It happens to guys too.
That's why I do my little bit, very little sometimes, on forums, on online newspaper comments sites, on blogs, in e-mails to politicians and religious leaders, in places you wouldn't think of. To try to keep the number of names on the list of remembrance from growing too fast.
The list is so very long, you see.
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
ReplyDeletePsalm 109 seems like a better fit.
---Laserlight
No, they genuinely don't know. They see us as something Evil and Perverted.
ReplyDeleteMany are so ignorant and misled that they confuse righteous wrath with hate. Some act out of the highest motives, yet commit the most appalling wickednesses.
Psalm 109 is the Old Law. We need to answer hate with charity and forgiveness - while protecting ourselves as best we can. You see, with very few exceptions, those who persecute us aren't actually evil. If we can reach them, teach them, the same sense of righteousness and evangelism they feel will be our greatest asset.
And even if they are evil, as some are, then I definitely do not want their children to suffer, neither will I curse them. I might kill them in self-defence, but never with hatred, only sorrow. (And hypocrisy?).
12 Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favor his fatherless children.
No, a thousand times no, because although I'm a sinner, his need is truly greater than mine. And I will never let children suffer in my name, even if I am guilty of the sin of pride and have to argue with the Almighty about that.
Life's too short to hate. Besides which, if you hate your adversary, you will be less effective at defending against him. Try to see things his way - then, if need be, shoot to kill.
I would argue that motives of evil acts are, if you dig down deep enough, never evil in themselves. An evil act is a harmful act that was commited becaus a moral consideration was deliberately or carelessly omitted. Good intentions are not necessarily a mittigating factor. I would argue that they are often an agravating factor, adding insult to injury.
ReplyDeleteI've seen the claim that our moral intuitions have five bases; harm, reciprocitry, in-group, hierarchy and purity. The last is quite possibly an evolutionary kludge. It is the one which is arbitrary and hard to defend. And this is the moral intition which along with fear is the danger to you. Quite possibly it is a danger to everyone. The danger comes from a side of them that you cannot bring on side. You can only try to get them to control it.
From the religious viewpoint, many see the writings of Paul and the Old Testament of the Bible as the Law of God. Many of the Christian bent feel this as well even though Paul tells the Galatians that "If redemption could be gained through the law, then Christ died for nothing."
ReplyDeleteStill though, many still believe that "laws should be enforced" and deputize themselves to do this. This then is the evil we face.
JoanieH
Zoe said: No, they genuinely don't know.
ReplyDeleteIf they don't know "it's wrong to stick a knife into a person who's not attacking anyone", they ought to.
We must not hate. If we're not the one sinned against, it's not our place to forgive or not. But we are allowed to pray for justice.
______________________
Lloyd said motives of evil acts are, if you dig down deep enough, never evil in themselves.
I'm pretty sure that you agree that some acts are in fact evil, so I'm not sure what your point of saying this is.
____________________________
Joanie, my understanding (which may be wrong, I'm open to debate on this) is that redemption cannot be gained from the Law; but that doesn't mean we can do away with the Law. If we didn't have the Law and weren't aware of our transgressions, we wouldn't know we needed to be redeemed. The Christ said "I have not come to do away with the Law, but to fulfill it."
--Laserlight
Zoe - I'm not sure "easy" quite covers your story but I take your point, how awful for these other poor souls.
ReplyDeleteLaserlight,
ReplyDeletesome acts are evil. What I was questionining whether there is such a thing as an evil ulimate motive. These are acts commited out of fear and disgust. Fear is certainly not evil but acting on it can be. Disgust is the questionable part of our moral intuitions. It is the one we cannot justify and hence it may be something that feels like it is a part of morality but isn't.
Finding transsexuality unsettling or disturbing is only to be expected. It is a case of something that for most people is a constant fundamental part of their identity changing. It is unreasonable to demand that people not be upset or disturbed by this. It is reasonable to demand that they keep a lid on it and prevent it developing into disgust and then hatred.
As I said I think evil acts are harmful acts commited because a relevant moral consideration was deliberately or carelessly omitted. In this case what was omitted was empathy and consederation of another person's humanity and rights.
I was disagreeing with Zoe about the use of appealing to the better natures of these people. I was suggesting that out of control moral impulses of these people are the problem. That obsession and fear and lack of empathy for those that you see as evil runs the risk of turning you evil. When this happens it is no use appealing to someone's desire to do good. The problem is that their desire to do what they see as good and their putting no limits on it is the problem.
Zoe, found a bit of good news for you. No link to the main story at the post itself when I say it, but Ed may have one up by the time you see it.
ReplyDeleteA couple of the commentors there are intersexed BTW. Widen your circle of contacts and support.
This art is extremely powerful. Hearing these stories from the murdered person's point of view changes them from simply being a name and a set of dates. It re-humanizes (I doubt that's a real word but...) them or maybe it only humanizes them because I'm not sure that the majority of the world ever views transgendered people as human at all. Either way, it's a tragedy.
ReplyDeleteI re.: Laserlight
ReplyDeleteWhile Christ came to fulfill the law, He did so in with the New Covenant of Grace. To quote Romans 13:8-10:8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not covet," and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Even so, many religious orders demand a works-based faith, i.e. adherence to the law, rather than faith leading to good works. This feeds a lot of bigotry and xenophobia, even in the secular, resulting in crimes beyond belief.
JMHO, and sorry for the late response.
Joanie
Better late than never, thanks!
ReplyDelete