This week, the death penalty debate reignites as executions are committed, commuted and mulled over.
The 1,000th person was executed (Reuters) since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976. Eugene Robinson and E.J. Dionne weigh in on the debate with Robinson questioning how clemency and executions can be fair in this age of celebrity. Should "Tookie" Williams be executed for his murders or granted clemency because of his repentance? Robinson thinks the latter, but wants to see the death penalty gone for everyone. See: No Special Break for Tookie (Washington Post)
Dionne expresses similar sentiments but comments on "Virginia Gov. Mark Warner's decision this week to grant clemency..." The case discussed here is somewhat different as DNA evidence was destroyed by a court clerk, making any potential appeal or exonerating evidence all but impossible. It's a good read and a brief history of the political climate in which the death penalty debate has been waged. See: The Politics of Punishment (Washington Post)
I've had discussions about the death penalty with friends who are advocates of it and I will admit that on purely philosophical/theoretical grounds, a solid argument can be made for the death penalty. The theoretical assumptions behind those arguments, however, don't hold up in the real world. For one thing, people make mistakes. If a single innocent person is killed that is one too many and unfortunately the number is higher than one.
Mistakes, however, aren't the only issue. How do we take into account mental ability? Age or maturity? Should the crime equal the punishment regardless of context? Very few thinking people would allow for no extenuating circumstances. Yet, in a courtroom the very nature of a capital case stirs deep emotions and a good attorney knows how to incite anger and outrage in those jurors given the daunting task of sentencing a person to death. Oh, and if a person is against the death penalty, that person won't sit on a capital case, the prosecutors assure that.
The real world is just too messy and complex for the theoretical arguments to ever apply to reality. A person should absolutely be held accountable for their crimes, that is just. The death penalty, however, allows for no mistakes, no lapses in judgment, no subjectivity. We are just not capable of applying the exacting standards necessary to every single person who stands before a judge. That is, unfortunately, a matter of being a fallible human being.
That brings me to one last point - I don't ever want to put a person in the position of having to make that grave decision, or be in that position myself. Governors and the president all have the ability to commute sentences, prosecutors have the ability (within sentencing guidelines) to ask for it, juries are given the responsibility to sentence a person to death. While there is some choice in the matter for all those people, it is a monumental one. I would never want to face the outside pressure to kill someone. Neither would I want to decide whose sentence gets commuted and whose gets committed. Rarely do we think about the mental, emotional and spiritual weight placed upon those people responsible for the executions, especially in the case where an innocent is killed. To me, abolishing the death penalty is as much a mercy to those people as the inmates on death row.
I would hope that some day soon the United States would choose to end its use of capital punishment. It may be a state by state effort, but in the interest of justice I think it is necessary. Not so much because the punishment itself is unjust, although I have my doubts, but moreso because its application will always be.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Thursday, December 01, 2005
A Father's Voice: Affection
I'm going to be a father - again! Woohoo! My son is going to have a sibling, which I think is great for all involved. That doesn't really have anything to do with this post, but it does add additional weight and relevance for me - my responsibility has just doubled.
Figuring out this thing called "fatherhood" can be tough for those of us without any formal training. "Formal training?" you ask, "Who has formal training?" Well, nobody I know, but it seems like it would be a pretty good idea. My knowledge comes from observing my father and others', which I was fortunate to have. Many men don't even have a father to look to, and others have poor examples. Even given a good example, however, the training we receive is completely colored by the fact that we children. We aren't consciously learning about fatherhood, we just sort of absorb it and then try to reach back when suddenly it is us witch children.
I have no idea what formalized father-training would look like, but I'm sure there are universal things children need and look for in a father. Additionally, as the representative of God the Father to our children, there is added gravity. The view of our Heavenly Father which our children develop is heavily influenced by their view of earthly fathers. My desire is to accurately represent The Father to the best of my ability, which brings me to this week's topic: affection.
In American society, male affection, especially for other males, is extremely reserved. Handshakes replace hugs and kisses just don't happen except for the very young. This reservation is, I think, somewhat detrimental particularly as it concerns our sons. Children seek physical contact for reassurance and security and it is the earliest forms of communication they understand. We hold babies to comfort them when they cry and toddlers when they are scared but somewhere along the way the physical bond becomes distant dissolving into high-fives, pats on the back, handshakes or, for the very affectionate, a side-hug.
If Jesus' story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11ff) were told in modern day America, the father would see the son coming from a great distance, run out to greet him and promptly stick out his hand and say, "welcome home, son!" with a hearty handshake. Then, draping one arm over his sons shoulder he would usher him home for a hearty feast. I just have a hard time picturing God greeting me with a handshake. This is the Father that Jesus called "Abba", the Hebrew equivalent of "daddy." Jesus' picture rings truer to me, "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him."
It is my belief that we lose much when we restrain our affections for our sons in particular. The loss is increased by the fact that we tend to reserve our verbal affections as well. Our reservation and stoicism is a hard cultural bond to break, but I think we would do well to break it. As I mentioned above, physical affection is likely the earliest form of communication we understand. That language does not disappear once we learn to speak. An embrace speaks volumes (even to adults!) without the need to ever utter a word.
Affection awakens our emotions to one another and builds intimacy. It is a physical and verbal expression of how we feel towards each other - something that should come easily between family and friends. Withholding affection, I think, leads to, if not coldness, an appearance of coldness. The invitation of a handshake or verbal greeting is substantively different than a hug. It creates distance and insulates us from intimacy.
While I think a greater intimacy with one another is a good and necessary thing and a result of affection, the greater benefit comes when we approach the throne of our Father. If we are able to exhibit and receive affection in the natural world, we will be better equipped to give and receive it in the supernatural. Our heavenly Father has great affection for us, but unless we are able and willing to receive it, that affection will not be manifest. God longs for our affection as well - a father wants to know that his love is reciprocated.
As we show affection for our children, so they will learn to give and receive affection. So hug your children today and tomorrow and the day after that. Tell them you love them and let them have no doubt about it. Whether they are 2 or 32, sons and daughters want to know they are loved and cared for by their fathers. Let them know.
Figuring out this thing called "fatherhood" can be tough for those of us without any formal training. "Formal training?" you ask, "Who has formal training?" Well, nobody I know, but it seems like it would be a pretty good idea. My knowledge comes from observing my father and others', which I was fortunate to have. Many men don't even have a father to look to, and others have poor examples. Even given a good example, however, the training we receive is completely colored by the fact that we children. We aren't consciously learning about fatherhood, we just sort of absorb it and then try to reach back when suddenly it is us witch children.
I have no idea what formalized father-training would look like, but I'm sure there are universal things children need and look for in a father. Additionally, as the representative of God the Father to our children, there is added gravity. The view of our Heavenly Father which our children develop is heavily influenced by their view of earthly fathers. My desire is to accurately represent The Father to the best of my ability, which brings me to this week's topic: affection.
In American society, male affection, especially for other males, is extremely reserved. Handshakes replace hugs and kisses just don't happen except for the very young. This reservation is, I think, somewhat detrimental particularly as it concerns our sons. Children seek physical contact for reassurance and security and it is the earliest forms of communication they understand. We hold babies to comfort them when they cry and toddlers when they are scared but somewhere along the way the physical bond becomes distant dissolving into high-fives, pats on the back, handshakes or, for the very affectionate, a side-hug.
If Jesus' story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11ff) were told in modern day America, the father would see the son coming from a great distance, run out to greet him and promptly stick out his hand and say, "welcome home, son!" with a hearty handshake. Then, draping one arm over his sons shoulder he would usher him home for a hearty feast. I just have a hard time picturing God greeting me with a handshake. This is the Father that Jesus called "Abba", the Hebrew equivalent of "daddy." Jesus' picture rings truer to me, "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him."
It is my belief that we lose much when we restrain our affections for our sons in particular. The loss is increased by the fact that we tend to reserve our verbal affections as well. Our reservation and stoicism is a hard cultural bond to break, but I think we would do well to break it. As I mentioned above, physical affection is likely the earliest form of communication we understand. That language does not disappear once we learn to speak. An embrace speaks volumes (even to adults!) without the need to ever utter a word.
Affection awakens our emotions to one another and builds intimacy. It is a physical and verbal expression of how we feel towards each other - something that should come easily between family and friends. Withholding affection, I think, leads to, if not coldness, an appearance of coldness. The invitation of a handshake or verbal greeting is substantively different than a hug. It creates distance and insulates us from intimacy.
While I think a greater intimacy with one another is a good and necessary thing and a result of affection, the greater benefit comes when we approach the throne of our Father. If we are able to exhibit and receive affection in the natural world, we will be better equipped to give and receive it in the supernatural. Our heavenly Father has great affection for us, but unless we are able and willing to receive it, that affection will not be manifest. God longs for our affection as well - a father wants to know that his love is reciprocated.
As we show affection for our children, so they will learn to give and receive affection. So hug your children today and tomorrow and the day after that. Tell them you love them and let them have no doubt about it. Whether they are 2 or 32, sons and daughters want to know they are loved and cared for by their fathers. Let them know.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Wednesday's Big Idea: Practical Wisdom
For several weeks now, we've been discussing and praying through wisdom on Wednesdays. Our primary text has come from proverbs 9 but today we also looked at the value that Biblical writers gave wisdom.
Proverbs 3:13-15 says "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her."
Proverbs 4:7 says "Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding."
Great value is attributed to wisdom, making it something worth striving for, even giving up all one has. I understand that wisdom is a valuable thing, but I continue to understand what exactly it is. I ask for it (James 1:5), but do I really understand what I am asking for?
Proverbs 9 tells us that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." This tells me where to begin - I need to understand "the fear of the Lord." What is that? Deuteronomy 10:12ff gives a pretty good primer on that - obedience, reverence, worship are all good synonyms for "fear of the Lord." I can understand and pursue those which puts me at the beginning of wisdom, but it doesn't tell me what wisdom is.
James attempts clarify this thing called wisdom in his epistle. He writes in Chapter 3 what a life of wisdom looks like:
Here now we can begin to understand practical wisdom. Wisdom, as does faith, bears good fruit. The deeds of a person demonstrate wisdom or folly. We can begin to ask ourselves, "is this action peace-loving? No, then it is not wise. Is this action merciful and sincere? No? Then it is not wise." Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and part of the wisdom He grants is predicting the outcome of our actions and understanding our own motivations.
So, it seems, a few more baby steps in and wisdom starts with the fear of the Lord and continues with our ability to ask probing questions of ourselves. Perhaps the next step is the ability to find accurate answers.
Proverbs 3:13-15 says "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her."
Proverbs 4:7 says "Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding."
Great value is attributed to wisdom, making it something worth striving for, even giving up all one has. I understand that wisdom is a valuable thing, but I continue to understand what exactly it is. I ask for it (James 1:5), but do I really understand what I am asking for?
Proverbs 9 tells us that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." This tells me where to begin - I need to understand "the fear of the Lord." What is that? Deuteronomy 10:12ff gives a pretty good primer on that - obedience, reverence, worship are all good synonyms for "fear of the Lord." I can understand and pursue those which puts me at the beginning of wisdom, but it doesn't tell me what wisdom is.
James attempts clarify this thing called wisdom in his epistle. He writes in Chapter 3 what a life of wisdom looks like:
"13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.Here James lays out a contrast between two types of wisdom: earthly and heavenly. Earthly wisdom seeks to benefit and aggrandize the self while heavenly wisdom seeks to edify. Heavenly wisdom seeks to unite, earthly wisdom seeks to divide.17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness."
Here now we can begin to understand practical wisdom. Wisdom, as does faith, bears good fruit. The deeds of a person demonstrate wisdom or folly. We can begin to ask ourselves, "is this action peace-loving? No, then it is not wise. Is this action merciful and sincere? No? Then it is not wise." Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and part of the wisdom He grants is predicting the outcome of our actions and understanding our own motivations.
So, it seems, a few more baby steps in and wisdom starts with the fear of the Lord and continues with our ability to ask probing questions of ourselves. Perhaps the next step is the ability to find accurate answers.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Isaiah on Tuesday - Wrong Priorities
It's very easy to get going in the wrong direction and once we've started it's hard to make a course correction. We find Israel on just such a trajectory in Isaiah 5:8-30. As if the "Vintner's Lament"(v.1-7) wasn't strong enough, Isaiah feels the need to explain just how off course the nation has become.
Those who have, add to what they have with endless greed. They seek only to expand the boundaries of their hedonism. Great banquets are held and musicians are hired, yet no thanks is given for the bounty, the music is in praise of themselves. Worship is given to wine and the works of their hand and nothing is left for the One who gives it.
The priorities and worldview of this people has become so inverted that Isaiah has them living in a Bizzaro Israel:
The lesson for us is not to follow in Israel's path. I have no doubt that it was a gradual decline and inversion that occurred, not a sudden rebellion or upheaval. When going a short distance, a one degree deviation will not take one far from the destination. In a long journey, however, one degree can bring one hundreds of miles off course. In our faith journey, we must be making constant course corrections as the world draws our focus and our priorities in the wrong direction. It is a daily (if not more frequent!) struggle to avoid the fate of Isaiah's Israel.
Those who have, add to what they have with endless greed. They seek only to expand the boundaries of their hedonism. Great banquets are held and musicians are hired, yet no thanks is given for the bounty, the music is in praise of themselves. Worship is given to wine and the works of their hand and nothing is left for the One who gives it.
The priorities and worldview of this people has become so inverted that Isaiah has them living in a Bizzaro Israel:
20"Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter.21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
and clever in their own sight.22 Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine
and champions at mixing drinks,23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe,
but deny justice to the innocent.
Everything that should be, isn't and everything that is, shouldn't be. For this reason, Isaiah says they will be overcome by their enemies and overcome.
The lesson for us is not to follow in Israel's path. I have no doubt that it was a gradual decline and inversion that occurred, not a sudden rebellion or upheaval. When going a short distance, a one degree deviation will not take one far from the destination. In a long journey, however, one degree can bring one hundreds of miles off course. In our faith journey, we must be making constant course corrections as the world draws our focus and our priorities in the wrong direction. It is a daily (if not more frequent!) struggle to avoid the fate of Isaiah's Israel.
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