From: baseball@catch-the-fever.scd.ucar.edu (Gregg Walters)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Death Penalty
Date: 12 Jan 93 10:09:05 GMT
Organization: Scientific Computing Divison/NCAR Boulder, CO

In Article: 17756 of soc.religion.christian,
From: daveshao@leland.stanford.edu (David Shao) write >>

>> Understand the real issue--Jesus had been a persistent champion of
>> the rights of the oppressed and a consistent critic of the hypocrisy
>> of the Pharisees, priests, and elders.  The ruling class had

Jesus was not a champion for any one's rights, and his ministry was
not made to reinforce Old Testament administration of justice.  He is
the Savior, and his ministry was one of mercy.

>> They dragged a helpless woman (where is the man who was with her?) before
>> Jesus and planned to execute her in front of him, hoping in the process
>> to provoke Him into repudiating the Law under which she has been
>> judged.  But Jesus repudiated neither the law nor the punishment.
>>
>> Jesus shifted the focus of the discussion from His making a choice
>> to the accusers making a choice.  The accusers chose the way of
>> evil.  THEY renounced the Law in an effort to avoid judgment on
>> themselves.

>> Many today have learned exactly the wrong lesson from this parable.

Indeed.  When the accusers walked away, they were NOT choosing evil.
By this act they were admitting their own sinfulness, and showing
that they did not want to be punished in the same manner that they
almost used on the woman.

>> When the men brought the woman before Jesus they were not concerned
>> with justice.  They were taunting Jesus.  It would have been as if
>> the KKK invited Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. to see the execution
>> of a black man convicted of raping a white woman.

Well ... interpreting their intent as taunting is an interesting new idea,
but I still see their intent to be to intellectually challenge Jesus'
ministery of mercy.  Would you tell me more to support the taunting
"angle"?

>> Justice is administered unevenly in this country.  Why don't the
>> opponents of the death penalty use the millions of dollars that are
>> being squandered to defend heartless murderers to try to change to
>> system to benefit all of us?

I agree.  But I don't control those millions.  Just a couple thousand.
Since you are more concerned about obtaining such change, perhaps
you could do something about it.

>>                               Why must they defend the Ted Bundys
>> of this world instead of championing the rights of victims?

In this country, we have agreed that everyone is entitled to a defense.
It does bother me that so much money is involved.  Once I was involved
in a 3 car accident and was subsequently convicted of a traffic violation,
due to the false testimony of the other drivers (one uninsured).  I got
a lawyer on a retainer, but when my money ran out, I had to eat the
conviction.  As for the victims, Jesus said blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.  I might have taken revenge upon the two
drivers who lied about me, but I didn't.

>> Why the identification with the most evil of humanity?

I'm not sure what you mean here.  The defense attorneys who accept the
responsibility of defending the innocent, until proven guilty, would no
more want to "identify" with proven criminals than you or I.  Save of
course for the public recognition that may help obtain their next
case.  In particular, when attorneys pursue a series of appeals, one
could easily question their real intent.

Peace,
Gregg            \\   baseball@ncar.ucar.edu   //
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