Empathy and Compassion for Mass Murderers, Rapists, Child Molesters

[ok doser]

Should a Christian have empathy and compassion for murderers, rapists, child molesters?


I say no, that they deserve justice, that their victims deserve justice




discuss





from here

 

[ok doser]

"Molsters" :doh:
[MENTION=16942]JudgeRightly[/MENTION] - can you fix my thread title?

 

[glorydaz]

Matthew 5:43-45
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

 

[ok doser]

Matthew 18 King James Version (KJV)

18 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

 

[glorydaz]

Non responsive.

 

[ok doser]

2 Peter 2 King James Version (KJV)

2 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds

9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

 

[JudgeRightly]

"Molsters" :doh:
[MENTION=16942]JudgeRightly[/MENTION] - can you fix my thread title?

Fixed

 

[ok doser]

thanks JR

and worth pointing out something that came up in the previous thread - the extent of my empathy and compassion for the wicked is to inform them of the path they've chosen and to urge them to accept Christ before they have justice meted out upon them

 

[Arthur Brain]

thanks JR

and worth pointing out something that came up in the previous thread - the extent of my empathy and compassion for the wicked is to inform them of the path they've chosen and to urge them to accept Christ before they have justice meted out upon them

You troll, misrepresent other posters beliefs, spread lying rumours and gossip about people you have a personal hang up with and declare how you anticipate the suffering of posters in hell with laughter on here.

You really expect to be taken seriously in light of all of that?

I don't wish anything upon you that you are on record for for others. That's about all that needs saying here cos there's nothing genuine from you.

 

[ok doser]

i'm sorry you feel that way artie

now, do you have anything to say that's on topic?

 

[quip]

i'm sorry you feel that way artie

now, do you have anything to say that's on topic?

Arthur Brain: "I don't wish anything upon you that you are on record for for others. That's about all that needs saying here cos there's nothing genuine from you."

I'll have what Artie's enjoying.:cheers:

 

[csuguy]

Should a Christian have empathy and compassion for murderers, rapists, child molesters?


I say no, that they deserve justice, that their victims deserve justice




discuss





from here

Most definitely, if they are truly repentant and willing to change.

This doesn't mean they get off from their charges free of consequence - you can't go commit a violent crime against innocent people then turn around, say your sorry, and expect people to believe you. They'll just think you are sorry you got caught. And, even if we believe the repentance to be sincere, it isn't our place to insist the victims must forgive them. The criminal must do what they can to make amends.

Of course, as part of society we get to help shape what the punishments look like. As Christians, we must remember that mercy is greater than justice. Our goal shouldn't be to give people what they deserve, but rather to stop the harm they are doing and, have them repay the victim for the damage in so far as they are able, and if possible, rehabilitate the criminal back into society.

There are extreme cases where such reconciliation with society isn't really possible. People who relish in their evil deeds and are unrepentant for their actions. People who are dangerously mentally ill. etc. However, even then it is possible for us to show mercy by giving them life in prison. Not to say that the option for life is always realistic or desirable - sometimes the government must kill people, such as in war or in a shoot out. But we shouldn't jump to the worst possible solution to the problem.

 

[ok doser]

Hitler was the model for the initial discussion. Assuming he died unrepentant, should one feel empathy and compassion for him?

 

[csuguy]

Hitler was the model for the initial discussion. Assuming he died unrepentant, should one feel empathy and compassion for him?

We should morn any who are lost. That doesn't mean being sympathetic towards their evils. Perhaps Hitler had evil things done to him that shaped him into who he was. In that respect we may have compassion and empathy towards him - but of course, that only goes so far. It's not an excuse for what evils he, or others, committed.

 

[ok doser]

We should morn any who are lost.

i disagree - those who are lost are the wicked

i have confidence that Christ will gather in all of His flock, therefore, those outside the flock are wolves

i don't have empathy and compassion for wolves

Perhaps Hitler had evil things done to him that shaped him into who he was.

i would counter that every man encounters evil in his life and makes the choice whether to reject it or embrace it

and so, empathy and compassion for Hitler for the evil he encountered is a thin type of empathy and compassion that applies to every man

 

[ok doser]

I was thinking yesterday about the day they announced that the Seals had executed bin Laden - my reaction was one of positivity - not joy, not happiness, more like satisfaction that justice had been served.

certainly not empathy and compassion for the poor poor dead murdering moosie

 

[csuguy]

i disagree - those who are lost are the wicked

i have confidence that Christ will gather in all of His flock, therefore, those outside the flock are wolves

i don't have empathy and compassion for wolves

You can disagree, but you aren't inline with God or the scriptures on the matter. God loved and saved us even as sinners, and he rejoices when anyone returns to him. Similarly, he is saddened when people are lost. If you feel nothing for the loss of God's children, your heart isn't in the right place.

i would counter that every man encounters evil in his life and makes the choice whether to reject it or embrace it

and so, empathy and compassion for Hitler for the evil he encountered is a thin type of empathy and compassion that applies to every man

Indeed, we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We all known temptation and sin, and we have all gotten the short end of the stick and been put in less than desirable circumstances. Thus we may generally empathize and have compassion and understanding for all people. This was one of the important reasons that Jesus needed to be a man - so that he could experience and understand the temptations that are common to man that he might better understand and empathize with us.

 

[k0de]

Should a Christian have empathy and compassion for murderers, rapists, child molesters?


I say no, that they deserve justice, that their victims deserve justice




discuss





from here

No. And they should get what they deserve from the Law of men.

But if after committing the offense they are truly sorry and feel terrible for what they did. And it comes from the bottom of their hearts. It's not an option of us Christians. We have to forgive them for their moral offenses.

Reason not only because it's a command from Jesus. But most importantly because we to are not exempt for committing such offenses sometime in our life's.

If you don't forgive a repented heart you are guilty of self-righteous.

 

[ok doser]

You can disagree, but you aren't inline with God or the scriptures on the matter. God loved and saved us even as sinners, and he rejoices when anyone returns to him. Similarly, he is saddened when people are lost. If you feel nothing for the loss of God's children, your heart isn't in the right place.




Indeed, we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We all known temptation and sin, and we have all gotten the short end of the stick and been put in less than desirable circumstances. Thus we may generally empathize and have compassion and understanding for all people. This was one of the important reasons that Jesus needed to be a man - so that he could experience and understand the temptations that are common to man that he might better understand and empathize with us.

interesting and i'll come back to it later, but lemmee ask you this

do you have different degrees of empathy and compassion for Hitler and his victims?

 

[Arthur Brain]

Hitler was the model for the initial discussion. Assuming he died unrepentant, should one feel empathy and compassion for him?

Wow, the "Hitler" thing again. :doh:

So, Hitler, murdering despot dies unrepentant and goes to eternal hell under your belief, right?

Aunt Gladys, an agnostic who's biggest crime is an unpaid parking ticket also dies unrepentant and ends up in eternal hell as well, right?

On the other hand, supposing Hitler had a last minute conversion before physical death and sincerely repented? Not awaiting eternal hell anymore, right?