As Christians how are we supposed to deal with violence and lawlessness in our country today?
With all the violence and lawlessness in our country today. I have always felt that we do not punish criminal’s severely enough. It seems that most crime is done by repeat offenders. And without severe consequences, they will simply refuse to stop. But being a Christian, I’m conflicted, because we are supposed to love and forgive. How are we supposed to deal with this as Christians?
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Asked June 13 2016
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Mike kelnhofer
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Danny Hickman
Isn't it strange how differently we can think about political matters. I've always thought that "criminals" are treated very badly by the justice system of the country I live in, the United States. Our prison system is a training facility for a onetime offender to be hardened and become a career criminal. That's the best teaching point to get a young person to see that one offense is one too many!
Do you really think people make a decision to throw their lives away and get involved in that revolving door of going back and forth to being treated worse than we do wild animals? The zoo is a better place for wild animals than our prisons are for people. We don't allow the animals to assault each other at the zoo. That can't honestly be said about our prisons.
I hope I have successfully turned the focus from 'how do we forgive career criminals' to 'what can we do to keep at least one person from BEING TURNED to a life of crime.' Sometimes I believe we don't do anything because we think the world is to big for us to change. It is!.. if we try to do it in a fell swoop instead of one person at a time!
If you really want to help reduce crime and violence start with trying to reform the government. Where there are serious problems I always blame leadership; parents, teachers, pastors, governors, mayors, police, etc.
It ain't the enlisted men who start wars, it's the Generals. When was the last time you heard of a General being killed in war?
Parenting is the place to start!