It amazes me what religion can do to people's sense of what's right and wrong.
CNN.com has a story about a man who killed a convenience store clerk during a robbery 14 years ago, but who just recently turned himself into police. The crazy bit is the reaction of the members of the church where he had been a youth pastor: "He's a hero, really," and "To lock him away someplace and say he owes it to society is robbing the next generation of a mentor" are some off the more bizarre comments congregants made about the situation.
So, let me get this straight: doing something awful (like murder) is no concern at all as long as you confess, and when you do, you're setting a better example for others than someone who didn't do something bad in the first place? I just don't understand that kind of logic.
Once again the disease that is religion has infected these people to the point that they are completely delusional. How convenient that just by confessing that he murdered someone 14 years ago, all is suddenly forgiven. Suppose this makes Iqbal Ahmed feel better? Line this piece of shit up against a wall and if you need someone to pull the trigger, please don't hesitate to give me a call. He gave up his rights as a human being when he put the knife in that man's chest. Second chance? When Mr. Ahmed gets his, then this piece of human garbage can have his.
I bet they wouldn't forgive an Islamic who killed someone and then confessed....
Changing from criminal activity to a life serving others may be rare, but (as jreed points out) what does it count for paying your debts to society?
The reaction of the parishioners reminds me vaguely of the movie "O' Brother Where art Thou". An escaped criminal receives a sacrament (baptism, confession, something like that) in a stream and assumes, at first, that the law is no longer interested in chasing him.
Being forgiven and still being accountable are separate issues. We all need to forgive those who trespass on us and do us harm. Thats part of loving others as yourself. it's certainly not easy and certainly does not make any sense to those who do not know the real Judge of our sins, Christ Himself. But we are still held accountable for our wrong doing. He may have been forgiven by those who know him, but he still need to pay the cost of his wrong doing.
I would forgive an Islamic extremist who killed someone and confessed.
I wouldn't be justifying his actions by doing so, I still believe there are consequences for people's actions, but I also wouldn't act towards him any differently than if he hadn't committed murder.
No one is so far down that I can't talk to them as my equal and as a friend.
To make assumptions about a general populace based on what you would or wouldn't do is dangerous.
True, there are tons of bigoted, hypocritical, completely non-Christian people who love calling themselves "Christian" just to make themselves feel a little better... but that's how it goes, in every religion, race, and nation.