Kill

I've developed an aversion to killing in recent years. I'd like to think that this is due to spiritual growth that has come from studying Buddhist teachings, but it only seems to apply to innocent creatures... there are still plenty of people I would like to kill (if you drive slow in the passing lane, this means you). Anyway, one day I just decided that killing is the "easy way out" in life, and it is much more commendable to preserve life wherever you find it.

For the most part this means not killing bugs that wander into my apartment, but instead capturing the little critters and then releasing them outside. After all, they don't really know any better, and can hardly be blamed for trespassing where they are unwanted. Sure it's a lot more trouble than just squashing them with a swatter, but there's a certain satisfaction which comes from knowing that the infinite power you possess over such a small and unassuming life can be used for something other than death and destruction.

Anyway, Sarah over at the most excellent "One Before" blog has written a heartwarming short entry (titled "How Wetas Become My Friends") which reaffirms my thinking on the matter... "just because you can do a thing, doesn't mean you should do it."

There are too many people in this world who are in desperate need of reflecting on that. Especially those who seem to look at human beings as nothing more than bugs to be squashed.

Comments

Only today, someone was telling me (after I commented on an unnaturally blue coloured drink), that for a long time the only natural edible black food colouring came from crushing a particular beetle into a fine powder.

And this bug is what gives black jellybeans their distinctive taste.

I'd have thought it was liquorice, but what would I know I suppose.

Posted by llew on December 16, 2004

   

Excellent post. I think this could be applied to lots of different organizations/gubments/countries as well.

I'm going to get me one of them there gravatars...

Posted by UncleHornHead on December 26, 2004

   

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