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Pastimes : Ask God -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John S. who wrote (20045)	8/7/1998 8:21:00 AM
From: Henry Volquardsen	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 39621

John, Thank you for your reasoned comments. I do not believe God is telling us that we must accept all law simply because it is the law. God has given us reason so we can determine the proper laws of society. Many of the scriptural passages deal with a subject people forced to accept the dictates of an oppressor. Not with how a free people should establish law to govern themselves. As example I will put forward that every person who died in a German concentration camp was executed in accordance with German law. I do not believe God would have us accept those laws as just simply because they were the law of the land. Also John I am aware that my use of 'thou shalt not kill' would preclude the issues you mention. Let me qualify that and say that I do not believe we are precluded from self defense. This would cover the issues you mention, defence of country, family, law enforcement officers protecting their own lives and the lives of others. However it would exclude agressive war and other evils. When it comes to the issue of capital punishment we are no longer discussing self defence. The individual is in custody and capable of being put in a position of being a danger to no one. Yes I am aware of the current violence problem in prisons but that is an issue of how prisons are designed not an indication it cannot be done. All men were created with God's spark. No matter how heinous and revolting their crime they are still God's children. Instead of disposing of them as if they were rabid animals we should be attempting to bring them back to humanity. Carla Faye Baker commited disgusting murders but I believe most would admit she found her way back to salvation. I would not shorten anyone's opportunity to find salvation by one second. You make reference to heinous criminals being released to murder again. This is a sad fact of our society. But I am not arguing for releasing murderers into the community. They should be kept away from society as long as needed. The only reason these unrepentant souls are being is released is because the taxpayers are unwilling to fund sufficient prisons. I would add that the prison crowding is also exacerbated by our futile and poorly designed war on drugs. You ask if I imply total pacifism under all circumstances. No. I am not a pacifist. But I aspire to become one. I believe Christ's example on earth was to bring love to all and leave judgement to God. I am just trying to interpet his example in my own fallible way. As I am sure and all here are. May God bless you, Henry