Soldier or Monk which would you choose?
Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 9:37 am
Soldier or Monk, you must choose one and you must choose now.
That's how the question was posed to me. No explanation, no definitions, and all I got for my answer was an exasperated sigh.
That was a long time ago. Thus I have had time to ponder the question. I have decided that it comes down to perception. How one views the roles of the two choices, would determine the answer. Yet these can easily include misconceptions, as each individual would have different ideas as to the basic qualities of each.
For me, I viewed each in relation to their approach to life in my opinion. I saw the Soldier as taking the active, aggressive role in life. While the monk a more inactive, passive role. In other words.
The Soldier takes an active role in having the courage to fight for the ideals he subscribe too.
The Monk on the other hand, in his solitary life of prayer, takes a more inactive role and can only passively resist.
One could easily see it completely the opposite.
The Monk has the Freedom to do as he pleases, while the Soldier can only blindly follow orders. Though these are misconceptions. The Monk is constrained to Papal dictates, and the Soldier is only expected to follow lawfull orders, in effect "Massacre the women and children" would not be obeyed.
One could also say that the Monk seeks only God, and the Soldier seeks only glory.
Or that the Soldier strives to live to see victory, while the Monk strives to be martyred that others may be saved.
In a sense the two could be seen as a classic symbiotic relationship.
The Monk needs the Soldier for protection and the Soldier needs the Monk for absolution.
It never hurts to get a different point of view. So I am throwing it out there.
Which would you choose and why?
That's how the question was posed to me. No explanation, no definitions, and all I got for my answer was an exasperated sigh.
That was a long time ago. Thus I have had time to ponder the question. I have decided that it comes down to perception. How one views the roles of the two choices, would determine the answer. Yet these can easily include misconceptions, as each individual would have different ideas as to the basic qualities of each.
For me, I viewed each in relation to their approach to life in my opinion. I saw the Soldier as taking the active, aggressive role in life. While the monk a more inactive, passive role. In other words.
The Soldier takes an active role in having the courage to fight for the ideals he subscribe too.
The Monk on the other hand, in his solitary life of prayer, takes a more inactive role and can only passively resist.
One could easily see it completely the opposite.
The Monk has the Freedom to do as he pleases, while the Soldier can only blindly follow orders. Though these are misconceptions. The Monk is constrained to Papal dictates, and the Soldier is only expected to follow lawfull orders, in effect "Massacre the women and children" would not be obeyed.
One could also say that the Monk seeks only God, and the Soldier seeks only glory.
Or that the Soldier strives to live to see victory, while the Monk strives to be martyred that others may be saved.
In a sense the two could be seen as a classic symbiotic relationship.
The Monk needs the Soldier for protection and the Soldier needs the Monk for absolution.
It never hurts to get a different point of view. So I am throwing it out there.
Which would you choose and why?
:-6