To the extent that the Gun Culture 2.0 instills in people a willingness to kill, it can be harmful to their character. [More]And what about the character of someone who is not willing to kill?
Rational people don't dehumanize their enemies. Their enemies do that all by themselves, by dehumanizing them and those they love.
The morally virtuous person who, as a last resort, kills an assailant in self-defense (or in defense of another person) may not be guilty of a morally unjust act. Nevertheless, if that person has good character, is empathetic, compassionate, and loving, she “will feel regret at having been the agent of killing.”I don't know, because thank God, I have never been put to that test. My experience is one size does not fit all, it depends on the circumstances, and some people, through their actions, don't merit another thought.
It also seems "Physician heal thyself" and Matthew 7:3-5 might have some application here.
2 comments:
"Guns may not damage the character of their owners. But if we use them in the ways much of Gun Culture 2.0 encourages, we risk harming our character in serious ways."
Absolutely. Better to just give up and be murdered by the genuine sociopaths. Builds character.
I've never had to shoot anyone; God willing, I never will. Having said that, I have used a gun in self defense (classic situation: the person in question saw sidearm, decided he had more pressing matters elsewhere). If I had had to actually shoot this person, I have no doubt that I would have felt some degree of regret. I assume I also would have felt regret if I'd been unarmed and the attacker decided to kill me.
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