Last night, I had a conversation with a few friends about my post on Barack Obama killing a fly and that some people found me a little fanatical about cherishing every life of every sentient being.
“But it was just a fly,” a friend said.
My answer: “And you are just a Thai. And that guy is just a negro. And I heard Muslims say: it’s good, they were just 3000 Americans in the WTC. There should have been more. And Nazi’s used to say: these Jews and homophiles and Roma are just vermin. And the Japanese say: we like to eat whaless, and shark fins. And others like dolphin meat. And some Chinese eat dogs. They are just dogs.”
This time, everybody got my point, and agreed that every life is precious and that one should not feel gratified or take pleasure in killing any other sentient being, even if it is the life of a fly.
“But it was just a fly,” a friend said.
My answer: “And you are just a Thai. And that guy is just a negro. And I heard Muslims say: it’s good, they were just 3000 Americans in the WTC. There should have been more. And Nazi’s used to say: these Jews and homophiles and Roma are just vermin. And the Japanese say: we like to eat whaless, and shark fins. And others like dolphin meat. And some Chinese eat dogs. They are just dogs.”
This time, everybody got my point, and agreed that every life is precious and that one should not feel gratified or take pleasure in killing any other sentient being, even if it is the life of a fly.
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While I do agree treating every life as precious would doubtlessly improve the state of humanity and the world itself, I still feel you are going a bit far faulting someone who has not had the advantage of your insights. Would you blame a Christian for eating ham because it's not Kosher for Jews? Or scorn Muslims for eating meat on a friday the Roman Catholics proclaimed meatless? Mind you, I am not quibbling over the relative value of a fly's life. My point is that this whole arguemnt is a clash of values systems and you are faulting someone who does not believe as you believe. In a nutshell, that is why millions have been slaughtered in the name of God. And proclaiming one god to be the only true godis another tedious argument...
ReplyDeleteI didn't really try to fault Obama, yet I made an observation of his act, and compare it with how I would act, now that I have learned a few things as a Buddhist.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't in any way trying to impugn you. i was asking for greater tolerance of others.
ReplyDelete