Sunday Musings -December 5, 2021
Good news?
The Oklahoma governor just denied clemency for Bigler Stouffer who was convicted of the 1985 murder of schoolteacher Linda Reaves and the attempted murder of Doug’s Ivens. Although the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole board recommended his sentence be change to life in prison, the governor has declined to accept that recommendation. Currently there are 46 people on death row in Oklahoma. Six of those have execution dates. In the United States as of October 2021, there were 2504 people on death row. At the End of 2019 there were roughly 2.1 million people behind bars in the United States (pewresearch.com). It should be noted that this is a number which has been declining a little the last few years.
The Attorney General of Oklahoma, John O’Connor, in response to the decision by the governor, issued a statement saying that justice will finally be served. (ktul.com) This is a common statement of law enforcement personnel and the victim’s family. “Justice will be served.” “We finally have justice.”
Most of us know that for many centuries the “eye for an eye” approach to justice has been widely accepted. An apparent majority in the United States and many other countries, still believe this to be the case. Many use different religious traditions or texts for justification.
This type of justice holds these truths to be self-evident:
o Justice equals balance - take a life/lives and remove a life/lives.
o We are each defined by our worst behavior or act.
o Both incarceration and executing those we are able to convict of certain “crimes” deters more crime.
o Those convicted of being criminal are different than or less than those not convicted of being criminals.
o Those advocating other approaches to justice such as restorative justice do not understand that there are evil people
o Punishment and treating people as less than create a more just and safer community.
I find it sadly fascinating that many in the United States and especially those in powerful governing positions (public and so-called private sector) frequently tout their belief that we are a Christian nation when, in fact, we are a very pluralistic nation and always have been. The majority of our lawmakers have, however, been white men. Slowly there is a smattering of representative of both genders, various races and cultures and religions in various governing bodies - private and public.
If, in fact, we were a Christian nation we would follow the basic teaching of Jesus which also happen to mirror the teaching of the Buddha and other teachers. The basic teachings of Jesus which have often been labeled the good news can be summarized as follows:
o Humans are humans. In the words of Louise Hay: “We are perfect in our imperfections.”
o We are all more than our worse sin/way of hurting others.
o There is no scientific or moral way of rank ordering our various ways of hurting ourselves and others.
o We are to love our enemies, treat each other as we want to be treated, be humble, and share our gifts with others without judgment.
o Bless the poor in spirit. Who could be poorer in spirit that the person who murders or rapes another?
o Bless those who mourn - those who have the humility and courage to mourn.
o Bless the meek - those who are quietly present.
o Bless those who hunger and thirst for righteousness - who have to courage to know they do not know - those who search for questions instead of answers.
o Bless those who show mercy.
o Love your enemies.
o Visit the sick and those in prison.
o Feed the hungry.
o Forgive seventy times seventy
Who can consider these teachings and fail to be challenged? Who can read these and fail to acknowledge that their human manifestation is no different than that of the 2.1 million behind bars; the over 2000 on death row? Who can read these and find justification for punishing another?
Certainly, for a host of reasons there are those who are incapable temporarily or permanently of considering the needs and rights of others. None of these, to the best of my knowledge, decided they wanted to enter this life journey with mental illness or other brain dysfunction which prevents them from forming loving human connections with all others. Yet there are a host of factors which affect the ability of many. Some of these may need to be in safe, restrictive, but not punishing, facilities.
The good news of that Jesus fellow is that we all deserve and have the Grace of God. The good news of that Jesus fellow and the Buddhas and some other teachers is that the god of our understanding fulfills the law of the Old Testament by teaching us to love and not judge. The good news is that Bigler Stouffer has a name and is a person who deserves our love as the human he is; the human who did a very cruel act. The good news is that justice is achieved with love.
Written December 5, 2021
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
Good news?
The Oklahoma governor just denied clemency for Bigler Stouffer who was convicted of the 1985 murder of schoolteacher Linda Reaves and the attempted murder of Doug’s Ivens. Although the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole board recommended his sentence be change to life in prison, the governor has declined to accept that recommendation. Currently there are 46 people on death row in Oklahoma. Six of those have execution dates. In the United States as of October 2021, there were 2504 people on death row. At the End of 2019 there were roughly 2.1 million people behind bars in the United States (pewresearch.com). It should be noted that this is a number which has been declining a little the last few years.
The Attorney General of Oklahoma, John O’Connor, in response to the decision by the governor, issued a statement saying that justice will finally be served. (ktul.com) This is a common statement of law enforcement personnel and the victim’s family. “Justice will be served.” “We finally have justice.”
Most of us know that for many centuries the “eye for an eye” approach to justice has been widely accepted. An apparent majority in the United States and many other countries, still believe this to be the case. Many use different religious traditions or texts for justification.
This type of justice holds these truths to be self-evident:
o Justice equals balance - take a life/lives and remove a life/lives.
o We are each defined by our worst behavior or act.
o Both incarceration and executing those we are able to convict of certain “crimes” deters more crime.
o Those convicted of being criminal are different than or less than those not convicted of being criminals.
o Those advocating other approaches to justice such as restorative justice do not understand that there are evil people
o Punishment and treating people as less than create a more just and safer community.
I find it sadly fascinating that many in the United States and especially those in powerful governing positions (public and so-called private sector) frequently tout their belief that we are a Christian nation when, in fact, we are a very pluralistic nation and always have been. The majority of our lawmakers have, however, been white men. Slowly there is a smattering of representative of both genders, various races and cultures and religions in various governing bodies - private and public.
If, in fact, we were a Christian nation we would follow the basic teaching of Jesus which also happen to mirror the teaching of the Buddha and other teachers. The basic teachings of Jesus which have often been labeled the good news can be summarized as follows:
o Humans are humans. In the words of Louise Hay: “We are perfect in our imperfections.”
o We are all more than our worse sin/way of hurting others.
o There is no scientific or moral way of rank ordering our various ways of hurting ourselves and others.
o We are to love our enemies, treat each other as we want to be treated, be humble, and share our gifts with others without judgment.
o Bless the poor in spirit. Who could be poorer in spirit that the person who murders or rapes another?
o Bless those who mourn - those who have the humility and courage to mourn.
o Bless the meek - those who are quietly present.
o Bless those who hunger and thirst for righteousness - who have to courage to know they do not know - those who search for questions instead of answers.
o Bless those who show mercy.
o Love your enemies.
o Visit the sick and those in prison.
o Feed the hungry.
o Forgive seventy times seventy
Who can consider these teachings and fail to be challenged? Who can read these and fail to acknowledge that their human manifestation is no different than that of the 2.1 million behind bars; the over 2000 on death row? Who can read these and find justification for punishing another?
Certainly, for a host of reasons there are those who are incapable temporarily or permanently of considering the needs and rights of others. None of these, to the best of my knowledge, decided they wanted to enter this life journey with mental illness or other brain dysfunction which prevents them from forming loving human connections with all others. Yet there are a host of factors which affect the ability of many. Some of these may need to be in safe, restrictive, but not punishing, facilities.
The good news of that Jesus fellow is that we all deserve and have the Grace of God. The good news of that Jesus fellow and the Buddhas and some other teachers is that the god of our understanding fulfills the law of the Old Testament by teaching us to love and not judge. The good news is that Bigler Stouffer has a name and is a person who deserves our love as the human he is; the human who did a very cruel act. The good news is that justice is achieved with love.
Written December 5, 2021
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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