Thread by @ThyConsigliori

John Minford, #SunTzu 2:15 The killing of an enemy stems from wrath;"

As a boy, studying the Old Testament of the Bible, the 6th commandment, thou shalt not kill, was a brain breaker for me. There are all kinds of places where God tells people to go kill other people. My teachers always told me that when God commanded it, it was different.

Obviously, we still have the same problem in today's world, maybe worse than ever. Which god is telling who to kill whom, and for what righteous reason? But there it is, thou shalt not kill. And of all the things you're not supposed to do, what is a greater prohibition?

I have pacifist friends, and I used to be an absolute pacifist myself, who believe that killing is always wrong, period. How many of you remember the movie Witness, and its phrase, "gun of the hand?" It's a wonderful ideal, and a far more honorable way of life than credited.

As I've meditated on my former pacifism, I've found that at its heart there is either a denial, or an acceptance of evil. The will to do no violence cannot answer the challenge of violence itself. I believe that Master Sun is, in this verse, facing that dilemma.

If killing an enemy stems, as he tells us it does, from wrath, then we have to unpack wrath itself. Hearkening back to the boyhood I mentioned above, I have always loved the two words "righteous indignation." Aren't they wonderful? And what a thrilling emotion.

I've never been in the thick of the fight, in actual battle. My veteran friends tell me, though, that the heat of fury, with shots fired in anger, is an inescapable part of the reality. In combat, there is rage. Targeting that rage is the wise general's challenge.

Perhaps the window we require is merely tactical, and not moral. Let us assume the war itself, and the reality of two enemies with intent to kill. The intention unleashes a deep desire for the satisfaction that only violence can give. All the soldiers feel it.

This fire within is the instrument the generals must direct tactically. We've learned that the art of war is an art of deception. When the enemy is at a tactical disadvantage, our lie is this. You can kill me now. If you strike now, you will win. It must be convincing, and false.

Tactically, note your enemy's desire to kill, and stoke it. Note your own desire to kill and suppress it. Where strong, appear weak. Where weak, appear strong. Where your enemy is weak, make him think he's strong. Give him irresistible permission to kill. Then kill him.

Or. Or. Or. Or better yet. Or better yet...DON'T. Don't kill him. Defeat him! Defeat him without killing him!

Hallelujah.

Okay, I apologize. I just gave away the next chapter's secret. Alas.

No skipping ahead. Killing enemies stems from wrath, right?

Wait. What? This chapter has so far been about NOT fighting LONG distant wars, because even you, oh Great Emperor, cannot afford it. And now we're discussing killing rage?

Oh, that makes sense! Killing rage will break the bank. It works. It's logical. Oh wise Master Sun.

Almost more than violence, everyone LOVES money, and perhaps most especially kings and emperors. This is verse 15. For 14 verses in this chapter, Master Sun has been warning, you're going to go broke. You will be broke. And now he tells us, killing our enemy results from wrath.

Maybe, and with what humility I'm able to summon, maybe the commandment should have been: thou shalt not kill in anger.

Well, unless you're a solider, and then, your general must NOT succumb to HIS anger. He, the general, must be cool. He, the general, must lie. He must lie in wait. He must lie about his strengths and weaknesses. He must tempt his enemy to anger, to violence.

To return to previous sections in our #WarForAmerica2020 and #SunTzuForMAGA series, don't forget to head over to @WarForAmerica21.

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amazon.com/Art-War-Pengui…

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