Would you die for a conviction?

Ralphy1

Ralphy1

Well-known Member
Fortunately, most of us will never have to face this prospect in regard to a religious belief or political one as people around the world have had forever. Seeing I hold no firm convictions I would be likely to survive, how about you?
 

I'm not a saint but there are some convictions that I think might be worth dying for.

Max Kolbe actually did it in Auschwitz

Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish priest who died as prisoner 16770 in Auschwitz, on August 14, 1941.

When a prisoner escaped from the camp, the Nazis selected 10 others to be killed by starvation in reprisal for the escape. One of the 10 selected to die, Franciszek Gajowniczek, began to cry: My wife! My children! I will never see them again!

At this Maximilian Kolbe stepped forward and asked to die in his place. His request was granted ...
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There is a lot of nonsense written about persons nominated to become saints but the above statements are verified facts.
 
Yes, that priest had more courage than I could probably ever muster...
 

From taking another's life to giving of your own, one never knows how they will respond until that moment in time. Many who sound brave would cower in that moment. Many who seem soft and resilient would give all in defense of family, country, and convictions in that moment.
 
A conviction is just a strongly held belief. I can't imagine many situations where losing your life over a conviction would make more of a difference than staying alive and fighting for that conviction in more productive ways. So no, not over a conviction. Ask me something more difficult. :)
 
NancyNGA said:
A conviction is just a strongly held belief. I can't imagine many situations where losing your life over a conviction would make more of a difference than staying alive and fighting for that conviction in more productive ways. So no, not over a conviction. Ask me something more difficult. :)
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We can't always know that fighting for a conviction will result in our death, but when it is a strong possibility and someone does not back down, I am filled with admiration.

One of my favourite war heroes was an army doctor, known affectionately as Weary Dunlop, who was one of the POWs of the Japanese. He cared for the Australian and other prisoners working on the Burma railway and was renowned for the way he stood up to the Japanese guards to protect his patients. This is just one example of him putting his life on the line for a helpless man.

Resisting brutality

There were many instances of Weary risking his own life for others, defying cruelty against himself and others, and acting with compassion in extreme situations.

The 21 year old British prisoner of war Billy Griffiths lost both hands and was blinded by a mine. Weary operated on him and cared for him as well as he could but the Japanese decided they would kill him because he was so badly injured. However Weary regarded Billy as his patient and stood between Billy and the bayonets, insisting that they would have to kill him in order to kill Billy. The Japanese backed down. Billy Griffiths survived the war and has lived a long life.

http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/weary-dunlop
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Weary Dunlop could have chosen to stand back on the grounds that alive he could help more patients than he could dead, but his conviction as a doctor was too strong to allow one of his patients to be murdered without attempting to stop it. His memory is revered because of his strength of conviction and his courage.
 
Good one, DW. I wouldn't have considered that as a conviction, but I guess it would be. Actually when I asked for a harder question, I figured someone would come back with "Would you die to save someone else's life?" Honestly, I can't answer to that, in general.
 
I was a teacher, mostly of girls. I hold strong convictions about the value of education of girls.
I remember reading about Afghanistan under the Taliban when education for girls was forbidden.
There was an underground movement of clandestine 'schools' disguised as other activities where educated women conducted classes for women and girls in their homes, reading, among other things, Jane Austen novels.

They were taking very big risks for that particular conviction. Just think of Malala Yousafzai in Pakistan. That little lady, even after the attempt on her life, is not backing down. I don't think I could match her courage but I like to think I would be one of the clandestine home teaching brigade.

But as others have said, until tested we don't know what we are capable of.
 
I would certainly *risk* losing my life to save someone else's. Even a stranger. If I were on a sinking ship, I would probably be the last one to get on board the lifeboat. But if death were a *certainty* I don't know. Don't like to think about it.
 
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