I am fully aware that he exacted this pain on himself through suicide. I am not trying to deny that. Nor am I against the Capital Punishment or in favor of a Humanitarian Theory of Punishment, which CS Lewis tears to shreads so effectively. What I was merely saying, is that I don't think we wish pain on others. Whenever a story like this comes on, our first reaction is to say something like, "I hope it was painful." I'm not commenting on this to attack the person who wrote that, because I think and say things like that all the time. But I stand by my remarks that we shouldn't which suffering on others. We should wish that justice be done.
Was it just that this man would recieve the death penalty? Without knowing the details, I'd say yes. Was it just that this man took his life at his own hands? No, and that is to no one's fault but his own. I just wish we would be use better judgement when wishing suffering onto others. This is a temptation that seems great to us Conservatives, whether the issue be the death penalty, immigration, welfare, or the War on Terror. We should support our beliefs with moral clarity and in moral terms, and not with things like "I hope he suffered a lot."
I like what Charles Colson said about the death penalty: "Society should not execute capital offenders merely for the sake of revenge, rather to balance the scales of moral justice which have been disturbed...In the public debate over the death penalty, we are dealing with values of the highest order: respect for the sacredness of human life and its protection, the preservation of order in society, and the attainment of justice through law."
I was merely taking issue with the heartlessness with which some statements are seem to be made, not intentionally, but in effect. I understand the desire to see this man surrer more than the pain he caused. I have voiced things like that before. And so I am calling on myself, as well as others, to raise to a higher standard.
I probably should have ignored your message, as this issue is minor, but I wanted to clarify it.
I say you're thinking about it too much. BAM! Get'er done.
we shouldn't which suffering on others.
that is to no one's fault but his own.
You probably know what you meant but...damn!
I probably should have ignored your message, as this issue is minor, but I wanted to clarify it.
Very well said. Food for thought.