Judith,
I hit my posting limit yesterday and could not respond I am sorry. Actually Judith you said in your last post the point I was trying to make
Of course, the person doing the beating would become evil too
I agree with you on your views of god, I can't imagine a god that would allow this child to be tortured and die this way. But in our own hearts and minds, if we allow ourselves to wish the same torture and death on the parents...aren't we then "evil?" I said in my first post, I can't read their hearts, none of us can. Yes it is horrible, you have no idea how this has upset me. I just cannot in good conscience say that is okay to turn around and give back to the parents the same kind of torture.
I did feel that way at one point in my life. I thought and eye for an eye. If someone murders they should die the same death, I actually thought this for a long time. But then I realized what it was doing to me. I got angry, I wished pain on someone, I wanted them to suffer...it isn't a very nice picture. And when you realize that in your mind you actually are wishing this on another, what does that make you?
We all were shocked by this act of violence, take it a step further. How do you think I feel when I see people write we need to repeat this act? Why? What good would it do? The final act is death, what could they possibly learn upon dying?
I said I was not the norm, and I also have been mistaken for advocating certain acts of violence. This is just not so. I do not advocate violence or acts against children. I stepped out of the box and realized that violence begets violence, unless you break the cycle. You even said this in your post.
Morgaine,
HeyIn my original post I said, If we are playing by those rules we should just give up on humanity and clump everyone in a category. My point was, we cannot determine the end result of a punishment just by the deed. There are extenuating circumstances to every situation in life. If we allow ourselves to always assume a liar will be a liar, or a murderer will always be a murderer, then we should mark everyone so that it is visible. We do not do that, because people can change, and hearts can change.
I cannot fathom why a parent would do the horible deed they did. I cannot see how this terrible act can even be redeemed. My point in my first post was that, we need to concentrate on the kids who are left beihnd, and show them love, and compassion. Whatever happens to the parents happens. But to wish the same on them is to riddle your mind with the same "evil" they commited.
As far as evil is concerned, I think it depends on your life experiences what you determine evil to be. And personally I do not like that term evil. Because there is not a clear definition of what it is. What some may view as evil is not viewed as evil by another. Is there a spiritual creauture out there that puts evil in people's hearts? I don't believe in that. Not one person on this planet has all the answers, some follow a god that gives them a baseline to some rules. But those rules they follow can be taken to extremes, as we see. Some follow their heart, and listen to their conscience to determine how they will live their lives. Thus we cannot determine how another should act.
Life is forever changing depending on the circumstances that are presented to us. You questioned how I would react if my daughter was sexually abused. I honestly cannot tell you. It is one of those things I have not been faced with yet, and hope never to be.
wendy
Blind faith can justify anything.~Richard Dawkins
