I would also like to point out that I AM 100% against punishment for punishments sake. The death penalty, etc, is flat out wrong. Rehab should be priority for people who harm others and/or themselves, and if rehab is not an option, humane ways of protecting the public should be employed (lock-up but not solitary, sunlight, activity, and decent food, etc).
It is why victims should not decide the fate of these people, they will decide with their emotions, instead of their rational minds.
If you apply determinism to a morality of least harm, you get the best society. Ironically, it seems to me that if Jesus existed, he was very much in line with this way of thinking. Truth is I'd probably get along better with him that most people who profess themselves to be Christian! ( Not you, CL, I think you actually do believe in treating everyone as a human, as far as I can tell, and in NOT meting out punishment for punishment's sake alone. Just like Jesus taught. Am I correct?)
I just try and take it a step further and skip forgiveness and go straight to acceptance. That is a really, really, REALLY hard step, but it has helped me deal with things so much. I used to be angry literally all the time, just fuming. I hated everyone and everything for being awful, or I cried daily, trying to understand how people cold be so cruel. Now I just feel a sort of general sadness most days, but no extreme anger or grief. Last week was the first time I'd fallen back into anger in at least 6 months. And that was because someone literally screamed at me and smashed about a dozen dishes right in my face. It left me...upset and off balance for a few days. I lashed out here on AF. But I'm back to acceptance.
Anyway, hope that helps explain things.
Peace.
It is why victims should not decide the fate of these people, they will decide with their emotions, instead of their rational minds.
If you apply determinism to a morality of least harm, you get the best society. Ironically, it seems to me that if Jesus existed, he was very much in line with this way of thinking. Truth is I'd probably get along better with him that most people who profess themselves to be Christian! ( Not you, CL, I think you actually do believe in treating everyone as a human, as far as I can tell, and in NOT meting out punishment for punishment's sake alone. Just like Jesus taught. Am I correct?)
I just try and take it a step further and skip forgiveness and go straight to acceptance. That is a really, really, REALLY hard step, but it has helped me deal with things so much. I used to be angry literally all the time, just fuming. I hated everyone and everything for being awful, or I cried daily, trying to understand how people cold be so cruel. Now I just feel a sort of general sadness most days, but no extreme anger or grief. Last week was the first time I'd fallen back into anger in at least 6 months. And that was because someone literally screamed at me and smashed about a dozen dishes right in my face. It left me...upset and off balance for a few days. I lashed out here on AF. But I'm back to acceptance.
Anyway, hope that helps explain things.
Peace.
“Eternity is a terrible thought. I mean, where's it going to end?”
― Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
― Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
