Killing

There is a lot of killing in my garden. Not the least of which is done by me – ripping up carrots, tearing out lettuce by its roots, digging up potatoes and cutting of asparagus plants shortly after they emerge to search for light.

Careful observation reveals that others are involved in this distasteful activity. There are the ubiquitous spider webs – instruments of execution. Birds nibble here and there, various insects dine on others and then there is the feral cat that wanders in from time to time; I know he is eating something.

All of this is, well, natural. Part of God’s plan. Interestingly, all the major religions have some sort of admonition against killing. Whatever is meant by that?

Religious people throughout history have had remarkably different interpretations of this “commandment”. You have Sikhs who wear masks to avoid inhaling, and thus killing, an absent-minded insect. Certain Buddhists have been known to carefully dig up and find new accommodations for worms in an area that is to be excavated. At the other extreme are many, probably most of us, are willing to kill most anyone whose lives we find inconvenient.

The Dalai Lama was once asked if he would kill a mosquito. He replied that he would probably let the insect take a first bite, but if it came back for a second, it was toast. ( I’m paraphrasing here.) I’m not so inclined to be generous with that first nip, but I do understand the sentiment. We need to be disciplined and thoughtful about our killing. Taking out a mosquito, frankly, is not a challenge to the big picture. On the other hand, eliminating mosquitoes entirely, as we often want to do for “bothersome” creatures, is damaging to God’s ecosystem and ultimately to our own well being.

I think the Dalai Lama was suggesting that there are no “up or down” rules. We will all kill on a regular basis – animals, plants, mosquitoes, gut bacteria. Whatever. But when we choose to end life that is part of the divine fabric, it behooves us to be aware, to be mindful, to do it with care.

Some argue that “killing” in religious texts refers only to humans. While that seems a little chauvinistic I have to agree that there is something more serious about taking the life of conscious beings, including ourselves. Even within this narrower focus, however, a clear rule is not apparent. Many see an absolute prohibition against homicide of any form. Most of us, however, seem to interpret the killing of people from other tribes, countries, gangs, ethnicities, or religions as still permissible and within the providence of “gods will”. In addition, it is suggested, God makes allowances for dispensing those from our own tribes if they are really irritating or we don’t agree with them or for some other equally important reason we judge them unworthy.

While there are the conscientious objectors who are willing to be jailed or die before they will kill a human, there are those who put bible verses on weapons they take into battle. How is one to make sense of this?

For a long time I felt that unyielding non-violence was a firm rule. In the 1980s I saw the movie “Gandhi”; then I read Gandhi; then I tried to be Gandhi. In the basic teachings of every major religious there is a reminder that “killing begets killing, hatred begets hatred” etc. History over and over has proved this to be true. Humans must not harm other humans. For their sake, for my sake. I honestly felt that given the opportunity I would be the one to nobly sacrifice myself in the interest of peace - just like Gandhi.

Then I had grandchildren. Game change. Don’t mess with my grandchildren. I don’t pretend to be a fighter or even know which direction of a gun is up, but I am not beyond serious whapping with a rolling pin or similar lethal weapon, in defense of my grandchildren.

I’m not proud of this and I’ve had some serious talks with myself about this, but in honesty, I can't excape this un-Gandhian attitude. I might be willing to take some blows myself, but I won’t stand back when my grandchildren are in the line of fire. This doesn’t make me unique. Recently, in Sacramento there was a grandfather who ran in front of a moving car to push his grandson to safety. In the process the grandfather was seriously hurt. Everyone got all excited about the guy –how brave, how selfless, all that stuff. Well, I’m on to him. That’s what grandparents are programmed to do. We’ve done that forever. He was running on instinct.

Here's the thing. If I am willing to commit violence against another human being to protect my grandchild, what about someone else’s grandchild? What about someone else’s grown up grandchild? If I believe in the interconnectedness of life doesn’t that make me willing to kill for just about anyone?

It gets so messy.

Just give me a rule that I can make fit my needs, and let’s be done with it.

I remember a discussion with a dear, wise old friend, a teacher and follower of the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, and a life long pacifist He was asked that ubiquitous question “what if someone is about to shoot an innocent person, cause mayhem, blow up the world etc., would you just let it happen rather than kill the person”. His answer “I’d shoot off his trigger finger”. I’ve always loved that answer.

This man was in his late eighties when he said this – I doubt he was capable of “shooting off his trigger finger”, or much of anything else. Furthermore, I know for a fact that he would be willing to put his life on the line before he would engage in violence or killing.

So what did he mean? What he was saying was that a person who respected the divinity of the universe, of life, would do what was necessary to preserve life in the largest sense, but with as little damage as possible. No rationalization or neither is passivity. There can be no hint of self righteousness. One must be an active participant in the fabric of life, but in the gentlest, most generous and most life-enhancing way possible

Religions tend to talk a lot more about hatred than about killing. That’s because hatred is the source of the problem. Hatred with all its siblings, fear, anger, vengeance, maybe pride is in here somewhere. I think ego comes in. This is where killing goes bad.

My garden, like all living, vital things, is full of killing. But missing from the mix is hatred, vengeance, and death for the sake of emotional satisfaction. Death among the tomato plants is not necessarily pretty or nice. I don’t think it is painless; truthfully it’s hard to tell for the small animals caught in this drama. But it is not based on retribution, revenge, hate. It goes on because it is necessary for the survival of life and it is part of the strangely poignant dance of life.

The spider does not go after the fly because the fly is an “other”. Spider is hungry; fly is tasty, Nothin’ personal here.

Erma Bombeck wrote a hilarious column making fun of those psychologists who suggest you should never hit a child in anger. No, she suggested, “wait until they are tucked into bed, smiling cherubic smiles, and telling you how much they love you – then, let them have it.” Of course, she made the point. When the anger dissipates, it is difficult to imagine yourself doing violence to your child or, for that matter, anyone else. Perhaps this is why we are told to make peace with our brothers before we come to the altar of God.

Of course, this is no easy task.