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Illustration: How does adoption change things? Here’s a secular example:
In 1952 a probation officer in New York City tried to find an organization that would assist in the adoption of a twelve-year-old boy. Although the child had a religious background, none of the major denominations would assist in his adoption. Said the officer later, “His case had been reported to me because he had been truant. I tried for a year to find an agency that would care for this needy youngster. Neither Catholic, Protestant, nor Jewish institutions would take him because he came from a denomination they did not recognize. I could do nothing constructive for him.”
If the principles of Christian love had prevailed in the Bronx in 1952, perhaps a good home could have been found for that young, mixed-up lad. In fact, providing a better environment in which to grow up might have changed history. For, you see, the boy was Lee Harvey Oswald: The man who assionated John F. Kennedy(Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Biblical Preaching : Over 1500 sermon illustrations arranged by topic and indexed exhaustively (Revised edition of: The expositor’s illustration file). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.)
In 1995 Nathan Frederick Klimosko, 21, was sentenced to two years’ probation in Kelowna, British Columbia, for hitting and choking his girlfriend into unconsciousness. The fight started in a car when the two disagreed over his interpretation of a certain passage from the Bible, and he reached over and smacked her in the face, blackening her eye.
News of the Weird
A prisoner who just couldn’t take any more pulled a daring escape from the county jail in Fordyce, Arkansas. He would have been better off staying put: as the man was escaping, a county judge was ordering his immediate release because he had been locked up too long due to a clerical error. The fugitive was rearrested the next day, and faces an extended jail stay on the escape charge.
A 22-year-old Swansea, South Carolina man was arrested and charged with robbing an Amoco convenience store recently. The suspect told police he was seeking money to pay his probation fee for a previous robbery conviction. But wait - it gets dumber: the earlier conviction was for robbing the same Amoco store three years ago.
A 91-year-old Logan, Utah man had a good thing going for over 50 years: he’s been stealing power from the local electric utility since sometime in the 1940s. Investigators say the man stripped the insulation from the power company’s wires and tapped directly into the line, bypassing the meter box on his house. His scam was finally uncovered recently when he called the electric company to complain about a power outage in his neighborhood.
A group of files stolen from the Internal Affairs division of the Baltimore Police Department were recovered recently. Investigators found the missing files in a dumpster behind … a Dunkin’ Donuts Store.
And finally,
A man in Fargo, North Dakota applied for a permit to carry a handgun, even though he’s completely blind. The man argued that he needs the gun because blind people are often the target of robberies. The powers-that-be apparently agreed - the man got his permit. (This one’s technically not a "dumb crook" story yet - but we’ll be watching for it to turn into one very soon.)
From DUMB CROOK NEWS c. 2001 John Boy and Billy, Inc. http://www.thebigshow.com
“Mercy Resting Upon Wrath!” John 8: 12-20 Key verse(s): 16: “‘But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.’”
The young man sat before the bench, head held low, hands hanging loosely at his side. His crime had been serious and parents, family and all who knew him had been shocked by what he had done. The jury had found him guilty on all charges and now all that remained to be done was for the judge to pass sentence. As the judge entered the courtroom and order was called, those present, including the young man, arose. As everyone returned to their seats, the young man heard the words that he had been dreading: “The defendant will rise and face the court.” The moment had come and he knew that his entire future now rested in the hands of the man he was now facing.
The judge repeated the charges and reiterated the finding of guilty by the jury on each charge. The young man winced as each charge and finding was repeated. “On the charge of aiding and abetting a criminal act involving the transportation of stolen goods, the defendant has been found guilty. On the charge of evading an officer, the defendant has been found guilty. On the charge of possession of a fireman, the defendant has been found guilty. On the charge of . . .” The charges, six in all, echoed throughout the young man’s mind. How would he ever be able to face his parents, his friends, and especially his girl friend again? Would the judge be lenient since he had never been in trouble before? Would he receive prison time and, if so, how much? What would prison be like? As the judge rattled on, the scene in the courtroom became surreal, almost like a bad dream. He lifted his face toward the bench as the judge finished his recitation “ . . . you have been found guilty” and paused.
The judge brought his eyes directly into focus on the defendant as he began his sentencing. “I hope that you know the seriousness of what you have done. James Rogers, you have affected the lives of your parents and everyone who loves you. The law is very specific in demonstrating how serious your offenses are. The penalties it calls for in these circumstances are not lenient. However, this is your first offense and I believe that you are sorry for what you have done. You have shown great remorse in the course of this trial. The character witnesses that were called in your defense spoke highly of you. I have spoken with your parents and have come to the conclusion that there will be no repeat of this behavior. Therefore, I sentence you to one year of probation and two hundred hours of community service.” With those words the young man suddenly felt a cooling sense of relief filter down from his head to his toes. His knees wobbled and he grabbed for his attorney’s coat sleeve feeling that in a moment he might collapse under the strain of the situation.
Following these comforting words, the judge’s merciful countenance slowly began to change. With a stern look toward the young man he added, “It is my job to protect society from those who seek to harm her. It is also my job to uphold the law and punish those who disobey that law.” He then asked the young man to approach the bench. James wondered if there would be additional punishment since the judge was deliberately writing something down on a piece of paper. He folded it and placed it within an envelope. “James, within this envelope are the penalties that I could have brought to bear on you today. I want you to go home and read them over with your parents. And, remember, even though it is my job to show mercy when I feel that it is warranted, if you disregard that mercy I will be forced to do exactly what is written on this sheet of paper....
In San Antonio, a man was sentenced to ten years probation for a bungled burglary of a liquor store. The burglar had cut his hand badly when he broke through the roof of the store. He tried to throw a bottle of whiskey out through the hole he had created but missed, causing the bottle to fall to the floor, shatter and set off an alarm. He then fell onto the broken glass, cutting himself again. Reaching the roof for his getaway, he fell off, leaving his wallet on the sidewalk. He also left a trail of blood from the store to his home, just around the corner.
Chuck Shepherd, Universal Press Syndicate
Bad judges have highlighted the news more than ever the last few months as investigations into rulings doled out to child predators have revealed so many judges exercising extreme lenience that is not helping our kids safety. It’s one thing for a judge to be merciful, but quite another thing to give a slap on the wrist that means nothing, with no justice being accomplished. John Couey-who abducted, raped, and killed 9 year old Jessica Lunsford, buried alive in a trash bag, was sentenced to death a couple weeks ago. You may ask, where’s the injustice in that? The injustice was in the form of previous judges who gave him probation even though he was a repeat sex offender of little ones, and despite Couey stating in a recorded deposition his desire to be locked away because he would do it again if not "Jessica’s Law" is saving lives in 40 states now, w/ a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years for first time offenders, and repeat offenders get mandatory life in prison. I’m sad to report that our state is one of the 10 not pursuing the law. Not only am I ashamed of this, but fearful because of my children and yours. Other examples: In Rhode Island, 18-year-old Josh Maciorski was convicted of having sex with a 13-year-old girl, but sentenced to probation. Two years later he molested a 14-year-old girl and served just one year. Then, when he got out, Maciorski raped a 16-year-old girl. His sentence after this third strike - an unbelievable three years in prison. In Missouri, 19-year old Darrell Jackson pleaded guilty to repeatedly sexually abusing a little girl, beginning she was just eight. But when Jackson came up for sentencing, a soft judge gave him four months in prison and five years probation. In Minnesota, Joseph Duncan stood in front of a judge, accused of molesting a young boy. Despite the fact that Duncan had previously served 16 years for raping another young boy at gunpoint, the judge released him on just $15,000 bail. Duncan promptly skipped bail and headed for Idaho, where he allegedly kidnapped, raped, and killed a 9-year old boy, molested his sister, and killed their family. And just this week a man in Seattle, WA is in the news for his "how to" child predator website, teaching others how to abduct children, abuse them, and get away with it. Shockingly, he is breaking no laws, and in an interview said he would do what he writes about if not for the stiff laws now in place. Washington is this week trying to push thru a law making his website illegal as well. The point of all of this is justice being done, for injustice is a travesty. And tonite’s parable is not about an unjust judge as it is about the Just Judge of the universe, Jehovah God.
Character is a matter of what we say and what we do being consistent.
In 2002 Wynona Rider (actress) was video taped steeling merchandise from an
exclusive department in Los Angeles. She was arrested, tried and given probation
and community service. After the trial the prosecutor had the following comment
before the TV cameras: “This case was never about personal character, but about
personal conduct.”
Some like to come down hard on sin, and so they come down hard on people. To be forgiven and walk away scott-free is hard to understand. And when it comes to others, we don’t like to believe that it is for them. But Robert Farrar Capon, in the book Between Noon and Three, said this: You’re worried about permissiveness—about the way the preaching of grace seems to say it’s okay to do all kinds of terrible things as long as you just walk in afterward and take the free gift of God’s forgiveness. . .While you and I may be worried about seeming to give permission, Jesus apparently wasn’t. He wasn’t afraid of giving the prodigal son a kiss instead of a lecture, a party instead of probation; and he proved that by bringing in the elder brother at the end of the story and having him raise pretty much the same objections you do. He’s angry about the party. He complains that his father is lowering standards and ignoring virtue—that music, dancing, and a...
Grace or Permission?
You're worried about permissiveness—about the way the preaching of grace seems to say it's okay to do all kinds of terrible things as long as you just walk in afterward and take the free gift of God's forgiveness.
While you and I may be worried about seeming to give permission, Jesus apparently wasn't. He wasn't afraid of giving the prodigal son a kiss instead of a lecture, a party instead of probation; and he proved that by bringing in the elder brother at the end of the story and having him raise pretty much the same objections you do. He's angry about the party. He complains that his father is lowering standards and ignoring virtue—that music, dancing, and a fattened calf are, in effect, just so many permissions to break the law. And to that, Jesus has the father say only one thing: "Cut that out! We're not playing good boys and bad boys any more. Your brother was dead and he's alive again. The name of the game from now on is resurrection, not bookkeeping."
(Source: Robert Farrar Capon, Between Noon and Three. Christianity Today, Vol. 30, no. 7.)
NO ONE WOULD TAKE HIM
In 1952 a probation officer in New York City tried to find an organization that would assist in the adoption of a twelve-year-old boy. Although the child had a religious background, none of the major denominations would assist in his adoption. Said the officer later, "His case had been reported to me because he had been truant. I tried for a year to find an agency that would care for this needy youngster. Neither Catholic, Protestant, nor Jewish institutions would take him because he came from a denomination they did not recognize. I could do nothing constructive for him." If the principles of Christian love had prevailed in the Bronx in 1952, perhaps a good home could have been found for that young, mixed-up lad. In fact, providing a better environment in which to grow up might have changed history. For, you see, the boy was Lee Harvey Oswald - the man who assassinated John F. Kennedy.
(Source: Green, M. P. (1989). Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.)
