The true problem with the christian idea of ultimate justice is that it does NOTHING to alleviate the suffering of individuals in the here and now. do you really think a rape victim can find comfort knowing that in 40 years when their rapist dies that THEN they will be punished? does it comfort the family of a murdered father to know that somewhere down the road he will pay for his crimes? well to a degree, i suppose it could bring a bit of vengeful comfort to them, yes. but when you are talking about an all powerful and all knowing deity who is said to be the most fair, the most loving, and the most powerful, then even we as humans can clearly see that this method is not good enough. It sounds good when you wrap it in flowery words and you preach it in a poetic way, but think about it. OK, let's say an on-duty police officer is walking down the street one night. He walks past an alleyway. As he turns his head, he sees a woman being dragged into the alley to be raped. She is terrified, and screaming for someone to save her. What is the right thing for that police officer to do? He has a flashlight that he could pull out and shine in that direction, that could scare off the rapist. He also has pepper spray on his belt that could be used to ward off the rapist if he got close. Or if he needed something more, he also has a gun strapped to his hip. If the situation got too hostile, he has a radio that he could use to radio for help. These are the things you would expect the police officer to do in order to prevent this act from occurring in the first place. That is the moral thing to do. If you have the power to stop a horrible act from happening, you do.
So now let's look at the method that the christian god uses. It is nothing like this method. Just like in this fictitious story, god sees every rape that has happened, is happening, or will ever happen. He also has all the power needed to prevent it in the first place. That would be the moral thing to do. What is better than vengeance? Preventing the act that begs for vengeance. So this "ultimate justice" idea where that rapist will suffer in hell forever brings some form of solace to the victim, but i don't understand why that should have to be the case at all. You mean to tell me that you are OK with god just LETTING the rape happen? Even though he knows it is happening? AND he can stop it if he wanted to? Let's superimpose that ideology onto the police officer story. Let's say that the police officer used this method. He sees the woman getting pulled into the alley, screaming for help. Pleading for someone to help her. The police officer just stands across the street, watching this all unfold, with folded arms. You can picture him however you would like, maybe crying, maybe pacing back and forth. He can be seething with anger for all I care, the overall meaning holds true regardless. He has all of the tools necessary to prevent that rape from happening at all. He has the power to stop it, and he sees it happening, and it is his responsibility to stop it. But he doesn't. He sits there, watching it happen. He hears the screams continue until they are nothing more than a whimper coming from the bumbling lips of a broken woman. Now once the deed is done, the officer says to himself, that guy has to pay for his actions. So I'm going to go get a warrant for his arrest and prosecute him for rape charges. However, I won't apprehend him now. No no. He was a 30 year old man. I will wait for about 40 to 50 years when he is old and gray and has enjoyed all that life has to offer just like the rest of us. THEN, I'll arrest him and you will have your justice! What a good police officer I am. Is that acceptable to you?
Of course not! That is a hideous act of cowardice that gives no compassion to the rape victim. So the man was punished, great. Does that erase the mentally debilitating act that he committed? No. It merely allows horrible acts to be committed through the inaction of those who have the power to prevent it. I say that this divine justice system is utterly disgusting when the world runs rampant with murder, and torture, and rape, and theft, and all of the sufferings that are committed every day for countless years, and decades, and centuries. I say that if your god is all powerful, and all knowing, and people are still having these terrible acts befall them, then your god is either completely evil, or your god just flat out doesn't care about the well-being of his creation.
So now let's look at the method that the christian god uses. It is nothing like this method. Just like in this fictitious story, god sees every rape that has happened, is happening, or will ever happen. He also has all the power needed to prevent it in the first place. That would be the moral thing to do. What is better than vengeance? Preventing the act that begs for vengeance. So this "ultimate justice" idea where that rapist will suffer in hell forever brings some form of solace to the victim, but i don't understand why that should have to be the case at all. You mean to tell me that you are OK with god just LETTING the rape happen? Even though he knows it is happening? AND he can stop it if he wanted to? Let's superimpose that ideology onto the police officer story. Let's say that the police officer used this method. He sees the woman getting pulled into the alley, screaming for help. Pleading for someone to help her. The police officer just stands across the street, watching this all unfold, with folded arms. You can picture him however you would like, maybe crying, maybe pacing back and forth. He can be seething with anger for all I care, the overall meaning holds true regardless. He has all of the tools necessary to prevent that rape from happening at all. He has the power to stop it, and he sees it happening, and it is his responsibility to stop it. But he doesn't. He sits there, watching it happen. He hears the screams continue until they are nothing more than a whimper coming from the bumbling lips of a broken woman. Now once the deed is done, the officer says to himself, that guy has to pay for his actions. So I'm going to go get a warrant for his arrest and prosecute him for rape charges. However, I won't apprehend him now. No no. He was a 30 year old man. I will wait for about 40 to 50 years when he is old and gray and has enjoyed all that life has to offer just like the rest of us. THEN, I'll arrest him and you will have your justice! What a good police officer I am. Is that acceptable to you?
Of course not! That is a hideous act of cowardice that gives no compassion to the rape victim. So the man was punished, great. Does that erase the mentally debilitating act that he committed? No. It merely allows horrible acts to be committed through the inaction of those who have the power to prevent it. I say that this divine justice system is utterly disgusting when the world runs rampant with murder, and torture, and rape, and theft, and all of the sufferings that are committed every day for countless years, and decades, and centuries. I say that if your god is all powerful, and all knowing, and people are still having these terrible acts befall them, then your god is either completely evil, or your god just flat out doesn't care about the well-being of his creation.
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