You discover solid evidence that a person in your community committed cold-blooded murder in another locale thirty years ago. The murder has remained unsolved and no suspects were ever found or charged with the crime.
He’s now respected member of the community; has a loving wife; two grown children who have families of their own. For the last twenty years, he’s been a respected member of your community and an active supporter of the church, local charities for the poor and community youth organizations, as well as the local, non-profit hospital.
He’s not a “close friend”, but you know him and know of his present life. You know very little about the thirty year old murder and/or about the other people involved.
What do you do? And, of course, what are your reasons for doing it?
Re: punish? or forgive?
DP read Les Miserables or see the movie.
Re: punish? or forgive?
That's a strange situation because I wonder how can somebody commit a cold blooded murder and then become a respected member of a community. If he's so good now then how can he live with such a guilty conscience, or is he emotionally numb to what he did? I think you would have to know the circumstances surrounding the murder. Was it self-defense, revenge, why was it done? I think you should confront him first. If he has the ability or need to turn himself in, then he'll do that. But God is the ultimate judge and so he has to live with that knowledge atleast.
Re: punish? or forgive?
That's a strange situation because I wonder how can somebody commit a cold blooded murder and then become a respected member of a community. If he's so good now then how can he live with such a guilty conscience, or is he emotionally numb to what he did? I think you would have to know the circumstances surrounding the murder. Was it self-defense, revenge, why was it done? I think you should confront him first. If he has the ability or need to turn himself in, then he'll do that. But God is the ultimate judge and so he has to live with that knowledge atleast.
Re: punish? or forgive?
for those who do not know (including moi): http://www.online-literature.com/victor_hugo/les_miserables/
Now where do you stand MQ?
Re: punish? or forgive?
dp--- If somebody takes the life of another person, you have to know why it happened and how it happened. There is always a reason as to why something happens. If somebody took the life of somebody I loved, there is no way I would be able to forgive that person . I might not react that way if the same guy took the life of another - call it being selfish. I do believe that people should be punished for their crimes....but sometimes I feel sorry for all these people who did not mean to , but ended up taking the life of another. One life is gone...it will never come back...so do we really have a right to ruin another?
He should be punished....but what if he regrets it? What if the guilt of it has been eating him up inside? Nobody knows whats in the mind and heart of another person. Nobody can. Perhaps we can understand some of it, but we can never know all of it. I dont think I would ruin his life. It would be cruel. But I would look into the case, see how it happened, what he had to go through afterwards.But sometimes the law can be wrong, so in the end - unless you were present at the murder- how do you know what to believe?
True justice is not to hurt another as he has hurt you, its to make sure you do what is best for everyone.