up when I come face to face with sin (mine or others').
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the show 60 Days In...? It's a most depressing, eye-opening series about the hopeless state of our system of incarceration. And it doesn't even touch our prison system, but covers several county jails across the country - where people (no doubt, a number of innocent people) are awaiting trial. It's mind-numbingly depressing and I despair for our system of criminal justice. This quote makes me believe if love for humankind ruled, we'd have a very different way of dealing with crime and the many ways that people can end up in a system that should make us all weep.
Sorry to go to such a dark place so quickly. You just never know where these posts of yours are gonna lead, TB.
Becki, I consider the risk of where my posts lead completely worth the effort of posting them and the comments that come in.
DeleteThere are certainly behaviors that we are called to stand against, perhaps even with violence - and the ones you call out are examples. But I would argue at least that Christianity considered those the exceptions rather than the rule. Certainly most of us - me, anyway - could stand to practice a little more a little more humble love.
I have not heard specifically of the program you refer to, but the outcome does not surprise me terribly: it is only one of many systems that groans under the weight of neglect. And I think you are right in that the author of the quote would agree with you that this could be precisely a place to apply humble love.
A blessed Sunday to you all, TB.
ReplyDeleteYou as well Linda!
DeleteI think it's time I re-read Brothers Karamazov. I read it in college many moons ago. I thought then, and still do, that it is the single greatest novel I've ever read.
ReplyDeleteGreg, I am thinking the same thing. It is sitting right there on my bookshelf, ready to be opened.
DeleteNice! But can I still use a .45, too?
ReplyDeleteJohn, my understanding is that while we are called to turn the other cheek, that is universally applied to personal insult only. Some people seem called to the sort of loving humility in the face of violence described here, others do not - and they are not wrong to not be so called. Self defense is perfectly legitimate as well.
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