Maybe I am just getting old or maybe I am losing some compassion.
But I have not a hard time, but find it absolutely unbelievable when I read a story yesterday from Scotland.
You may or may not remember that on December 21st, 1988. 280 people boarded a plane that eventually blew up over Lockerbie Scotland. Innocent individuals who were going about their lives when it all came to an abrupt end at the hands of a former Libyan intelligence officer. He was in jail for eight years, but was recently released so he could return home where he will die from terminal cancer. I cannot believe it and I can’t imagine what I would be feeling if I were a family member of one of the victims of the bombing.
A man who gave no thought to killing 280 innocent people does not deserve compassion. It may be age, or it just may be the reality of seeing so much crime today, but my level of compassion is ending for these individuals who break the law, impact people lives, and then come looking for my sympathy.
It’s a sad statement and it may not be the right thing to say, but I am at the point of enough is enough.
compasion is a good thing or we would all probably be dead and when we loose thast comodity in ourselves we are lost-we are not God for those who believe need to think about this-I am an athiest but I have compassion and unfourtunatly I see all around me hardness a hardening of the soul in the world that is not good-about this man first of all he was not alone in the deed done but the CIA very carefully and with all its power had him convicted not in a regular court but in a tribunal-so now more was begining to come to the fore and he got very ill so it was easy to let him go home and ie than to uncover the truth-
ReplyDeleteright we will never know the truth because along time ago governments covered it all up and the CIA was instrumental in it all-so let the man die with his family or can we humans not allow compasion is it a thing of the past -somewhere there is a saying judge not for that ye shall be judged-
However, Scotland doesn't have to foot the bill for the horrendous expense involved in his terminal sickness. What kind of treatment will he get in Libya. It may have been the less-compassionate route after all.
ReplyDeleteI tend to agree.
ReplyDeletethe first thing I think of is compassion - even for the murderer! Not that I am such a saint - far from it. I have so much unforgiveness toward one person I am thinking of but I also know that I would feel compassionate if she were to face any sort of tragedy or death. I really beleve in the compassionate. To be shown compassion can show even a murderer compassion toward those he has hurt and lead him to see forgiveness and peace - who knows. Akll I know is that were we are able always show Love and give Love. I think what the people of Scotland decided was the most loving thing to do and I would do the same even if I felt otherwise - as odd as it may seem. Would you feel otherwise if this gift of compassion made this murderer repent and seek to be forgiven???
ReplyDeleteEveryone has there own feelings with regards to this but I am a compassionate person yet at the same time for the one that takes so many lives I tend to lean the other way. But we all have our own thoughts. Yet still 280 lives gone due to one. But I tend to look at the brighter sides of things however this does breach what I believe. C'est la vie...
ReplyDeleteLife is not fair for so many. There would be no way for someone to repay the loss of innocent life. I did hear that news I'm not sure what to make of it. I have compassion for the families who have lost loved ones. I don't know how to feel but healing comes from holding on to what's good like the positive memories of our loved ones..and moving forward .
ReplyDeleteI don't know so many things. I thought I knew more when I was younger
Extremely sad that someone would cause so many innocent life's to end prematurely but the one's who remain have the opportunity to make positive choices, even in their dying days. Somewhere perhaps there is a broken heart for the one who caused so much death and pain . If he goes home to die or if he dies in prison he cannot amend the wrong done. I wonder if he has a family member or close someone who hurts for the wrong he has done and also for what he has become..I hope they find peace I hope the one's who have lost the loved ones find peace and strength for each new day
You asked a question - I believe that if we allowed all that killed people especially to this degree to be free - then why don't we allow all to be free that commit crimes?
ReplyDeleteUnless we all are the most ultimate pacifists...
its sad
ReplyDeletewhat a heavy soul he must carry
i don't want to be on his shoes
what a turbulent mind
it maybe free but unable to find happiness
What does it serve to have a man die in prison a long way from his family and in a most awful way? I would venture the answer is nothing and no one except for revenge. If that be the answer than I want nothing to do with it because no where in our (the UK) penal code, nor I suspect the US, is revenge a requirement of the law. Punishment for the crime is of course quite right and proper (and no I do not believe in capital punishment, which is not the point here), as is the possibility of turning the criminal around to a more productive decent life.
ReplyDeleteI am not for one moment trying to minimise the absolute horror of the Lockerbie crime and I am also not seeking to introduce the doubt that Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi may in fact be innocent, he was convicted and was incarcerated after due process of the law. He is now at the last few weeks, possibly months, of his life having lost his liberty and all the other normal things we all enjoy. I feel keeping this man in prison until his death would only confirm that we are a cruel country without compassion and also make a martyr of the man.
The politics of the situation are not important to me, what Ghadafi and his government do with this situation is up to them and how we, the international community, choose to deal with that is up to us. But keeping a man in prison till he dies is not right.
it makes me remember of the bombing in Bali, Indonesia n the recently bombing in JW Marriot n Riz Carlton Hotel here. it was a really sad tragedy n the feeling of the family is break like the mirror falling from the desk. i think its enough. really wish for no more tragedy.
ReplyDeleteI think the Scottish government must have been paid off to do such a damaging thing. The man had no right to live, in prison or otherwise after what he did. Now there are old wounds , open and bleeding again. For what? To see that man welcomed back to Libya like he was a fricking hero??? Come on, people....have compassion on people to whom compassion is due.
ReplyDeleteIf we must have compassion for those who murder and have deprived others the right to die in a peaceful manner, then we should be not be double-minded and we must extend that compassion across the board.
ReplyDeleteWith this kind of reasoning, someone who only has only weeks or days to live should not even be jailed, regardless of the brutality they carry out. Just let them go home and die in peace. Is eight years enough? Is eight minutes? The punishment should fit the crime. This negates the laws and penalties that we all as citizens are required to follow.
It is appointed unto man once to die. Everybody dies. Why do we go all soft when we start talking about a completely natural process?
He doesn't "deserve" it, but who does? None of us are perfect. His death in jail would not bring back any of the innocents. How can such an act be repaired? It is better to be compassionate and give more than is "due". I think we need a whole 'nother way of dealing with crime, but I don't know exactly what it should be. However, what good does prison do?
ReplyDeleteIf we are to put an end to the never-ending cycle of revenge, we will have to be more compassionate and forgiving than has been the case in the history of the human race.
Within this write when I logged off that was entirely the way that I felt with regards to this Byron.
ReplyDeleteWhen we find a better way than prison - then I guess there is the option DJ.
ReplyDeleteBut when I wrote this I was thinking of how one can take a life and regardless have a special privilege. I do believe in compassion, yet I do believe in "cause and effect" as well.
I like to look on the brighter aspects of life but now and then I will write something as such as I did last night Silvia....
ReplyDeleteThere is more good that is taking place in the world than this but I do believe in accountability. But that I just me.
It would be interesting to see how many have. For example if I was a person and went and killed 1,000 people would I have special privy?
ReplyDeleteI would think not as within each and every jail system (most) I do believe there is a medical department.
"Have compassion on people to whom compassion is due" < very nice quote there Deb.
ReplyDeleteThis is a huge forgiveness lesson for everybody concerned, me included who so wants to judge....
ReplyDeleteit's hard not to be judgmental when so many lives were lost, but there is a profound saying attributed to Confucius and/or George Herbert:
ReplyDelete"He who can not forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass."
I've always tried to live according to those dictates, but my old bridge is looking rather broken down these days.There have been a few people in my life, here lately, that just rub me the wrong way, and do the same gosh awful things over and over, when they should know better...and it is so hard to forgive. When asked how many times we must forgive, Jesus said 70 times 7, I believe...although I have faulty recall of scriptures, these days. I need to dust my old Bible off and start pouring over them again. " for in them you think you have eternal life'... I love that line.
sure, let the guy go home to die, but don't make him look like a national hero for what he did, the deaths he caused! That's what really gets MY Goat!
True compassion should be Just.
ReplyDeleteWisdom and true compassion, are inseparable from each other
Idiot compassion (as they call it) excuses or ignores others' wrongdoing in the name of compassion. It's fundamentally lazy and ignorant and very wrong. It doesn't call others to fulfill their potential or to take responsibility for their actions
Failing to hold the thief, abuser, murderer accountable for his crime is not proper application of compassion( or vairagya; if you like) we can have compassion for his suffering and still require that he spend his time in jail. Our compassion is only real and valuable when it will serve to reduce suffering and correct wrong done.
Real compassion includes wisdom and so it makes judgments of care and concern for all the innocence who have been hurt or will be. (And discourage others from doing things they might if they think others got a break)
The Scriptures say forgive up to 70 times but it is the "whole" book that we were to learn from to get the full understanding. And God and Jesus where Just. The sinners will pay for their sins. They will do the final judging but They appointed earthly judges for earthy things because evil does exist and they wanted people to have justice. Even King David although he has a great heart and remorse and repented he had to pay all the way for his sins. There was no break to what he was sentenced. (and that is just one of many examples) That Justice was seen all through the Scriptures it didn't end when Jesus dies as the congregations too had to take action often.
We can have compassion for suffering and still require justice,
Our compassion is only real and valuable when it will serve to reduce suffering and correct wrong done.
It isn't just my view--but Gods--which I believe in. But even if you don't one should understand the reasoning behind it.
280 people died--do not they and their families deserve justice?
I never thought this would bring about so much thought. I just see from a standpoint of what seems within reason.
ReplyDeleteIf we always gave special consideration to everyone there would be no justice system.
To forgive is what one does do however I if you bring religion into it or not - it's still what it is...
"He who can not forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass." < this is not applicable in this circumstance, from my point of view.
Regardless of the compassion one wants to believe themselves worthy of, this kind of compassionate reasoning lacks compassion for the victims. When I sow flowers in my garden, I am ruthless in the removal of those weeds that make their way into it. There is no place for the cruel hate mongers within law-abing society. Wron move to let them go free. An alternative?.. there is one, but we are too compassionate to use it.
ReplyDeleteI cannot see what good it does for the victims to keep a dying man in prison. It seems better for me for this man to go home and get his things in order before he meets his Maker. He may have a lot of forgiveness to work on.
ReplyDeleteNo justice system? Do you think the present system establishes justice?
I believe there must be a way to condemn what is wrong and encourage what is good without making a person go through things which do not help them to change.
But I admit, it is hard for me sometimes to pull weeds, especially if they are flowers. :-) Or anything edible.
I just arrive home on a Sunday afternoon and we all have our own thoughts...
ReplyDelete