Any dissenters?
"Most evangelical Christians will usually shy away from discussing hell as a destination for those they think have rejected their beliefs -- or even for those who have embraced what they consider an immoral lifestyle -- lest they be labeled unloving, or worse, fanatical," writes Paul Chesser in The American Spectator.
"But as one of those unapologetic Jesus freaks, I don't think it bothers too many people, other than the infidel-haters, to state that Zacarias Moussaoui can't be cast into the fiery pit fast enough."
Comments (4)
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There's an argument to be made for letting him rot in the permanent obscurity of a Supermax cell, rather than making him a martyr. But I don't know how convincing that argument is, or should be.
Posted on May 2, 2006 12:54 PM
What Paul Chesser has conveniently forgotten is that he, too, deserves to be "cast into the fiery pit" were it not for his faith in the substitutionary death of Jesus. Moussaoui may deserve the death penalty, but the state's power to determine life or death is a far cry from determining heaven or hell. As a Christian, Chesser should know that hell is no joke; it's a place no Christian should want another human being to go, even if that human committed atrocious crimes. Jesus taught that even thoughts of evil (anger, lust, etc.) make someone just as guilty in God's eyes as physically committing a crime.
Posted on May 2, 2006 1:39 PM
While I think in principle that the death penalty should be available for the state to impose, I am more and more coming round to the opinion that it's not very likely to ever be the wisest choice.
In the case of Moussaoui, we have a person of questionable brain power and demonstrated lack of stability, and we see the government trying to pin the whole responsibility for 9/11 on him. At least, until we can get our claws on Bin Laden. Would it really help anyone to have him "put to sleep"? I really don't think so.
Should he be removed from society forever? That would be the best course. But killing him would make the nation appear to be the evil empire our enemies say we are, and give yet anther reason for them to fight us to the death... as if they didn't already have an abundant collection of reasons already.
Posted on May 2, 2006 7:03 PM
It's always interesting to me the disproportion between Americans who believe in hell and those who believe in angels.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,173838,00.html
The fiery furnace certainly wields a powerful temptation: why not really mean that old curse? It satisfies cravings for vengeance while absolving responsibilty for our own government (and that means particular bureaucrats and officials). Beyond that, it makes one feel eminently morally superior. That may be the case, in general, when considering such a one as Moussaui, but what comes of feeling morally superior?
Posted on May 6, 2006 12:02 PM