Not sure if this is the right board to post this question of mine. I was considering the Judgement and Punishment board, but it seems they discuss After-Life punishment, not current.
This has been on my mind for a while now, but especially prevalent more recently since I saw UR as a Scriptural truth. My concern has to do with the current Jail System, as noted in the way I titled this post. I am curious, what is a more Biblical approach to the punishment of criminals? From my understanding, most people either get charged with crime that they did not commit themselves, or "The punishment did not fit the crime." I think this is even prevalent who get jailed due to possession with drugs.
In my opinion, if you do find yourself in jail, it is usually inhumane conditions, and you are usually never "corrected" from your experiences there. I think it is analogous to putting a child in a corner for extended periods of time for doing something you do not like(Say, stealing a cookie from the cookie jar), but not helping him lovingly by correcting their mistakes and showing them how to do better. Instead, you just throw them in the corner and only tell them they are guilty of "x," and as soon they are done their time, you let them go with a chance they will do it again. They probably are angry you for giving them that punishment, but you do not enlighten them on how to do better. So, if they do the same thing again, it is "deja vu" as they say.
If some of the Biblical authors were to see our modern jail system, would they approve? Would they agree that justice is "blind?" Would they give a death penalty, and if so, how far would they go? Would it just be applied to murderers, or would it be applied to people like molesters? Where would they draw the line, and why should anyone not cross it?
Sorry if I wrote a little disorganized. My mind runs with thoughts all the time, and I write down my thoughts as they come.
Blessings :dsunny:
ML
1 Tim 1;8-11 " Now we know that the law is good if someone uses it lawfully,
KNOWING THIS,
that the law is not valid for a righteous person,
but for the lawless, and rebellious,
irreligious, and sinners, and profane, those who beat their fathers and mothers,
murderers, fornicators, men who practice homosexuality, kidnappers, liars, perjurers,
and everything else that is contrary to healthy teaching,
in conformity with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, with which I was entrusted."
Seems pretty inclusive.
itis corrupt and fullof injustice. everything else that is contrary to healthy teaching=everything against God's full healing and restoration
of man into the image of Christ[perfect]....the revealingofthe sonsof God...andthe accompanying GLORIOUS FREEDOM. the LAWof
LIBERTY Judgement=in Christ all shall be set free from sinand death.
In my opinion, we should never ever punish out of retribution nor should we punish a repentant person to make an example out of them. To me, the only case where imprisonment is even debatable justifiable as a christian is when they are a danger to others(but then what? Are we to keep them in prison their whole lives out of fear of what they may or may not do?).
I certainly have no right to condemn anyone to prison nor to look down on any kind of criminal because I have sinned against God and it would be absurd for me to look down on people for breaking mere man-made laws.
How we should respond to dangerous criminals as christians is a difficult question. I do think we should be cautious about pondering this type of thing too much since it seems to deal with moral ambiguity or even "lesser evils" and even thinking about doing "lesser evils"(by which I mean concluding that you or someone should do a lesser evil in a given situation, rather than an intrusive thought which should not be worried about) can slowly corrupt. I appreciate philosophical curiosity and I am all for being philosophical but it is not spiritually healthy to imagine ourselves in positions of power over others.
If we get forced into a position of deciding whether to turn a person in, it may be best to just wait until that happens and decide case by case but many of us will not even have to face such a dilemma(at least not a very serious one).
I can't imagine how overwhelming the whole thing is.. crime and what to do with and about the doers of crime.. I guess, ideally, I would surely like to see all violent criminals in prison - hopefully humane and provides okay meals and health services. (But not cushy, of course.)
Rehabilitation of course would be the best. Though some violent doers of crimes, I don't think take easily to rehabilitation. And how does one tell if one has truly turned over a new leaf or hasn't?
Somehow there has to be a balance.. but how?
I was listening to the news this one day and heard someone had sexually assaulted a child - using the cleaned up more acceptable term for it - and said person was penalized with merely 6 months probation. Really? Obviously the judge had never been so assaulted before. The assault doer's penalty should be as long as the child's!)
I don't know how it is ever "humanly" possible to address these problems.. inner cities where folks are shooting at each other.. and ramdom bullets can come flying into someone's house and kill grandpa or baby in his crib.. It's all crazy.
Jesus is the only answer and the transformation of the heart which God knows is what we all need. But you can't even present this in the prisons anymore (from what I heard a while ago anyway.. though other faiths are okay.. but maybe this is just one of those horrible urban myths! :faint: )
So here you have all these fires and lately the riots and some folks are running in trying to steal what some unfortunate folks may have left.. Really? I'm not for throwing everyone in prison.. Just saying it's SO overwhelming. How many murders are there in one day upon this planet? Some carried out by "repeat offenders". Oy, how horrible if someone's child, etc is now gone because of someone who has been in and out of the system..
So you see, there's both extremes.. And what to do about it? I have no idea. My concern lies mostly with keeping violent criminals safely away from 'innocent' folks, not that I want them mistreated, just off the people's streets. (I do see that repeat offenders and pedators do not live on the streets with judges, etc.)
If I was in jail because of something I didn't do? I would surely have to pray, pray, pray to my heavenly Father.. and rest in Him about it.. (Maybe I would be there for a reason for Him.) But even, a worse case scenario, should I be executed, I would awaken at Jesus' return. Not that I think it's okay if not guilty folks are thrown into prison! And I'm not in support of the death penalty for just that reason, as then no appeal can help. (Except the heavenly.) Though then I have found myself wondering should a great earthquake set all serial killers, etc free.. But that's just a personal terror image? ( :laughing7: ?) I'm still not in support of the death penalty. But my sentiment is, please don't set violent repeat offenders free to prey upon others. :gsad: ..How would we know who is rehabilitated, and who not? :dontknow: Unfortunately often some do seem to mainly learn how to be more of a criminal and make more criminal contacts in jail..? And yes, get more bitter and cynical, etc. Still not an excuse however.. Victims are seldom to blame! The whole inner city thing is just awful. I think many are trapped in dependance (upon 'godlike' big bro).. with not quite enough to satisfy a healthy life, instead of any sort of meaningful "help" in life.
Definitely should be some sort of employment program for folks coming out of jail.. Encouraging a room, small expenses, a decent job..