The Mission: Which Path Would You Choose?

I have written about my love for the movie The Mission. Jeromy recently wrote about this movie, as well.

A second really engaging part (though the movie is full of them) comes at the end of the movie. To make a long story short, the mission comes under attack from "civilized" people bent on enslaving the natives. Father Gabriel, having taken a vow of peace, refuses to fight. Mendoza ends up renouncing his Jesuit vows to help the natives defend their home.

After seeing this movies at least a half dozen times, I still wrestle every time with which decision I would make.

If you haven't seen it, watch it. Then tell me what you would choose.

This is the central conflict of the movie for me. Ultimately, I think that both characters made the right decision for who they were. For me, personally, I think I would have stood by Mendoza and fought. I think that if the decision to take up arms (and in all likelihood, kill) is based on the desire to defend someone else, especially those who may not be able to defend themselves, then it cannot be said to be an immoral act and I do not believe God would judge one for it. If the decision was made selfishly, though, as an act primarily to save the self, then I think one is on shakier ground morally.

Taking someone else's life, no matter the reason, is never an act to be done lightly and will forever affect so many lives, not just those of the person who did the killing and the person who was killed. If one is going to make the decision to possibly kill other people, then it needs to be done in order to protect or save someone else because something done for someone else is almost always superior to an act done for oneself.