Deseret News Story I wanted to give this its own thread because I think it's a good thing. Though maybe it would mean more in context.
Posted by ricree101 (Member # 7749) on :
quote:Originally posted by pooka: Though maybe it would mean more in context.
Probably. Here is the previous thread that was created when news of the incident was first released, in case anyone was wondering.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
I'm sure Occasional will be happy to hear that another religious shooting war has been narrowly avoided.
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
quote:I'm sure Occasional will be happy to hear that another religious shooting war has been narrowly avoided.
Really? I rather get the feeling he'd be disappointed.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
Maybe the sarcasm in my previous post was too subtle.
Posted by MrSquicky (Member # 1802) on :
Sorry, I thought you were going for the absurdity of thinking that this was bringing us to the brink of a religious war.
I was trying to go for the Occ really, really wants a religious war angle.
Posted by Samprimary (Member # 8561) on :
quote:I was trying to go for the Occ really, really wants a religious war angle.
Thanks for reminding me of one of the few times anyone has left me speechless and confused.
Because, honestly, that stuff was outright bonkers.
Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
Although I appreciate the charity of the authorities, here... I really would rather have seen these kids get prosected to the full extent possible. I'm not usually thrilled when people who commit despicable acts are rewarded rather than punished.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I don't see how they've been "rewarded."
They're facing Church discipline, and are just not being prosecuted by civil authorities. It would have been a tough case to prove anyway, and this Bishop is showing a true spirit of Christian charity and forgiveness by letting it pass on his part. They will still be accountable, the wronged party is simply choosing not to escalate this situation further.
I would definitely feel differently if they had commited a crime against a person. But for a property crime, I think that is an admirable attitude to have.
Of course, the authorities wouldn't agree to drop the charges if it was a crime against a person, most likely. Which is a good thing.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
I'm also glad to hear that the Bishop is urging forgiveness. However, that doesn't necessarily mean they won't be charged:
quote: Whether the young men will ever be charged with criminal conduct is still to be determined.
The article also says that it hasn't been determined whether they did the vandalism or just photographed themselves near the vandalized statue(s?) after the fact. To me, the answer to that question makes a big difference in whether charges should be pressed or not.
Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
quote:this Bishop is showing a true spirit of Christian charity and forgiveness by letting it pass on his part.
I agree.
quote:They will still be accountable
We don't know that; that remains to be seen. We do know that, in at least one way -- criminally -- they are not being held accountable.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Well, they are undergoing Church discipline, according to statements by the Church. That sounds like accountability to me. The one who was still on his mission was pulled from it. Again, this is not being taken lightly, discipline is being attended to.
Posted by katdog42 (Member # 4773) on :
I, for one, applaud the bishop for his stance of forgiveness. I believe, also, that they will be held accountable for their actions.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
According to the article, the police are not pursuing the matter.
Posted by 0Megabyte (Member # 8624) on :
Mercy of that sort is one of the higher qualities of Christianity.
In other words: good for him.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
quote:Well, they are undergoing Church discipline, according to statements by the Church. That sounds like accountability to me. The one who was still on his mission was pulled from it. Again, this is not being taken lightly, discipline is being attended to.
While I agree (and in fact advocated here for) the Bishop's decision, I am very uncomfortable with the idea that private punishment* - especially religious private punishment - should in any way factor into the public decision to prosecute.
It can reasonably factor into private decisions such as the Bishop's to not seek prosecution. And those private decision can factor into a prosecutor's decision. But the existence of private punishment ought not to directly factor into the prosecutor's decision.
Not that I think that happened here, or that you were advocating on this issue one way or the other. I interpreted your post as simply pointing out that the men are being punished. It's just an area that interests me.
*Edit: here I mean private punishments that are in some way voluntarily submitted to. If someone faces forceful punishment such as tar and feathering for a minor crime, I think a prosecutor can take that into account when making charging decisions, and a judge can take that into account when sentencing.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Oh, I don't think it should factor into the decision to prosecute at all.
I was just responding to the idea that they're not accountable. I think they are being held accountable, and by the Church as well as God.