Jake on Nick Berg
Jake posts a thoughtful post on Nick Berg.
As I have mentioned before, my life experience has made it clear to me that I am a killer. I suspect that in the dark interior recesses of most people resides a killer. Humans are capable of cold-blooded murder. There is no doubt in my mind that if an intruder came into my home and threatened my family, I would not hesitate to stop them, even if it meant killing them. There is little doubt in my mind that, if I were able, I would have killed the men in that video. There is a thin line that separates me from those men.Let me say a bit about that thin line. If I were to kill an intruder, justified or not, I would still have to hold myself accountable to God. It is my belief that it is a very human characteristic to kill. I do not think that it is a divine characteristic. What I understand separates me from the rest of the animal kingdom is my conscious awareness of God. That awareness calls me to rise above my animal nature. That awareness calls me to a higher standard. That awareness informs me that the shedding of blood, the release of the nephesh, the life-force, is always a tragedy, is an act that grieves the heart of God, and makes this world a little smaller.
I am a killer that now refuses to kill, not because I am unable, not because I am weak, but because I am obedient to my Creator, the Life-Giver.
The human Jake says kill the bastards. But I hear another voice whispering in my ear. A voice that suggests that it is in our weakness that we discover our strength. Playing this ugly game on their level is to become just another manifestation of the spirit of death that seems of late to have a strangle-hold on us all. The violence must end. The end of this destruction begins with me.
And then, by extension of my ego, the violence must end within my family, my neighborhood, my faith community, my city, my state, my nation, and my world. But it has to begin with me.
I will not give in to such intimidation by animals. They need to be put in a cage to protect the innocent from their savagery. I will not give in to my own violent nature and desire for revenge. I will not call for their heads.
Actions speak louder than words. I will tell you of a symbolic action I am taking. It is a little thing, but quite big to me. I have a small single shot 20 gauge I’ve held on to, for “sentimental reasons.” Once I decide the best way, I’m going to get rid of it. Demi never liked the thing anyway. I need to remove this implement of destruction from my life. The end of the violence has to begin with me. My response to this tragedy will be to listen to that whispering voice, and begin the act of disarmament within my own household. A small symbolic act; symbolic of my conviction that the killing must stop.
May 15th, 2004 at 8:53 pm
In the final analysis, we are all the same. We all have the capacity towards barbarism. Only situation and circumstance seperates us from those who beheaded Nicholas Berg. That said, I strongly hold that no human being deserves to die in that manner. That those people did what they did in the name of their God places them apart from the rest of humanity in that they have crossed the line between ’saying’ and ‘doing’.
May 17th, 2004 at 8:19 pm
I agree that his killing was totally barbaric. On the other hand I read that he was a devout Jew wearing the Jewish tassles etc. It strikes me that Baghdad is not the place to be proudly displaying your Jewishness right at the moment.
At one level is it that much different to the guy who was mauled to death by the bear in Canada not so long ago.
One has to assess the risks of ones behaviour and it seems to me that he chose to go there and was engaging in highly risky and provocative behaviour to achieve large monetary gain and he paid the price.
Compare that with the Iraqi individuals which, over the next few years, will die slow painful deaths because of the spent nuclear fuel that the USA packed into its cluster bombs. That is equally barbaric but does not make such great media footage.
I mourn the death of Nick Berg, foolish though he may have been, just as I mourn the death of all the others who will die in this futile conflict. At least, however, he entered the war zone willingly. He took a gamble and lost.