the bullet: the brave and the blubbering

how many people out there, when faced with a gun pointed to their head, would not move, not flinch? how many of us would not be reduced to a sniveling, begging, humiliating, sorry, pathetic pile of human embarassment?

how many would stand, unmoved, with dignity, do nothing more than...raise an eyebrow?

maybe this is a harsh stab, unecessary, but I suspect that most if not all of the so-called "christians", who are so convinced they're going to some "eternal heaven" would be...less than convincing.

[WITHDRAWN. I just recalled the case of Cassie Bernall. shesaidyes.]

[still, too many I think would say NO.]

how many of these people walk the earth today? just how many? and should we not do everything we can to get where they are, spiritually?

often the people who act the toughest are the most afraid. you can learn to tell the difference, and it's the ones who aren't afraid that you have to watch out for. it's always about 1up. dog eat dog. is it gonna be me, or is it gonna be you? that is what it comes down to, really. everything. always.

what would YOU do? should we not ask ourselves every day? should we not be working towards getting to a place within us, a supreme, unflinching spiritual state? or is this just terrible pride?

I'm not sure how I would react. All I know is that I would want to get out of the situation alive and I would do pretty much anything required. Whether it's karate chopping the gun out of his hand or telling him I'll love him long time I dunno, maybe I'll find out one day.

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Originally Posted by grasshoppa

I'm not sure how I would react. All I know is that I would want to get out of the situation alive and I would do pretty much anything required. Whether it's karate chopping the gun out of his hand or telling him I'll love him long time I dunno, maybe I'll find out one day.

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What's your address?

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Originally Posted by ExoByte

What's your address?

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aww, but your just gonna kill me....or ask for sexual favors...

I have always found it odd that people who claim to believe that they'll go to a place of infinite happiness forever once they die, seem to be the ones that are the most fearful and scared of death.

I mean, if I truely believed I went to a place where I'd see everyone I loved again, etc, after what is in the overall scale of things, an insignificant amount of time, I wouldn't be that upset at all. Arguably such people should actually feel good about death. I do wonder if such people really don't believe what they claim to believe after all.


Anyway, with regards to the original question, it's really hard to say exactly how you would act unless you were in such a situation.

I would do what the person with the gun says, but I would try not to act too scared and not to come across as overly submissive. Criminals jump on that stuff. I wouldn't go along with what was asked (Although... I would refuse to get into a vehicle and go somewhere with him. I think that would pretty much assure my death and open up the strong possibility of torture.), but I would otherwise ignore him. The whole time, I would be looking for and dreaming of a chance to kill him.

I do think that a high percentage of religious people have major doubts about what they claim to believe.

An old karate instructor of mine was once attemptive-robbed at knife-point. When the robber asked for his wallet, he threw it on the ground in front of the robber. When the robber bent down to pick it up he front kicked him right in the face, knocked him out cold.

As to the topic: I would be scared shitless but I would try to keep myself composed. If he asked me to take my pants off and do the chicken dance I would probably do it. Dignity is not worth death.

As a side note, I never understood those idiots who are asked at gunpoint whether they believe in Jesus/God and they say yes. Way to die for something on no proof what-so-ever.

^^ I agree. Dignity is not worth death. And I also wholeheartedly agree that those people who died because they wouldn't renounce god or whatever are fucking idiots.

And in this situation I would probably cry. :(

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Originally Posted by Needcatscan

An old karate instructor of mine was once attemptive-robbed at knife-point. When the robber asked for his wallet, he threw it on the ground in front of the robber. When the robber bent down to pick it up he front kicked him right in the face, knocked him out cold.

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Damn, to think of that on the spot is just awesome.

As someone who's had a gun pointed in my face at point-blank range (albeit by a cop), I speak from experience when I say it's not a very good feeling. Basically I was in the driver's seat of my car and he had the gun in my window nearly pressed against my head. I don't think it's too difficult to stay composed and not become a blubbering idiot, but I think only a fool would become openly defiant and - as was said - put dignity over death.

Though if it was just some scrub off the street who had me at gunpoint; was within arms length and gave me the impression that I was most-likely going to get shot, I would try my damndest to disarm him. I honestly couldn't see myself breaking down and begging and pleading for my life, though. I dunno. Maybe I can just say that now because I've never been robbed at gunpoint (it's a bit different with the police, but I could have just as easily have gotten shot, because I reached for the paintball gun he thought was real, to try to show him it was just a paintball gun, and he almost shot me right then and there), but I've been cool under too many intense situations to believe I'd break down so severely then.

When I was a child 7-9 I was playing at this one kid's house with my brother and a couple other kids. They were all at least a couple years older than me. When I tried to leave, the guy who's house it was pointed a small knife at me. It's a very distinctive feeling you get when a weapon is being pointed at you for the purpose of intimidation.

If I had a gun pointed at me? I'd probably get that same feeling as I did from the knife incident but a hell of a lot more intense. I would definitely do as the person says all the while thinking about any way I could possibly get out of that situation unscathed. I usually act well in bad situations and do what I have to do.

I am fairly certain I would be calm and collected. In the case of a mugging, if the gun was in range of my hand, I would disarm the mugger and shove it up his ass. If not, and he looked jumpy, I'd probably give him my wallet, because the amount of money I carry with me is certainly not worth getting shot over. If there was an opportunity to distract him and overwhelm him, I might take it. It would depend on whether I was alone or had someone with me.

If it was a hostage situation, like a bank robbery or the like, I'd play along until I saw a chance to take the guy/one of them down, then I'd jump on it. At least, I'd like to think I would do this. Having never been in such a situation, I honestly can't say for certain.

I've been playfully threatened by a knife before, by hyper idiots, and honestly, that scares me more than a gun. A knife can do more damage than a gun, depending on the circumstances, the person wielding it, and the caliber of the theoretical firearm. Plus something about being stabbed just trips that adrenaline response harder than being shot, for me. Same goes for an axe or the like. I'm not afraid of dying, but if I'm going to live through it I'd like to do so in one piece, or as close to it as possible. In any event, though, I would try to take action. This may take the form of trying to talk them down, or it may take the form of taking them down physically.

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Originally Posted by Universal Mind

I wouldn't go along with what was asked (Although... I would refuse to get into a vehicle and go somewhere with him. I think that would pretty much assure my death and open up the strong possibility of torture.), but I would otherwise ignore him. The whole time, I would be looking for and dreaming of a chance to kill him.

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A little typo there makes that really confusing and sends a dangerous message. I meant to say that I would go along with what is asked, except for going somewhere in a vehicle with the criminal, and I would otherwise ignore him.

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Originally Posted by Needcatscan

As a side note, I never understood those idiots who are asked at gunpoint whether they believe in Jesus/God and they say yes. Way to die for something on no proof what-so-ever.

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What in the world? What is the drive behind those hold ups? Militant atheists? If that is what they are, they are the first I have ever heard of.

I have a feeling I've seen it in a movie. In regards to being scared about death even though you think your going to heaven...That requires a lot of faith on the believers part to be not scared at all. Not to mention the adrenaline rush you would be undertaking, and the thoughts running through your head like "I'm never going to see my family again" etc.