It's an interesting question, especially phrased in that way (since we're all evil). My initial reaction to the deaths of Uday and Qusay Hussein was happiness; it seemed like a reasonable emotion, considering that justice demanded their death. I'm still glad they're dead, but Megan brought up an interesting passage from the Old Testament, and from that I found:
Ezekiel 18:32The whole chapter is about justice and punishment, and the gist of it is that God wants everyone to repent of their evil actions rather than be punished. Meting out punishment is described as a regrettable necessity, despite the fact that God loves justice.
For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD . Repent and live!
So, I'm re-evaluating my reaction. Yes, I'm glad that justice was served, and I'm glad that those two monsters won't be able to murder, rape, and torture anyone else ever again. They got what the deserved. Perhaps my lack of compassion is due to my near-certainty that neither one of them would have ever repented. Whatever the reason, I need to temper my thirst for justice with compassion, even for the worst of humanity.
there's a big difference between pleasure in death and pleasure in what death can represent.
i'm sure God would rather have seen many people reformed than dead.
but sometimes, the benefits to His people were too great.
God is a God of justice, and I'm pretty sure He's got His hand in peace for the Iraqis.
There's a difference between bloodlust and happiness that moral law has been fulfilled and hope is the victor.
But that's just my two cents, and Lord knows I'm no prophet.
Zechariah 7:9(NIV) "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.'"
Somehow they need to fit hand in hand. Look at what God did on the cross. He completely satisfied His need for justice, while also pouring out His grace upon us.
Good post. I hope we can remember that the old "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" was Old Testament belief, much rooted in older vengeance-based justice.
Well, Barry, my point wasn't that we shouldn't punish evil-doers -- even to the point of execution. Just that we shouldn't revel in it.
The issue is fairly complex. The February issue of First Things has an article by Meir Soloveichik on "The Virtue of Hate." Solovocheik affirms the Jewish view is that God hates evil and that, in the Jewish tradition, hating one's enemies is acceptable. (Presumably one's enemies are evil.) Now, the Jewish view is not the Christian view,but I don't think the proof-text for forgiveness is going to be found in the Old Testament.
No, but God didn't suddenly change with the birth of Christ either. There's really a remarkable continuity between the Old and New Testaments - without the Old, the New is incomplete, actually (who is Christ if not the Messiah? who is God if not the God of Abraham?). Redemption is different, but none of God's principles actually changed, and I think we've got a lot to learn from the Old Testament.
Also, "hate" in English is "a very strong word," with a single meaning that doesn't, I think, capture what God meant even then. I'll look up the Hebrew.
And Megan has another post up today on this that I've yet to get to.
Wow, I haven't enjoyed blogging this much in a long time...
Yeah, too dad Megan's comments don't work. Grumble.