Merle, "Militant Pacifist" - those are Einstein's words, not mine. I think he meant that he was willing to fight for peace - or something like that. You know, the whole 'we had to destroy the village to save it' kind of rationale.
...Bill! --- In [email protected], Merle Lester <merlewiitpom@...> wrote: > > > >  bill..what the "f" is a militant pacifist?...you either are a pacifist or > you are not...merle > > >  > Merle, > > It's true Einstein did not speak out publicly against the atomic bomb until > over a year after it was used on Japan. He also did encourage the US to > build the bomb because he was afraid the Nazis would develop one first. But > after he saw the destruction the bombs did he became a pacifist (although he > described himself as a 'militant pacifist'). > > ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], Merle Lester <merlewiitpom@> wrote: > > > > > > > > àyes bill..i know einstein was opposed to bomb however did he protest at > > it's use when the time came?..merle > > > > > > à> > *** Oneàcorrection(addition)àand oneàmodificationà> > (replacement)àto my post below: *** > > > > ...Bill!--- In [email protected], "Bill!" wrote: > > > > > > William! > > > > > > Talk about laying landmines... > > > > > > I ASSUME by the phrase 'ending the War with Japan' you're referring to > > > the atomic bombs dropped there; and I also ASSUME you're relating these > > > war-ending bombs back to Einstein's theories. If I've read this wrong > > > please let me know. The reason I accuse you of burying this landmine is > > > that (as I'm sure you know) Einstein was vehemently opposed to using any > > > of his work as the basis for building weapons - especially the atomic > > > bomb; so the 'credit' should not go toàEinstein but toàother > > > scientists (mathematicians and physicists) and engineers of that era - > > > like Oppenheimer maybe? > > > > > > That said I will answer your question but I'll rephrase it just a little > > > bit: It is more in line with my zen practice (not more important) to be > > > a good parent (not raise a good child) than it is to develop technology > > > (even if it did help end a war). > > > > > > I've made previous reference to a circa 1945 essay by Arthur Koestler > > > entitled THE YOGI AND THE COMMISSAR. It explores the two different > > > approaches to 'changing the world'. The commissar attempts to change > > > people by changing society through governmental laws and acts. The yogi > > > attempts to change people by first changing himself, and then one other > > > person, and then one other, etc... The commissar works from the top down > > > whereas the yogi from the bottom up. I suppose in this case you could > > > substitute 'scientist' for 'commissar'. > > > > > > The zen I've been taught and practice is definitively a 'bottom up' > > > approach. So is being a good parent. > > > > > > I'M STILL ANXIOUS TO READ EDGAR'S RESPONSE TO MERLE'S ORIGINAL QUESTION: > > > "...and the point to make here is: what is the greater task: raising the > > > good child or figuring out relativity?" > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > --- In [email protected], William Rintala brintala@ wrote: > > > > > > > > I'd like to weigh in here.ÃâàThe question is way too nebulous to > > > > answer and is > > > > fraught with many linguistic landmines.ÃâàI am certain that > > > > Adolph and Osama and > > > > Jeffrey Dahmer's mothers all raised good children.ÃâàEinstein's > > > > greatest > > > > achievement wasn't his work on Relativity where he postulated that > > > > events viewed > > > > from different planes of reference appeared to obey different laws of > > > > physics.Ãâà> > > > His greatest acheivement was his mathematical proof that matter and > > > > energy were > > > > the same.ÃâàE=MC^2.ÃâàHe also did work on the > > > > photovoltaic effect and I think that > > > > it was what one hime his Nobel Prize.ÃâàHe devoted his later > > > > life to working on a > > > > Unified Field Theorem which I believe he never finished.ÃâàSo > > > > which is the > > > > greater task raising Jeffry Dahmer or ending the War with Japan? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > From: Bill! BillSmart@ > > > > To: [email protected] > > > > Sent: Sun, May 5, 2013 7:53:37 PM > > > > Subject: [Zen] Re: blame game > > > > > > > > Ãâà> > > > Edgar, > > > > > > > > Merle asked a brilliant question in her post below. I'd like to hear > > > > your > > > > answer. The question was: > > > > > > > > "...and the point to make here is: what is the greater task: raising > > > > the good > > > > child or figuring out relativity?" > > > > > > > > What say you? > > > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], Merle Lester wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡Ãâàjoe and edgar.. > > > > > > > > > > he was too busy inside his head..and some circles say he was with > > > > > autism > > > > >spectrum.. > > > > > > > > > > leave the everyday work to wifey...who by the way was a scientist in > > > > > her own > > > > >right till she met up with einstein.. > > > > > > > > > > as all wifey's they ended up carrying the baby, tending to baby, > > > > > tending to the > > > > >everyday whist the smart hubby does his thingi...ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡Ãâà> > > > > > > > > > not so with madame curie though...ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡Ãâà> > > > > > > > > > you have to be a strong woman to stand up to the male chauvinist > > > > > pig..and that > > > > >was einstein. > > > > > > > > > > ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡Ãâàand the point to make here is: what is the > > > > > greater task: raising the good > > > > >child or figuring out relativity? > > > > > > > > > > ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡Ãâàthe point we can make here is einstein need not > > > > > have married...made misery > > > > >for the wifey.. > > > > > > > > > > did he think before he leapt and began breeding? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > merle.... ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡Ãâà> > > > > ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡Ãâà> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ÃÆ'ââ¬Å¡Ãâà> > > > > Edgar, > > > > > > > > > > Poor slob didn't or couldn't take care of himself. True statement. > > > > > > > > > > --Joe > > > > > > > > > > > Edgar Owen wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > Merle, > > > > > > > > > > > > Joe said Einstein was a jerk because he didn't comb his hair! > > > > > > > > > > > > Is that Zen? > > > > > > > > > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! 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