Capital Punishment

I have been discussing recently the popular topic of the death penalty. In order to not lead the conversation in any certain direction, I am simply going to provide a source of information. In the source are Pro's and Con's. Please take the time to read a little bit of the article linked here. I want to make sure that you catch the story that they tell at the bottom of the page. I think that stories like this one are the reasons why this is such a hot topic. Please feel free to comment, but be kind to each other.

"The case of Stanley "Tookie" Williams illustrates the moral complexities of the death penalty.

Mr. Williams, an author and Nobel Peace and Literature Prizes nominee who was put to death on December 13, 2005 by lethal injection by the state of California, brought capital punishment back into prominent public debate.

Mr. Williams was convicted of four murders committed in 1979, and sentenced to death. Williams professed innocence of these crimes. He was also co-founder of the Crips, a deadly and powerful Los Angeles-based street gang responsible for hundreds of murders.

About five years after incarceration, Mr. Williams underwent a religious conversion and, as a result, authored many books and programs to promote peace and to fight gangs and gang violence. He was nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize and four times for the Nobel Literature Prize.

Mr. Williams' was a self-admitted life of crime and violence, followed by genuine redemption and a life of uniquely and unusually good works.

The circumstantial evidence against Williams left little doubt that he committed the four murders, despite last-minute claims by supporters. There also existed no doubt that Mr. Williams posed no further threat to society, and would contribute considerable good.

The case of Stanley "Tookie" Williams forced public reflection on the purpose of the death penalty:

• Is the purpose of the death penalty to remove from society someone who would cause more harm?
• Is the purpose to remove from society someone who is incapable of rehabilitation?
• Is the purpose of the death penalty to deter others from committing murder?
• Is the purpose of the death penalty to punish the criminal?
• Is the purpose of the death penalty to take retribution on behalf of the victim?"

The questions above were part of the article. I did not ask them, but you are free to use them as conversation starters if you like.

My Mind is Blown

So the Jr. High are getting ready to go on a retreat this afternoon. And, in typical fashion, the license plates are expired on the church bus. This is my experience of trying to get my license plates. Exciting, huh?

So I go to the BMV, they were pretty empty and that was awesome. I walked right in and sat down and the lady starts helping me. I let her know that I was there from my church and I was trying to renew the plates. She gives me my total I pay her with cash. She uses her little marker to make sure the money I gave her wasn't fake. I have no problem with that. I joked with her and said that would be bad if I were paying with counter fit money. She laughs and says yeah, "you come to renew the churches plates and pay with fake money, that would be bad."

She was trying to figure out if I needed stickers or new plates. It was taking some time and she had to wait on some one to help her. So she tried to strike up a conversation. She decided that we knew each other well enough and presumably because I went to a church that I would agree with her, but here is what she says.

"I think that Obama is the anti-christ."

I must admit that I am very rarely speechless. It happened.

I am not here to discuss politics, but rather religion.

She thought that because I went to church, that it was ok to label people as being the single most evil person to ever walk the earth. When did the Church become a body that was so accepting of criticizing people that you could start a conversation with "Obama is the anti-christ."

I was blown away. I hope that I do not put off the vibe of "Lets find someone to criticize."

God, help you church to be a church of love not of hate.

Observations of Parenthood

These are just a few things that I have noticed since becoming a father 10 days ago.

1. Taking off for 1 week after your child is born is not long enough.

2. When your child is asleep in the car, there seem to be a lot more potholes.

3. Changing diapers isn't that bad....yet.

4. Playing music too loud can wake a child up.

5. Playing music loud enough drowns out crying.:)

6. The pacifier was not going to get used. We made it 3 days at home and I consider that a success. Pacifiers are lifesavers.

7. Hospitals talk way too much about SIDS. (Or maybe I worry about things too much)

8. There are times when it is going to feel like there is nothing I can do to help. I think I have to use those times to catch up on sleep.:)

9. Being at work is hard. It has been 1 1/2 hrs, and I feel like I am missing stuff already.

10. There is such a thing as love at first sight.