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Probably the most depressing thing about humanity I've learned growing up is how unforgiving people are. When you think about it most of the worst crimes have been done in the name of righteousness and justice, not selfishness or greed. The Holocaust, the Inquisition, the War on Terror, Gitmo Bay, gruesome public executions, all of these were done in the pursuit to punish wrongdoers and promote the greater good. It frightens me how quick people are to say a person deserves to die.
Forgiveness has always been something that's came naturally to me. I generally want most people to like me and don't understand how one can't feel compassion for someone else suffering, even if they dislike them greatly or they're a rotten person.
I feel like people believe too strongly in "justice" and retribution and see mercy as having little use. I guess most people believe that if we are "soft" on our enemies, we'd be overrun by them but it's clear to me our belief in retribution and revenge causes far more evil than it prevents.
You're absolutely right in putting "justice" in quotation marks.
What you are talking about is better described as "revenge" than "justice."
With that said, I believe in the death penalty for some offenses and I have no problem calling it "revenge."
I don't believe the death penalty is a deterrence or anything like that. Maybe it is my lack of religious beliefs, but I honestly have no problem with killing in the name of revenge.
I am a big believer in second chances. I do believe that Michael Vick has turned his life around and should be allowed to play in the NFL (and I'm a dog owner and dog lover).
Some crimes, however, are unforgivable in my opinion. If we are clearly able to determine that someone committed murder...death. If we are clearly able to determine that someone molested a child or someone with an intellectual disability...death.
The line can be drawn many places but that is where I draw it.
I am very forgiving, but not blindly and not about everything. Cheat on your wife? OK, I can probably forgive you. Murder someone? Nope.
We live in a vengeful and hateful merciless society. Just go to the "F" social network site and read peoples comments whenever a villain is busted. "Glad they caught him, now fry him!" or "Good, now lock him up and throw away the key" or my favorite, "He had no mercy on his victim so let's show none on him and make him suffer."
This thinking is barbaric and does nothing to push humanity in a more peaceful direction. It only recycles the hate and vengeance.
I have had some really bad things done to me in my life. I spent many years filled with hate towards a couple people. That hate slowly consumed me and effected my own happiness and outlook on life.
As I've gotten older I have made myself learn to forgive. Not just forgive, but to the core of me wish the "enemy" a long happy life and that they find peace. The only way to any kind of peace is learning to forgive others, but also learn to forgive yourself.
(And I am not a religious person)
Yes! People are very unforgiving, especially if a person has been charged with a crime. He isn't even found guilty yet and everyone is saying he should be killed. I am really surprised at how many people support the death penalty. I don't think I do even in the most extreme cases. Even if a person killed someone else, what right does the state have to take his life?
And I've read how some people think we should bring back cruel and unusual punishments to decrease crime. That's just sick. I would not want to live in a country that turned that barbaric.
Yes! People are very unforgiving, especially if a person has been charged with a crime. He isn't even found guilty yet and everyone is saying he should be killed. I am really surprised at how many people support the death penalty. I don't think I do even in the most extreme cases. Even if a person killed someone else, what right does the state have to take his life?
And I've read how some people think we should bring back cruel and unusual punishments to decrease crime. That's just sick. I would not want to live in a country that turned that barbaric.
Yeah for one thing there's not much evidence harsh punishments reduce crime and even if there was, I'm not sure it would be worth living in such a hateful culture.
Punishment has a place of course but it should be constructive and done as a last resort. I think mercy is almost always better.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kgordeeva
Yes! People are very unforgiving, especially if a person has been charged with a crime. He isn't even found guilty yet and everyone is saying he should be killed. I am really surprised at how many people support the death penalty. I don't think I do even in the most extreme cases. Even if a person killed someone else, what right does the state have to take his life?
And I've read how some people think we should bring back cruel and unusual punishments to decrease crime. That's just sick. I would not want to live in a country that turned that barbaric.
Well that person did not have the right to take someone else's life either, so that negates that argument. I don't support the death penalty in every case but there are some cases it is due.
As for the OP question, there is a time when forgiveness is appropriate and a time where atonement must be had before any forgiveness can take place and a time where forgiveness is not possible. Would you really tell a woman whose father beat and savagely raped her when she was 12 she needs to forgive the dude or her life will suffer in addition to the trauma she will relive every day of her life?
Probably the most depressing thing about humanity I've learned growing up is how unforgiving people are. When you think about it most of the worst crimes have been done in the name of righteousness and justice, not selfishness or greed. The Holocaust, the Inquisition, the War on Terror, Gitmo Bay, gruesome public executions, all of these were done in the pursuit to punish wrongdoers and promote the greater good. It frightens me how quick people are to say a person deserves to die.
Forgiveness has always been something that's came naturally to me. I generally want most people to like me and don't understand how one can't feel compassion for someone else suffering, even if they dislike them greatly or they're a rotten person.
I feel like people believe too strongly in "justice" and retribution and see mercy as having little use. I guess most people believe that if we are "soft" on our enemies, we'd be overrun by them but it's clear to me our belief in retribution and revenge causes far more evil than it prevents.
Well that person did not have the right to take someone else's life either, so that negates that argument. I don't support the death penalty in every case but there are some cases it is due.
As for the OP question, there is a time when forgiveness is appropriate and a time where atonement must be had before any forgiveness can take place and a time where forgiveness is not possible. Would you really tell a woman whose father beat and savagely raped her when she was 12 she needs to forgive the dude or her life will suffer in addition to the trauma she will relive every day of her life?
Depends. I was unforgiving as a younger person but more tolerant, patient and forgiving as an older person although I see/read folks older than myself who are amazingly intolerant and unforgiving. Some folks get wiser and some become close minded as they age.
We live in a vengeful and hateful merciless society. Just go to the "F" social network site and read peoples comments whenever a villain is busted. "Glad they caught him, now fry him!" or "Good, now lock him up and throw away the key" or my favorite, "He had no mercy on his victim so let's show none on him and make him suffer."
This thinking is barbaric and does nothing to push humanity in a more peaceful direction. It only recycles the hate and vengeance.
I have had some really bad things done to me in my life. I spent many years filled with hate towards a couple people. That hate slowly consumed me and effected my own happiness and outlook on life.
As I've gotten older I have made myself learn to forgive. Not just forgive, but to the core of me wish the "enemy" a long happy life and that they find peace. The only way to any kind of peace is learning to forgive others, but also learn to forgive yourself.
(And I am not a religious person)
Yeah, let's just forgive everyone. That seems like a reasonable plan. Unfortunately it does nothing to deter crime, but some people will be happier.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kgordeeva
Yeah, but two wrongs don't make a right.
The act of removing a child rapist from society, permanently and at little expense to the taxpayer, is not a wrong. Do it often enough, and at least some people will think twice about committing heinous crimes in the future.
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