Coerced Conversion

I have very mixed feelings about the Steve Centani and Olaf Wiig "conversion" that supposedly bought their freedom. I find it difficult to begrudge a man his right to preserve his own life...but still the easy acquiesence bothers me.

Once there were times and men that would not have made that choice. They would have seen it as dishonorable, as surrendering self to the enemy. And they might have been killed for it. And the world would have been a poorer place for their loss. And that's bad.

But without that core, that steel, that sense of self and honor, what is being preserved? Is just surviving enough? Doesn't it matter how? And for what?

I'm glad they made it home. I wish I could feel better about how they did it.

There's also the opinion of the enemy to consider. How does that make us look? Like clever self-preservationists who'll live to 'fight another day', or just frightened sheep, with rickety principles that collapse in the face of personal risk.

I worry.

Read Mark Steyn's take on the issue here.

The Gunslinger