The Rarer Action
Prospero, the magician of The Tempest fame, muses, "The rarer action is in virture than in vengence." Sounds much like what Buddha or Jesus might say to their throngs of followers. And yet, the most difficult of decisions often rest in the realm of payback or turning the other cheek.
Is it that difficult to do--to choose virtue over justice? Or maybe it isn't justice we look for, but mere retaliation for being outed for what we really are. If I'm attacked, than I must retaliate. I think that it is an important question to ask in these times. Our country was attacked. We sought vengence. A high school girl steps of the bus and is insulted and pushed. She sought vengence. My competence as a teacher was questioned by a parent. I wanted vengenence.
There is a part in me that wishes I had made the points I wanted to make. To allow my ego to defend himself against the attacker. It would have been justified--I had the backing of many colleagues whom I respect greatly.
But to the delight of both my ego and my conscience, I chose neither the rarer action nor the desired end. Instead, I was polite and courteous to the questioning parent while in conversation and then berated them while in converstation with my colleagues. To some degree I feel good about what I did and yet, I find myself wondering what it would be like to have not given in to fury in any way. I am no Buddha. Nor am I Jesus. But the question that will always linger: is that what it really takes to choose the rarer action?
The consequences of either choice are astonishing when we consider them. With vengence, the consequence is a feeling of satisfaction. I won't try to persuade anyone that vengence does not have some feeling of satisfaction lingering just behind. But in that satisfaction, I believe a void exists when we choose vengence over forgiveness.
I can't say I know how astonishing the consequences of forgiveness really are. At least not from my own experience. But I can say that in the life of Jesus, all the astonishment is on full display. In the teaching of the Buddha, there is no more clear a message than forgiveness. And it is to that end I strive.
Is it that difficult to do--to choose virtue over justice? Or maybe it isn't justice we look for, but mere retaliation for being outed for what we really are. If I'm attacked, than I must retaliate. I think that it is an important question to ask in these times. Our country was attacked. We sought vengence. A high school girl steps of the bus and is insulted and pushed. She sought vengence. My competence as a teacher was questioned by a parent. I wanted vengenence.
There is a part in me that wishes I had made the points I wanted to make. To allow my ego to defend himself against the attacker. It would have been justified--I had the backing of many colleagues whom I respect greatly.
But to the delight of both my ego and my conscience, I chose neither the rarer action nor the desired end. Instead, I was polite and courteous to the questioning parent while in conversation and then berated them while in converstation with my colleagues. To some degree I feel good about what I did and yet, I find myself wondering what it would be like to have not given in to fury in any way. I am no Buddha. Nor am I Jesus. But the question that will always linger: is that what it really takes to choose the rarer action?
The consequences of either choice are astonishing when we consider them. With vengence, the consequence is a feeling of satisfaction. I won't try to persuade anyone that vengence does not have some feeling of satisfaction lingering just behind. But in that satisfaction, I believe a void exists when we choose vengence over forgiveness.
I can't say I know how astonishing the consequences of forgiveness really are. At least not from my own experience. But I can say that in the life of Jesus, all the astonishment is on full display. In the teaching of the Buddha, there is no more clear a message than forgiveness. And it is to that end I strive.
posted by Mr. McNamar at 1:56 PM
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