Religion and Ethics Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Ricky Spanish on June 07, 2017, 07:53:43 AM
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Who do you think of as "enemies" and why?
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The only thing I can think of is a boy who went to a neighbouring school who used to taunt me, no idea why but that was when I was a teenager and I'm 57 now so a long time ago.
Other than that I don't have any enemies & can't think of anyone else.
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In real life I don't appear to have any enemies, although on forums there are some who would like to see me roasting for all eternity in the fires of hell. ;D
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Presumably the simplest capsule definition of an enemy is anyone who espouses or embodies values which negate/are the opposite of those we hold most dear. Eighty years ago the Nazis were our enemies because their wordview and value system were the opposite of ours. Today of course it's ISIS and their like kind, for the same reasons.
I could spend a lot of time on this and come up with a much longer and detailed list but off the top of my head I would say that the values I hold most dear are democracy, social liberalism, humanism (broadly construed, as I have issues with some definitions of the term), secularism, pluralism, and whatever enlarges the sphere of the freedom of the individual and encourages the flourishing of the individual life.
If you're against those, you're my enemy, since you make yourself the enemy of what I consider to be the best arrangement for life we've so far come up with.
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They don't know you floo,aren't going to be following you down the road, so it doesn't matter. Plus they might not mean it & say what comes to mind at any time, anonymously. Cowardly really.
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They don't know you floo,aren't going to be following you down the road, so it doesn't matter. Plus they might not mean it & say what comes to mind at any time, anonymously. Cowardly really.
Forums are not reality, so it doesn't bother me in the slightest what people think of me.
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Who do you think of as "enemies" and why?
People who are unaccountable to any authority and coerce or intimidate others through violence or economic power.
I don't consider people who hold a different opinion from me as an enemy - that's a necessary part of the democratic process and to be encouraged as it is much better than the alternative of "group think" where people's ideas are never challenged. I voted Remain but I don't consider anyone who voted leave as my enemy and am glad I got to hear and somewhat comprehend their issues. Similarly I am very glad that Dajjal and Trippymonkey are part of this forum.
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I pretty much agree with that, Gabriella. I have some broad ideas as to how I want to live my life and how I'd like to see society function, but they are always subjective and I don't consider anyone who sees them differently as an enemy, unless they seek to use power or violence to negatively impact the lives of others.
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The question of why we need enemies has been much discussed in various disciplines, and one interesting idea is that we project bad stuff out onto them. Of course, this has huge implications, for example, with regard to scapegoating and religion. I am thinking of Girard, who argued that Christianity is based on this, and in fact, other religions. So I need an enemy in order to feel good about myself, and to expel the bad from myself. But then in the end, I can bring it back and integrate it, if I am lucky. This happens in war, I suppose, where I become very violent (total war), but it's their fault. But it gets more complicated still, because sometimes I need an enemy in order to feel bad about myself, as they persecute me, and I want to be punished. Ooh la la. Other theories are available.
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I think our tendency to label ourselves and others leads to tribalism leads to enmity and war. If I am this but you are that then you are a threat, or wrong. We flag up our differences and ignore our common ground.
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Gabriella
''I don't consider people who hold a different opinion from me as an enemy - that's a necessary part of the democratic process and to be encouraged as it is much better than the alternative of "group think" where people's ideas are never challenged. I voted Remain but I don't consider anyone who voted leave as my enemy and am glad I got to hear and somewhat comprehend their issues. Similarly I am very glad that Dajjal and Trippymonkey are part of this forum.''
EXCELLENT points. I just KNOW we'd get along fantastically if we ever met. I don't hate anyone but it's such a rotten shame that people do what terrorists do, whoever they may be, & either we've no real idea why or they're not telling us !! Although at times we can have a damn good guess.
I also feel 'alternative' ideas are necessary if just to reinforce your own !
Nick
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To relieve constipation?
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Seb, that post sounds a bit stuck up to me.......
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OH DEAR
Isn't all this 'hard' enough as it is ?!?!?! LOL