Tuesday, January 16, 2007

It's Just Wrong...

Its just not right…

Decapitated. Today the headlines shout of the execution by hanging of Sadam Husein’s half brother. When he was hung, we are told that his body was decapitated. This is just not right.

I struggled with the issue for quite some time. Many people have. The issue is capital punishment – the right that any given government body feels that they have to impose the punishment of death for particular crimes. There are times when we see acts that are so loathsome that we may temped to feel like we want to pull the switch, drop the floor on the gallows, or inject the needle ourselves. The headlines are filled with such incidents; such as unborn children being cut from their mother’s wombs. It is easy to point to the commandment in the old testament “You shall not kill.” Still some may point to books of the old testament where we are told that the Nation of Israel was led to victories in warfare by God.

First, consider the last two words in the last sentence – by God. Also consider how Christ told us to love those who hate us. To love one another as God loves us. As a Buddhist I have been taught that all life is precious. What then would make anyone feel they have the right to take the life of another human being?

While you are considering that, hold another event in your mind. That event is the death of a 10 year old child by hanging. How are they connected? The following event was reported in an Associated Press Article, here is an excerpt:

“Cairo, Egypt – The boys’ deaths – scattered in the United States, in Yemen, in Turkey and elsewhere in seemingly isolated horror – had one thing in common: they hanged themselves after watching televised images of Saddam Hussein’s execution.”

It goes on to tell of a particular death…

“A day after Saddam’s execution, a 10-year old boy in Texas hanged himself from a bunk bead after watching a news report on the execution.”

As tragic as this death of a young man is, it can teach us an important lesson. Imagine being the boys father or mother, coming in to the boy’s bedroom to talk to their son, only to find him hanging from the bedpost – dead. Fix that image firmly in your mind. Remember the horror of that death, and think of it the next time you consider whether it is right or not for one human being to take the life of another. The horror of death. Not pretend death in the movies. Real death.

That is just not right…

Yesterday I did a column about how George W. Bush has decided to send troops to Iraq to kill more people. He has decided whether we like it or not. Well Mr. Bush, I have a “whether you like it or not” for you.

Killing is wrong. Whether YOU like it or not. It is too easy to sit in an office in Washington D.C. and sent thousands of people to their deaths, civilians and military alike. George W. isn’t risking HIS life. So when you think of the thousands of troops sent to Iraq, and all of the resulting thousands of deaths, think of that young 10 year old boy dangling from his bedpost – dead. Remember the horror.

George W. hasn’t got the right to play God – whether HE likes it or not.

I can’t stop him. Maybe the congress can. He doesn’t have to worry about re-election. It is a great tragedy of our government that ONE MAN has the power to cause so many deaths. But one day, that same God he seems to think he is praying to that tells him it is ok to kill other human beings, will look George W. in the face. And God will tell him…

It is just not right.

So George W., I have made my decision as well. You have made yours. And you can quote me on that, in any of your reports. That’s “Sister Juliemarie” no hyphen.

God Bless You All,

Sister Juliemarie

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