I'm inviting Agent Tim, Spunky Jr., and
my other favorite homeschool kids to discuss "courageism" with me. If you've linked
straight to here, you may want to look at some of the earlier posts to
catch up on what "courageism" is, but here's the short version:
Courageism is the only viable answer to terrorism.
Courage
means fearing and facing the right things, with the right attitude, at
the right time, in the right way, and the ends that courage pursues
must be noble.
Historical examples of "courageists" include Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, Jesus, and Socrates.
Contemporary "courageists" include the Danish cartoonists and Muslim moderates who speak out against violent extremism.
This seems obvious to me, but nobody is talking about it. As of
today, googleing "courageism" gets a total of four hits. You
young people may spend your entire lives fighting the "Long War"
against terror, so I can't think of anyone I'd rather have discussing
this topic.
We can start the discussion right here in the comments
I've invited about ten of the people on Agent Tim's and Spunky Jr's blogrolls, but many of the people they list don't have an email button and didn't have any posts where it seemed appropriate to insert an invite. Please feel free to invite any and all (and they don't have to just be homeschooled teens!) to get in on the action.
Courage has a lot of meanings in the world today. Some take it to be bravery - that is, facing our fears. Others believe courage is perseverance - that is, persisting in what we have set out to do. These two primary elements, and others form the crux of courageism (a phrase, admittedly, I've never heard up until this day). They form a vital part that is too often lacking in the train of Western thought. Yet, Jesus Christ embodied this perfectly.
Courage as Bravery It's almost a stereotypical situation when someone is told that bravery is not the lack of fear, but facing fear in spite of oneself. In the Gospel accounts of Matthew and John, we can see the anguish and fear with which Christ looked forward to His crucifixion. Yet, dispite the difficulties, the inevitable pain, He went forward to His Cross with joy and triumphed - redeeming man from sin. In this aspect, we must be faithful - despite our fears, our worries, and the things that it might cost us (in the cases of Christ, King, and Gandhi, it cost them their lives) - despite all of that, we must face it. Terrorism is not a pretty thing and it will not be an easy enemy to defeat (coming from my theological point of view, an enemy that we cannot defeat) but the battle must still be fought.
Courage as Perseverance Perseverance - continuing what you are doing until the goal is accomplished - is obviously an essential portion of courageism. After all, if we do not have that attitude to finish the job, it's not going to get done. I am reminded again of how Jesus approached the Cross. Even with the difficulties on the road and the attempts to dissuade him from his disciples, He continued on to Jerusalem. Even when the teachers of the law and the Sanhedrin abused Him and cursed Him, even when brought before the most powerful authorities in the land - Pilate and Herod - He persisted in His silent witness. Even when He was beaten and scourged in such brutality such that He could barely stand, He carried His own Cross - going willingly to His death. Even when He could have given up His life before the appointed time, he persisted in fulfilling the word of the prophets in taking of the vinegar. And when all had been accomplished, he said, "It is finished." "Perseverance," says the Apostle James, "must finish its work that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1, NIV)
Courage as Zeal Zeal, too, is vital. If we no longer have the passion for what we fight for, we shall surely be defeated. Zeal is rewarded in the Scriptures - as we see in the case of Phinehas, the son of Aaron (Numbers 22?), and in the case of King David (1 Samuel 17). It is also the case with Jesus. During the week before His crucifixion, He preached in the Temple every day. Among His words was a stinging rebuke to the leaders of the people, "Woe to you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!" sounded throughout the holy mount. He cleared the Temple of barters and traders who were systematically robbing the Israelites when they came to sacrifice before the LORD. He cast them out, fulfilling the prophecy, as John says, "Zeal for your house will consume me." This is vital...Zeal means we have the energy to continue to fight and carry to cause forward.
Courage as Vision There can be no victory without a Vision. Dr. King had a vision - "I have a dream..." - and it cost him His life. Jesus had a vision as well - "I pray for them, Father, that they might be one, even as you and I are one." His Vision was that the Redeemed would worship "in Spirit and in truth" and be united in that. He sufferred, He taught them servant-leadership, gave them the authority and the call to be one in Him. Paul carried that on, "Is Christ divided?" (1 Cor. 1). The Bride of Christ will be whole and one - that was the vision of Jesus. In order for this courageism to be contained, we must have a definite vision, a goal, an ultimatum.
Courage in Love "And faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor. 13:13, ESV). "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, I am bot a noisy gong and a clanging cymbal. And if I prophesy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that removes mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." (1 Cor. 13:1-2, ESV). "God is love. Whoever abides in love, abides in God and God in him." (1 John). The Christian message is preserved in love. Courageism cannot sustain itself ("Apart from me, you can do nothing" -John 15, ESV) and without God's aid and His love, we shall not seize the victory.
Courageism, then, is made up of these five things: Bravery, Perseverance, Zeal, Vision, and Love. With these, there is nothing that cannot be defeated. As our Lord once said, "Take heart, for I have overcome the world" - and He did....He did.
First, a point of clarification. Is it pronounced 'KER-uh-jis-um' or 'ker-AY-jis-um'?
Courageism presupposed absolutes. It assumes that certain things (God and His law) are to be feared and obeyed while other things are not. If we fear the right things, then we will never fear the wrong things. After all, if we truly fear God, then the intimidation tactics of terrorists will not shake us.
Courageism allows for a distinction between our founding fathers and terrorists. George Washington demonstrated courageism by fearing the right things, and, consequently, not fearing the wrong things. Terrorists have misplaced fear, which leads to misplaced 'bravery.' The concept of courageism recognizes the existence of absolutes, and thus renders a blanket term such as 'Freedom Fighters' inadequate.
Ps. 56: 304 'When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?'
Hey Scott I am so sorry it took me so long to get over here. Thanks for the invite!
To me Courage, or Courageism, is the ablitity to stand alone for what is right though all evil should bar the way. It is someone who is not afraid to call sin by its right name. It is embodied in John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. It is a person who is not afraid to stand for right, though it cost them much, even to the giving of their very life.
I wish more people where infested with "Courageism". May it ever be among us.
