The Toughest Forgiveness

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

John Couey is a murderer.

He kidnapped nine year old Jessica Lunsford.

He beat her and raped her.

He put her in a plastic bag and buried her while she was still breathing.

John Couey is a monster.

And I want to forgive him.

Of course, this is only in the sense of forgiveness that is greater than we are, and greater than we are often able. It wasn't my daughter, so who am I to judge, right?

Actually, I... and you... SHOULD be the ones judging. Our perspectives can be colored less by emotion, and more by reason. Decisions like this should be made by people who are uninvolved.

My question is easy.

If you believe that John Couey should be murdered by the State of Florida for his actions, then shouldn't every single person who takes a life in cold blood be killed as well?

Are some murders "easier to stomach" than others? Of course they are.

But they shouldn't be.

Murder is murder. It is the taking of a life without threat of violence to yourself. Murder destroys families, and murder is wrong.

Everyone agree with that?

Then you cannot put John Couey to death.

He is not a threat to the state, we can keep him locked up by himself for the next 200 years. He will never kill again, because we wouldn't give him the opportunity.

To go back to the bible verse at the top... I have one more question.

Can anyone who considers themselves to be a Christian really look at this case, where a man has confessed to his sins, and think that he does not deserve out Christian mercy?

Let's not be like normal angry, vengeful, humans on this one.

Let's try and act a little more like God.

It's what He would want.