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Mercy vs Justice... Or

Which would you choose if one over the other?

  • Justice (Explain how please)

    Votes: 2 14.3%

  • Mercy (Release - Explain why please)

    Votes: 4 28.6%

  • Both (Please explain)

    Votes: 8 57.1%
  • Total voters
    14
nPeace

nPeace

Veteran Member
6 of RFK’s kids rip decision to parole killer Sirhan Sirhan
Sirhan Sirhan, who gunned down the presidential hopeful in a Los Angeles hotel, was successful Friday on his 16th trip to the parole board. RFK’s sons Robert Kennedy Jr. and Douglas Kennedy supported Sirhan in his request.

But later Friday, six of Kennedy’s other kids issued a statement saying they’re “devastated” by the decision.

Sirhan Bishara Sirhan is a Palestinian militant who assassinated Robert F. Kennedy.

Kennedy, a United States Senator and brother of John F Kennedy, was shot by Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California, on June 5, 1968. He died the following day at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Sirhan was convicted of murder and is serving a life sentence at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County, California. On August 27, 2021, Sirhan was recommended parole by a California parole board. Prosecutors declined to participate or to oppose his release under a policy by Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, a former police officer who took office last year after running on a reform platform.

Hmm. Hard decision?
 
osgart

osgart

Nothing my eye, Something for sure
Ok mercy, but absolutely no parole. I don't believe any human is qualified to make final judgment on a soul. But as humans actions must be judged and in this case it is a life long sentence. There's no justice in him being paroled. And without justice mercy isn't anything.

If the guy is truly repentant it still doesn't warrant his release. The actions are too serious an offense.
 
idea

idea

Question Everything
I think both are impossible. The infinite cause/effect chain behind all actions will never be justly or mercifully "fixed".

Just shrug your shoulders, it's all just the laws of nature running their course.
 
Q

QuestioningMind

Well-Known Member
nPeace said:
6 of RFK’s kids rip decision to parole killer Sirhan Sirhan
Sirhan Sirhan, who gunned down the presidential hopeful in a Los Angeles hotel, was successful Friday on his 16th trip to the parole board. RFK’s sons Robert Kennedy Jr. and Douglas Kennedy supported Sirhan in his request.

But later Friday, six of Kennedy’s other kids issued a statement saying they’re “devastated” by the decision.

Sirhan Bishara Sirhan is a Palestinian militant who assassinated Robert F. Kennedy.

Kennedy, a United States Senator and brother of John F Kennedy, was shot by Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California, on June 5, 1968. He died the following day at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Sirhan was convicted of murder and is serving a life sentence at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County, California. On August 27, 2021, Sirhan was recommended parole by a California parole board. Prosecutors declined to participate or to oppose his release under a policy by Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, a former police officer who took office last year after running on a reform platform.

Hmm. Hard decision?
Click to expand...

I don't see how it's possible for something to be both just AND merciful. Justice is when someone receives the appropriate punishment for an unlawful act. If one wants to be merciful then one must agree to ignore what the appropriate punishment for an unlawful act should be in favor of some lesser punishment.
 
nPeace

nPeace

Veteran Member
osgart said:
Ok mercy, but absolutely no parole. I don't believe any human is qualified to make final judgment on a soul. But as humans actions must be judged and in this case it is a life long sentence. There's no justice in him being paroled. And without justice mercy isn't anything.

If the guy is truly repentant it still doesn't warrant his release. The actions are too serious an offense.
Click to expand...
I like that interesting "twist". ;)
So you are saying that it's merciful to do justice. So both in the sense that the murderer should pay for the crime - which is too serious for a "slap on the wrist'.
So no matter how old he gets, or looks, don't let that override justice.
Got yah. :)

Sort o' reminds me of Deuteronomy 10:17, 18 ; 16:19, 20
...and Isaiah 5:22, 23 Woe to those ...who acquit the wicked for a bribe And who deny justice to the righteous!
 
nPeace

nPeace

Veteran Member
idea said:
I think both are impossible. The infinite cause/effect chain behind all actions will never be justly or mercifully "fixed".

Just shrug your shoulders, it's all just the laws of nature running their course.
Click to expand...
Sounds like you believe things are fixed to happen as they do... or am I reading you wrong?
 
nPeace

nPeace

Veteran Member
QuestioningMind said:
I don't see how it's possible for something to be both just AND merciful. Justice is when someone receives the appropriate punishment for an unlawful act. If one wants to be merciful then one must agree to ignore what the appropriate punishment for an unlawful act should be in favor of some lesser punishment.
Click to expand...
I understand what you are saying.
I like how you defined justice. It set my mind on an earlier act of justice. Mercy would be shown to the innocent. I think you would agree.
So for example, the murderer gets justice, but the victim, or innocent gets justice as well, and mercy is being shown to them... but that's beside the point. Let me not ramble.

Could I ask though, how do you feel about ignoring justice (as you defined it) for a lesser punishment?
 
Q

QuestioningMind

Well-Known Member
nPeace said:
I understand what you are saying.
I like how you defined justice. It set my mind on an earlier act of justice. Mercy would be shown to the innocent. I think you would agree.
So for example, the murderer gets justice, but the victim, or innocent gets justice as well, and mercy is being shown to them... but that's beside the point. Let me not ramble.

Could I ask though, how do you feel about ignoring justice (as you defined it) for a lesser punishment?
Click to expand...

I don't believe in a one-size-fits-all type of justice. I think decisions need to be made on a case-by-case basis so that any mitigating circumstances can be taken into account. There are instances when following the strict letter of the law isn't necessarily the fair and just thing to do.
 
Alienistic

Alienistic

Anti-conformity
Taking the degrees in which self awareness, self control and the nature of a being, their conditionings into consideration....both.

Mercy for those that do not know what they’re doing, what’s in them causing them to do these things, that lack self control, and aren’t in a right mind when they are causing any harm or suffering to others.

Justice on those that are fully aware of what they are doing, have the self-control to stop it and continue to cause harm and suffering onto others.

If there is a good, right, or proper mind and nature - it’s doubtful most would be doing the things that they would do and stop immediately many of the things that cause harm and suffering onto others.

This isn’t to say that more severe criminals who don’t know better or can’t control how they were programmed shouldn’t be kept confined, they should. But with perhaps more empathy and less judgements.

The discerning and knowing the intention of everything is another story.
 
Estro Felino

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
RFK's children are called injured person or person offended by the crime.
Their will is not that relevant. This culprit has always refused to admit he committed the crime.
He has always refused to cooperate with justice.
He has never revealed how he knew RFK would have gone through the kitchens (safety measure).

He deserves no parole.
And btw...I am 100% sure he was hired to murder RFK. So, as long as he doesn't reveal the names, he must stay in jail.
 
Brian2

Brian2

Veteran Member
osgart said:
And without justice mercy isn't anything.
Click to expand...

Mercy is what overrules justice. If pure justice is applied then there is no mercy if only mercy is applied then there is no justice.
If the 2 are given together then only part of the justice is served and that is the beauty of mercy.
 
Estro Felino

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
I am merciful because I am deeply against death penalty.

Quid pro Quo: give me the names, and I will give you parole.
 
osgart

osgart

Nothing my eye, Something for sure
Brian2 said:
Mercy is what overrules justice. If pure justice is applied then there is no mercy if only mercy is applied then there is no justice.
If the 2 are given together then only part of the justice is served and that is the beauty of mercy.
Click to expand...
I always thought mercy is apart of justice. And repentance is a real thing. I don't think all of justice is punishment and condemnation. The punishment is for correction. Those that go too far with actions against humanity shouldn't be on the streets again. So in that case justice don't let up on punishment ever in this life.

But like a final judgment or a perfect system on earth is fiction. I don't think the goal of justice is everlasting punishment or anything like that. I think the goal of justice is repentance. Perhaps for everyone. But I don't know.
 
idea

idea

Question Everything
nPeace said:
Sounds like you believe things are fixed to happen as they do... or am I reading you wrong?
Click to expand...

Infinite cause and effect, everyone to blame for what they did or did not do, everyone tangled together, none in the right, none in the wrong, everyonewith ample excuses.... so I suppose we are all justly linked and equally yoked to all. The teachers as evil as their students.
 
Spirit of Light

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
nPeace said:
6 of RFK’s kids rip decision to parole killer Sirhan Sirhan
Sirhan Sirhan, who gunned down the presidential hopeful in a Los Angeles hotel, was successful Friday on his 16th trip to the parole board. RFK’s sons Robert Kennedy Jr. and Douglas Kennedy supported Sirhan in his request.

But later Friday, six of Kennedy’s other kids issued a statement saying they’re “devastated” by the decision.

Sirhan Bishara Sirhan is a Palestinian militant who assassinated Robert F. Kennedy.

Kennedy, a United States Senator and brother of John F Kennedy, was shot by Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California, on June 5, 1968. He died the following day at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Sirhan was convicted of murder and is serving a life sentence at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County, California. On August 27, 2021, Sirhan was recommended parole by a California parole board. Prosecutors declined to participate or to oppose his release under a policy by Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, a former police officer who took office last year after running on a reform platform.

Hmm. Hard decision?
Click to expand...
The justice (law) in this case gave him a punishment they found to be correct according to the crime, but I do believe it is possible to hold mercy and forgiveness within our hearts even for those who do something horrible as killing someone.
This only my view, so I am aware not all will agree with it.
 
Estro Felino

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
Conscious thoughts said:
The justice (law) in this case gave him a punishment they found to be correct according to the crime, but I do believe it is possible to hold mercy and forgiveness within our hearts even for those who do something horrible as killing someone.
This only my view, so I am aware not all will agree with it.
Click to expand...

Yes. To have empathy and mercy, we need to understand why he did it, first.
The motive. Why.
 
We Never Know

We Never Know

No Slack
nPeace said:
6 of RFK’s kids rip decision to parole killer Sirhan Sirhan
Sirhan Sirhan, who gunned down the presidential hopeful in a Los Angeles hotel, was successful Friday on his 16th trip to the parole board. RFK’s sons Robert Kennedy Jr. and Douglas Kennedy supported Sirhan in his request.

But later Friday, six of Kennedy’s other kids issued a statement saying they’re “devastated” by the decision.

Sirhan Bishara Sirhan is a Palestinian militant who assassinated Robert F. Kennedy.

Kennedy, a United States Senator and brother of John F Kennedy, was shot by Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California, on June 5, 1968. He died the following day at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Sirhan was convicted of murder and is serving a life sentence at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County, California. On August 27, 2021, Sirhan was recommended parole by a California parole board. Prosecutors declined to participate or to oppose his release under a policy by Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, a former police officer who took office last year after running on a reform platform.

Hmm. Hard decision?
Click to expand...

Justice is a punishment
Mercy is a weakness
Reckoning is having to face responsibility for your actions
Of course that is my opinion

 
Last edited:
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