Is murder ever actually heroic or is that idea propaganda?

Question

Hello Andrew, first of all I would like to say I love you and I will always love you no matter what. With that in mind I would like to tell you why I am writing you this letter. I don’t want you to be influenced by your involvement in the Air Force for little kids without hearing another point of view. First of all, think about people you have heard of that are famous for being violent. The ones that come to my mind are Adolf Hitler, General Custer, Benito Mussolini, Eric Harris, Dylan Klebold, and George Washington. The list goes on and on but they are all famous for being killers. When someone is famous for doing bad things it is called infamous, so they are all infamous. Now think of people you have heard of that are famous for being nonviolent or against violence. The ones that come to my mind are Martin Luther King Jr., Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Theresa.
Now let’s examine these two groups. Adolf Hitler, of course, is known for killing millions of Jews in gas chambers along with starting a war that killed tens of millions of people. Mussolini was similar in a different time period. General Custer was known for being very violent in his attempt to keep slavery legal in the United States. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold are known for randomly shooting their classmates at Columbine High School. George Washington also started a war but it may surprise you that I put him in this category because Americans view him as a hero. One thing that your high school history teacher probably won’t teach you is that George Washington was a slave owner and did not believe black people were people. Another thing your high school history class will not talk about is that at least ten thousand Native Americans were killed because they would not accept Jesus as their God.
So let’s try to think of things from a Native American point of view. They lived on an entire continent where nobody had ever said the name Jesus Christ ever. They were then told that they must refer to God as Jesus Christ and if they didn’t lie and say okay they would be shot. My point is that there are many people in the world that do not think our forefathers were heroes.

Here are some quotes from the infamous people I listed.

Adolf Hitler
“Any alliance whose purpose is not the intention to wage war is senseless and useless.”
“As a Christian I have no duty to allow myself to be cheated, but I have the duty to be a fighter for truth and justice.”

General Custer
“I would be willing, yes glad, to see a battle everyday during my life.”

Benito Mussolini
“It’s good to trust others, not to do so is much better.”
“Let us have a dagger between our teeth, a bomb in our hands, and an infinite scorn in our hearts.”



George Washington
“If we desire to avoid insult, we must be able to repel it; if we desire to secure peace, one of the most powerful instruments of our rising prosperity, it must be known, that we at all times ready for war.”
“It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the bible.”
“Overgrown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty, and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to the Republican party.”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was known for insisting that all men are created equal as our Constitution states and for standing up for the rights of all people without ever being violent. Jesus Christ was known for loving all people who have ever lived and ever will live unconditionally. He was also very nonviolent. Mohandas Gandhi was the same as Martin Luther King Jr. but in India, where brown people were also mistreated by white people. Mother Theresa spent her entire life doing everything she could to take care of poor, starving, and sick children.
Here are some quotes from the famous people I listed.

Jesus Christ, Matthew 5:38-45
“You have heard it was said, eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. You have heard it was said, love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.”

Mahatma Gandhi
“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”

Martin Luther King Jr.
“Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.”
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Mother Theresa
“I have found the paradox, if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”

I wrote this to my young nephew, am I wrong?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

so naive

Derail · Answer

I read all this, and you're incorrect on a couple things. I don't know if Custer ever publicly stated his views on slavery. But he was a Union General and sided with Republicans because Republicans at that time wanted to abolish slavery while the Democrats wanted to extend slavery into the newly forming states west of the Mississippi. But Custer's alliances suggest he would have been anti-slavery.

No one has ever claimed Washington to be a perfect role model (I don't think). But what he did to help get America founded and his actions in the War For Independence were certainly great efforts and noble deeds when considering a fledgling nation that was trying to organize with the inner structure of a fair democracy.

It is important to educate your Nephew, and for that you should be commended. But please also make him understand that the US didn't just fall together by accident. It was formed by heroic people who saw themselves as instrumental parts of a country that could be better than the ones they had come from. Not one of those Forefathers ever attempted to dominate the nation nor dictate limitations on an individuals productivity and earning potential. They wanted instead to impose democracy which allows a society to evolve and change while reflecting its values in those it elects.

Anonymous · Answer

I think you are rather naive and see the world with rose colored glasses. How old are you?

Ironic, the constitution you claim MLK fought for rights under was drafted under the colonist who wrote a ground breaking document fighting for freedom against imperial Britain. The same slave owners you condemn wrote the exact words blacks used centuries later for civil rights. So while you go off the deep end comparing our founding fathers to Hitler, I found a flaw in your argument. They wrote a living document that has paved the way for civil and human rights and inspired countries world wide......including Ghandi who admired the Americans perseverance against Britain. I got you.....Admit it.

Ps: if you despise the actions of the men who created this country, call up your local Indian tribe and abdicate your right to your home and property to them.

Devils Advocate · Answer

Nope, you are not wrong. A little idealistic maybe, but who can say that's wrong. I hope Andrew grows up to be a good person. No doubt he will  know that 'Sometimes you gotta fight to be a man'.
The whole point is that there HAVE been, and WILL be again, people like Hitler and Mussolini.  They wont go away if you hug them and tell them you love them. You have to have people who will be willing to fight them and kill them.

Anonymous · Answer

I gave up MMA champ team when I was born-again @ age 14, cuz I thought Christianity was strict pacifist

I was still pacifist @ interdenominational evangelical Bible College

Till Ethics debate on, Is there a Bible case for a Just War?

I was the only one willing to research that & argue for it

I surprised myself by filling both sides of a revolving blackboard with just the Bible references to God commanding violent coup d'etat on unjust & evil rulers - see just Judges, Kings & Chronicles @ it

Christ met several soldiers & never told any to leave the army: a strict pacifist woulda

He once said, "If any of you does not have a sword, he should sell his cloak & buy one"

He returns to win Armageddon & slaughter Antichrist armies who invade Israel & attack Jerusalem

I won the vote hands down, singlehanded against 4 speakers who thought I'd stick to essay script

Dressed as a soldier, I ended by casting notes aside, to plead with any who would serve near military barracks to contact chaplains & offer help to men who see, hear, smell, taste & touch worse than anyone esle & have mental problems & emotional problems like post traumatic stress

Got a standing ovation

A long one

Anonymous · Answer

Okay so what is your point? You're an ignorant liberal who still believes in good and bad? Yes George Washington was an ***, he was still significant in American history. Yes we know the Native Americans got **** on, that's what happens when you have 17th century Christians with weapons. Are you trying to convince him that the US military is evil?

Anonymous · Answer

I didn't have time to read your entire question. If someone killed a child rapist, that might be considered heroic.

kathy_is_a_nurse · Answer

If I were your sister/brother, I'd never speak to you again!

Kimberly · Answer

I think you make great points.

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Is murder ever actually heroic or is that idea propaganda?

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