Don’t walk the line

On Saturday I needed a break from homework and so I watched A Man for All Seasons, a movie from the 1960s about Sir Thomas More. Great movie! More stood by his principles and refused to give in, even when it led to his death, and his integrity really impressed me. I want to be like him, true to my standards even when it costs me dearly. “Blessed are the persecuted…” I’d rather lose my life early than die later on with the regret that I didn’t stand firm when I had the chance. And I don’t think this is just the stuff of melodrama, either — while most of the time it won’t end up being be a life-or-death issue, we do deal with this every single day in uncountable ways. Each sunrise brings new opportunities to live up to what we know or to cave in and take the easy way out. What side of the line will we stand on? Will we be true to our conscience or will we pander to the forces beckoning us to do what we know deep down is wrong? Whom will ye serve: God or the devil?

Ben,
I’m glad you liked the movie. Sir Thomas More felt that because of his own knowledge and understanding, and his position as a leader in the government, he had an obligation to act in accordance with his conscience and religious beliefs–even if that meant he must die. But he wasn’t a willing martyr. There was nothing melodramatic or self-aggrandizing about his decision. That’s one point that the film emphasizes: if More could’ve found any way of getting out of imprisonment (and his death sentence) and still have been true to his conscience, he would have. Nor did he condemn other people for not making the choice he did. For More it was strictly a personal moral decision (though he was conscious of his position as Lord Chancellor). He felt that because he had a higher understanding, he had a higher responsibility to act in accordance with that understanding, whatever the consequences. That’s why he’s so neat.