tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041549.post112429700155496455..comments2023-10-06T06:38:16.077-05:00Comments on the little fights: JusticeNathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09476174265551740950noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041549.post-1126759087002153962005-09-14T23:38:00.000-05:002005-09-14T23:38:00.000-05:00Dear Nathan,I enjoyed reading this post. I think ...Dear Nathan,<BR/><BR/>I enjoyed reading this post. I think you are asking the right questions. Just to complcate things even further...<BR/><BR/>In Dostoevsky's <I>Brothers Karamazov</I>, Ivan Karamazov makes a very good case that even punishment in the afterlife cannot be justice in any true sense. Nothing can restore innocence that has been stolen, or repay for the pain and tears of a wounded child. "What do I care if the tormentors are in hell, what can hell set right here, if these little ones have already been tormented?"<BR/><BR/>I would go so far as to say that punishment, whether in this world or the world to come, is not and never can be justice, and should not be confused with justice. The punishment of an offender, understood as the making of the offender's life relatively more difficult or uncomfortable or miserable, has never been demonstrated to contribute to the creation of a better world. Quite the opposite, in fact. Miserable people act miserably, make others miserable.<BR/><BR/>In Judaism, the expression most often associated with <I>tzidakah</I>, "justice," is <I>tikkun ha olam</I>, which means "rebuilding/restoring/healing the world." Until we stop thinking that we can get to justice through punishment, we will never even make a beginning. Justice is not punishing the guilty, it is healing and transforming the world.<BR/><BR/>S.Paul4peacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17821389305503938933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041549.post-1124323751203513902005-08-17T19:09:00.000-05:002005-08-17T19:09:00.000-05:00Looks funny in the comments, but the link should b...Looks funny in the comments, but the link should be:<BR/>http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues<BR/>/ft0508/articles/bottum.html<BR/><BR/>I had to split it into two pieces to make it viewable in the comments.<BR/><BR/>-DougAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041549.post-1124323685575315432005-08-17T19:08:00.000-05:002005-08-17T19:08:00.000-05:00Good thoughts. I read that First Things article a...Good thoughts. I read that First Things article also. In fact, it's available online at:<BR/>http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft0508/articles/bottum.html<BR/><BR/>-DougAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com