Justice

Palomar · 2004-08-25 07:41:19

*Checked to see if a similar thread has been started previously; I don't see one via "Search." Maybe it could have gone in the "Religion vs Science" thread (because I wonder where a God could be at times like these...) but it would probably be more off-topic.

So...

Last night I watched a program about Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge on "The History Channel." I'm familiar with some of that history from the 1980s movie "The Killing Fields" and various reading.

One-fifth of Cambodia's population was murdered by Pol Pot's regime. At least one large torture prison was found in Phenom Phen, with hundreds of people murdered there as well. Men, women...even children and infants. Photos of mothers holding babies in their arms. Photos of a little boy (no more than 7 years old) with a horrible and huge laceration and bruises across his mouth. Children tortured same as their adult counterparts and murdered. All the mass graves with thousands of skulls and jumbles of bones in them. When reporters entered the prison in 1980 they found victims still shackled to beds with huge pools of blood beneath them, corpses with slashed throats, extensive logs and notes on how to torture, etc. Anyone could be hauled in and tortured on the merest suspicion. Most of these people were innocent civilians off the streets.

Pol Pot lived to old age and died rather peacefully in the late 90s. He was interviewed before his death; no remorse -- just pity for himself because people were "picking on him" apparently. Completely avoided direct questions about atrocities. Feeling sorry for himself, etc.

The man (Duch) who controlled that hellish prison now claims to be a born-again Christian. He says his fate is in God's hands. Not sure he's remorseful.

As of 2001 the Cambodian gov't is considering bringing the officers of the Khmer Rouge to court on human rights violations. However, some of those former members are now IN the gov't -- smiling and laughing for the cameras as if nothing bad ever happened.

Okay, so where's the justice in this world? Seems some people get it. Many more don't.

It's mind-boggling enough to imagine going about your daily business, getting grabbed off the streets, enduring all sorts of nightmarish tortures then being brutally murdered etc. You've done nothing wrong. Thousands and thousands of people to be "smashed as enemies" by the brutes in charge -- including little children.

And the brutes get off, are dying peacefully in old age or are yukking it up for cameras. No shame, no remorse.

Even little children savaged, tortured, murdered. And infants out of mothers' arms.

?

Did all those thousands and thousands of people die in vain? No justice for them?

--Cindy

Cobra Commander · 2004-08-25 08:06:38

Sadly, there will likely be no justice, no punishements. Forgotten, until next time.

Grypd · 2004-08-25 16:15:47

The only thing that can be done is to defeat those responsible and destroy there works, destroy there regimes remove them from power. When they are running hunt them down and drag them before courts as the criminals they are. There citizens of there country must know what sort of scum that they where and at all times we must remember for those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

C M Edwards · 2004-08-26 13:49:54

You said it, Gryp.

Cindy, IMHO, God didn't murder those innocent people, other people did. As people, that makes it at least partly our responsibility. In the event God saw fit to allow it arbitrarily and without reason, the lack of a protector makes it all the more our responsibility.

Palomar · 2004-08-26 15:06:17

Cindy, IMHO, God didn't murder those innocent people, other people did.

*Hi CM. Well, I didn't mean to imply God (if one exists) murdered those people.

Here's the deal:

When I hear about incidents like these, I can't help wondering "How can there be a God" (who doesn't step in to stop these horrible things occuring)?

On the other hand: When I ponder the complexity of the human eye; or how each of us began as an ovum (barely visible without magnification) fertilized by semen and grew into these complex bodies and minds; when I look at an acorn and wonder how a large and mighty tree can grow from it (generations of trees in my hand, and the tree will produce future generations in the acorns it sheds)...then I wonder, "How can there NOT be a God"?

Stalemate. :-\

---

There's a saying to the effect that it's harder to overlook a small slight. The flip side of that statement (and I'm not saying I agree with it) of course is that it's easier to overlook a big slight.

It's going on 30 years and the victims aren't anywhere near getting "their day in court." Is the matter too mind-numbing and overwhelming for anyone to want to deal with it? Is the response to something so horrible...apathy?

I can't comprehend justice of some sort NEVER being done.

--Cindy

C M Edwards · 2004-08-26 15:39:36

* Sigh * Yeah, I wish Khmer Rouge had gotten what they deserved, too.

Grypd · 2004-08-26 17:24:34

Quote ecrasez-i-infame Aug. 26 2004 17;06

When I hear incidents like these, I cant help wondering"How can there be a god"(Who doesnt step in to stop these horrible things occurring)?

Well god gave us free will. If you had a son who did go out get drunk and kill someone while driving a car, Do you stop loving that son. If your son was to murder someone is he still not your son.Do you then shoot your son for doing wrong? We have free will this allows us to do great things and every generation there lifes get better. But we are not perfect for good to exist so must evil.

Sorry Cindy that question you poised has been at the heart of human affairs for thousands of years. We are no way near answering it. What we can do is destoy those who do wrong. Treat them like the sick people they are and treat them as best we can. If we cannot cure them then keep them away from the rest of the people so as to ensure there mistakes are never repeated. We must always be aware that evil exists it is within the power of each person to fight it, some embrace it so as to gain power in there eyes. But evil feeds of itself and they always suffer for there actions.

New Mars Forums

Announcement

#1 2004-08-25 07:41:19

Re: Justice

#2 2004-08-25 08:06:38

Re: Justice

#3 2004-08-25 16:15:47

Re: Justice

#4 2004-08-26 13:49:54

Re: Justice

#5 2004-08-26 15:06:17

Re: Justice

#6 2004-08-26 15:39:36

Re: Justice

#7 2004-08-26 17:24:34

Re: Justice

Board footer