NorthOfNorth wrote on Jun 24
th, 2009 at 12:50pm:
What you seem to be implying here, but don't quite have the guts to say it, is that your holy book commands if the trespasser doesn't repent then you can take to him, say, with an axe and hack him to death
. It's only if he repents that he is worthy of forgiveness.
No.
And i'm quite happy to let the angels be the 'reapers'.
Matthew 13:39
The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world;
and the reapers are the angels.
40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
"....It's only if he repents that he is worthy of forgiveness."
helian,
If a criminal keeps re-offending, should we [society] keep forgiving him?
Scenario.....
A murderer [who society has forgiven, his crime of murder].
Perchance, you have three daughters, and now, this same criminal murders one of your daughters.
Could you find it in your un-Christian heart, to forgive him?
And should you?And if you [and society] did forgive him, and then on his release, he murdered your two remaining daughters?
Do you again find the 'tolerance', to again forgive him, of his 'sin'?
How many times did Jesus say, we must forgive those who sin against us???
Q.
But what about the victims?
Don't the
INNOCENT have the right to be protected from such violence?
And if "Yes", how would that be best achieved - BEFORE THE FACT [of criminal violence]?