We have a question: is it ok to be a pacifist?

ok we know we have BPD and hear voices and see things that aren't there, well actually that other people cant see, we see things fine thank you very much

but the Question - is it ok to be a pacifist its really bugging us because we used to think we where cowards [and a choaist amongst other things] until a friend pointed out that not wanting to get hurt, either hitting other people or them hitting us doesn't make us cowards but is it ok to be a pacifist

[edit* just re-reading this and have put some smilies [we think thats what they are called - could be wrong]]

Is it our BPD or more to the point is it BPD that makes us a pacifist? is having intense emotions - usually negative ones - sadness, grief, loss to name a few, do these emotions force us to accept that pain should be avoided at all costs? so do we find other solutions to problems that "normals" don't want to or need to? is it that having to experience intense emotions upsets us so much that we are more sensitive to the patterns of existence?

if this is the case what hope do "normals" have? so, is it ok to be a pacifist?

we know that this isn't the usually type of question on these boards, the question isn't negative its not even positive it just is. does having BPD allow us to see different view points? does having BPD mean and we mean, all those other people who have BPD are natural Empaths?

suggesting "people with BPD are more empathic" reminds me of that ingroup/outgroup thing mentioned over on the AsPD forum.

Is it ok to be a pacifist:

Do you think you believe in being a pacifist, or do you think your BPD is causing you to experience things in a way which leads to that as an outcome?

No one can tell you if its ok to be a pacifist because that isn't a question like "is the sky blue" its one of those things where i might think one thing, and you might think another.

so my answer to your question... is that there is no answer! and that eventually you'll figure out where you stand, and where your BPD stands, and what is you, and what is the BPD. Then you'll decide if you're a pacifist or not.

Sorry no instant answer!

dont take this the hard way but we weren't looking for instant answers, we have being searching of 35 years to understand, we don't expect answers.

and yes your viewpoint over what you think and what we think may differ, as it should, it would be scary if you agreed with ever word.... but the question was intended to provoke discourse on what is possible, what can we as people gain from having BPD? all we have seen for days is negative, hopeless posts - we accept that people can wander the darkness, we do it a lot but there has to be some hope, something gained otherwise whats the point?

we believe, we have faith not in dogma, not in book bashing but in intelligent discourse it is through this discourse that we [thousands of people not just our voices] have already found out about the Disorder and that some people do recover - lets hear some positive stories, stories of hope, of a future regardless of its content

please for the love of Gods please hope!!

Sorry!!!!

I was being stupid. I used to have DID, and didn't automatically read "we" as pwBPD. I completely misunderstood and answered as if you were asking "if it was ok to be a pacifist". i can see now it was a pretty daft response !

i'll try to read this through later, and might be able to respond in a way that actually makes sense. lol

i tried again, and im still confused... sorry!

i don't know, i'm not sure if i understand the discussion. but i sometimes think that having a different outlook on life, either because one is mentally 'disordered,' or because one's experiences are so far outside of what's considered normal (because of extreme abuse or violence, or whatever have you) sometimes makes people in general are less likely to simply accept the mainstream or popular view of things just out of hand. i think it's one of the odd strengths of having something that most would classify as an illness or disorder. i sometimes think my perspective has value because i'm something of an outsider, and so i can offer a view from a slightly different angle than those who simply fit.

it might not be better or worse, but it has it's own value because it's human and unique and comes from a different place than what simply is given, what is expected, what is the norm. it's a part of the 'patchwork,' in a way. it adds something.

i hope that speaks to the original question. i like thinking of the possibility of pulling various strengths from difficult situations too.

yes, i get the outsider perspective thing, but its not so much to do with identifying as having a disorder as just being unable not to see things that way. i see refusing to automatically accept the mainstream view not really as being a result of anything, except maybe my childhood. not automatically accepting things isn't a bad thing from my perspective.