Corresponding Effects
Reader Comment: I am sure that the time in prison would pay back karma quicker than dying, we all have to die, and it gives time to the person to take stock of his life.
JJ: The trouble with using time in prison as punishment for murder is that the punishment does not correspond to the crime. Life in prison may be justice for to the deviate who keeps his kid locked in his room for many years, but it is not a close compliment to the crime of murder.
It does provide some elementary reflection, often interrupted by rape, beatings etc. As far as reflection goes nothing beats the time in between lives. There the reflection is much more efficient and accurate than life in prison.
Prison time does not effectively pay off the crime of murder because it does not teach the murder what the victim felt like. In fact, the prisoner often becomes even more hardened to the victims feelings and will have an even greater distance to attain the required empathy that must be acquired by all as we proceed along the path.
This is why the murderer must experience for himself the feelings of his victim so he will have the empathy to not commit the crime again. Placing a man in prison for a lifetime merely delays this experience and this delays his progression. If he is speedily put to death by the state then his soul will judge as to whether he has learned the required empathy so he will not murder again. If not, his soul will then arrange some unique situation in a future life where he will either learn or take the left hand path.
Question: Who and when does one forgive a murderer?
JJ: Only the victim can forgive. As far as the state goes it only administers justice, not forgiveness. The state does not hold as grievance.
Many, however, say we should not have the death penalty because the state should forgive, but my point was the state is not in the business of forgiveness. Forgiveness is an individual thing.
BUT if the state were supposed to forgive then it would have to forgive all, even the prison sentence.
Comment: As in the example you cited in Acts God has the power to take life, not humans.
JJ: The power of God was used, but Peter made the judgment and executed it. It is as the scripture says:
“Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.” Gen 9:6
It doesn’t say that God will take the murderer’s life, but that “man” will.
If man has the right to take a life by condemning a man to prison for the length of his days then why would he not have the right take his life by execution? What is the difference? None except an entire life in prison is much more cruel.
Comment: He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword. This includes the society that punishes by the sword.
JJ: It is true that a society or nation is subject to the laws of karma just as is the individual, but to see how this is played out we must look at the principle itself.
A cause creates a similar effect, not a different effect.
Hitler was an example of one who lived by the sword of injustice for he sought to exterminate the Jews and as it turned out the Jews are still alive and flourishing, but the Nazis wound up being the ones who were almost obliterated.
DK tells us that taking a life is not counted as murder if it is done in defense of the innocent.
If the state then executes a murderer as justice to the innocent victim as well as to protect other innocents from murder what will be the effect related to this cause?
One who supports this process but is otherwise innocent will not come back and be killed with the sword. The effect mist be related to cause. The effect instead would be twofold :
(1) If such a supporter commits murder then he would be put to death by the state. If be does not commit murder then he will not be affected.
(2) He who supports such a punishment will gravitate to a society in future lives where this this justice is in play. There he wouldn’t be put to death unless he commits murder.
On the other hand, he who is against the death penalty will gravitate to be born within a state where there is no death penalty and if he commits murder or accused of it he would suffer life in prison rather than execution.
Eventually through experience we will all learn where true fairness and justice lie. Only by seeing the effects in the world and out of the world can one have sure understanding.
Interestingly, the main thing the murderer usually learns through a life in prison is that a speedy execution would have been the preferable punishment. He will especially be aware of this after death when he can review the whole picture.
There is a time and place for everything and because of diverse circumstances there are exceptions to every rule, but when dealing with law (which is black and white) if we have justice 90% of the time we are doing pretty good. When society becomes enlightened civil laws will take second place to justice and fairness in the hearts of the people.
Council from God
A reader mentioned that he woke up in the morning with these words in his mind: “give council to the Lord.” He asked for my comment.
The scriptures tell us to take council from God. Based on this the interpretation would mean you are supposed to give God the opportunity to counsel you. In other words, listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Here are a couple scriptures from the Book of Mormon:
“Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works.” Jacob 4:10
“Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.” Alma 37:37
From DK
“Let him work first of all for alignment with his soul and then meditate, for from his own soul, his true counsel must come…. “ Discipleship in the New Age, Vol 1, Page 142
“His word is power. His light, electric. The lightning is his symbol. His will is hidden in the counsel of his thought.” Esoteric Psychology, Vol 1, Page 63
“Man must go back in memory, seek for and destroy the causes of evil, however far back they lie. This going into the past and replaying a scene of the past in imagination as it ought to have been played the first time, I call revision.” Neville
Feb 7, 2004
Copyright by J J Dewey
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