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While I certainly understand the human desire for revenge - I occasionally express smidgins of those desires myself - the word 'justice' is most often used as a disguise for 'revenge'. Let's face it, what else? It's human to hit back at someone and desire that they be made to suffer just as they made someone else suffer. But what good does that do? Give you a temporary buzz? Is the perpetrator made aware that you are happy that they are suffering for causing the suffering of someone else? No. Nothing is accomplished here as far as personal feelings are concerned. This is why the impersonal law of the land has to be relied upon to enact 'justice'.
Don't think for one second that I don't express inner rage when I hear of someone being cruel to an animal. In that moment I want them eliminated from this world. Generally, people feel this way about cruelty to children - and of course it goes without saying that this should be abhorred - but children turn into adults, and they have the opportunity to deal with these things AS adults. Animals don't. That said, once the rage has subsided and reason returns, there IS a chance that that person eventually regrets all by his/herself the error of their ways and may do a complete turnaround. This would then change how I once felt about them.
I recall a TV program from many years ago entitled From Fury To Forgiveness. This involved four different people who had a horrendous thing happen that affected their lives ...the murder of a loved one. They went through the same processes that we all would go through under the same set of circumstances. The fury was therefore understandable, but the eventual forgiveness by 'the victim' that led to a complete life changing experience for the perpetrators was mind-blowing!
The difference between those who seek revenge and those who seek to forgive - what is it? who finds inner peace?
[color="Navy"] While I certainly understand the human desire for revenge - I occasionally express smidgins of those desires myself - the word 'justice' is most often used as a disguise for 'revenge'. Let's face it, what else? It's human to hit back at someone and desire that they be made to suffer just as they made someone else suffer. But what good does that do? Give you a temporary buzz? Is the perpetrator made aware that you are happy that they are suffering for causing the suffering of someone else? No. Nothing is accomplished here as far as personal feelings are concerned. This is why the impersonal law of the land has to be relied upon to enact 'justice'.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Horn of ‘83
Then answer my original question.
The bold above is the best we humans can do but it is hardly "justice."
Then I don’t understand why you’re giving me a hard time.
It is not personal. I consider the concept of punishment as "justice" (used to justify the barbaric belief in an Eternal Hell) to be an abominable blasphemy of God's agape love and forgiveness. There is no justice in that horrendous idea.
It is not personal. I consider the concept of punishment as "justice" (used to justify the barbaric belief in an Eternal Hell) to be an abominable blasphemy of God's agape love and forgiveness. There is no justice in that horrendous idea.
We’re talking about the death penalty and the Christian response, not Heaven and Hell.
My view: it's not about "punishment." That's God's job, as only He knows what's in anyone's heart. It's about segregating dangerous people from those they would harm. If that were possible without the death penalty, great, but there are such things as parole and jail breaks. Also "rehabilitation, even though we know sociopaths can't be rehabilitated. I view it like a surgeon excising a cancer to save the rest of the body. If death is the only way to protect innocent life, then it's essentially just self-defense. That said, I would never personally kill anyone even to save my OWN life, but I believe this is a valid rationale for the death penalty.
We are talking about punishment as "justice" and Hell is the Christian belief that uses that concept of justice, but it is not remotely just.
No, we’re not. The topic is the death penalty and the Christian response. You are highjacking this thread.
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