Husband of La. Victim Knew It Was Sniper

Fox News ^ | 10/31/02

[marshmallow]

BATON ROUGE, La.

[Alberta's Child]

I didn't like what he did but I have to forgive him," Ballenger said.

Ballenger sounds like a very decent guy, but this statement is often misused by Christians and absolutely wrong. Ballenger's wife was the victim of this crime, and as such she is the only one who can forgive the perpetrator for what he did.

Since murder by definition involves the killing of the one person who can forgive the perpetrator, it is the one crime that can never be forgiven in a human sense.

[is_is]

he can forgive a person for an act that has an effect on him...in this case the murder of his wife. What your proposing is like saying only the victim and not society can seek justice because only she had a crime committed against her.

[Alberta's Child]

He can forgive a person for the grief that this person has caused him, but he cannot forgive a person for the crime that was committed.

What your proposing is like saying only the victim and not society can seek justice because only she had a crime committed against her.

You are confusing the issues of personal harm and justice. A person who commits a crime injures a specific victim but also harms society in a general sense. The victim can forgive the perpetrator for the personal harm that he has done, but the victim's forgiveness cannot be applied to the harm that has been done to society in general.

If someone steals my car, it is perfectly acceptable for me to forgive him, even publicly. I may even plead for leniency at his sentencing in court. The court may take my plea for leniency into consideration, but my plea cannot be the sole basis for how justice is meted out in this case.

[is_is]

obviously justice and forgiveness operate on two different planes but i think a parrallel can be drawn. I also think that you are assuming way too much by saying this man cannot do what he has done in forgiving the slim that killed his wife. He may feel exactly as you do as to what he is forgiving. He is being quoted in the media, and from that you cannot assume to know his heart and mind on this subject. In saying that he forgives the slim for killing his wife it is perfectly reasonable to assume that he is possibly only forgiving the slime for the affect that his actions have had on him.

[Alberta's Child]

You are absolutely right -- that is a very good point.

[is_is]

i forgive you...lol :)

[Alberta's Child]

LOL. Now, about the harm I've done to society in general . . .

:-)

[Alberta's Child]

You have a point, but see #4. You cannot forgive the assailant for the act itself, but for the harm that he has done to you.

[Free the USA]

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