The survey was very hard, as expected. We were instructed not to look at the examples when deciding if a defined motive or affect of a crime was depraved. So of course I looked (was this the real motive behind the survey??). One category of a crime would be the perp's intent to cause massive destruction. Sometimes 2 examples right next to each other would be something like a nuclear bomb, then a highly contagious computer virus. I am 100% sure these are very different levels of evil/corruptness.
The second reason it was hard was because I have a hero complex, and could not save everyone. The second part of the survey listed crimes--with the dreaded examples (I tried not to look!)--and we had to place them in order of 1-5: least depraved to most. Sometimes the entire page contained the worst stuff, and I had to choose which was more heinous. I wanted all the murders/rapists to suffer my judgment of evil. But I had to pick! Who and what was the worst??
It's super-great that God will judge.
Last night in my Bible study I was searching Revelation. It was the part in chapter 19 when Jesus comes back. It struck me as quite a departure from a period in His life we are more familiar with. In Revelation, He is much more fierce! He is wearing a robe dipped in blood, riding a white horse. His eyes burn, and his mouth is as a sword. He will rule with an iron scepter, and His name is Faithful & True. He has many crowns on His head, and will judge with all justice. In the NT He may chastise fiercely, but doesn't punish. He wears a humbling and humiliating crown of thorns. He is known as "Rabbi", or a human prophet, or Joseph's son, or a lying, blasphemous fraud. He rules nothing and no one. He is dirty and worn from all the walking. He rides a donkey.
On earth the first time He gave to all, and lived a poor life. He gave His entire life for God's will and for all people--sinners and strangers no less! He suffered greatly and never fought back. When people told Him he was good, He said no, only God is good.
It reminded me of all the instruction we get in the Bible to take our suffering without revenge. That it is God's job, not ours, it says. It talks a lot about punishment for evil as well, either in this life or the next. We can be sure it is coming: with God's will through human authority, disease, hellfire, ad infinitum.
In this first mortal life, as in Jesus', we are not personally to make others pay for what they did to us. After we die, it is different. Our suffering is taken away, and we can be sure they are paying for what they did--(if they did not repent). Vengeance lives and is carried out in the next life. Jesus is in charge of judging. And He is Faithful & True. And very just. He will also come back to earth to avenge.
This is hard for me. I believe it's hard for anyone. Someone at some time will always be victimized. Whether criminally or not. We are so used to movies with heros fighting the bad guys. We are used to thinking self-defense is indisputably right. Who doesn't ever say "It's OK, he won't survive in jail"? How many Christians support the death penalty? How many of the disabled were made that way because of drunk drivers? Who doesn't want to castrate rapists? Who doesn't wish to kill Bin Laden given the chance? Tough, tough stuff.
This one will take time.
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