I said:
Wow - that's a pretty incredible set of statements: the Baha'i movement supports the execution of criminals because it cleanses their souls??
Dear Brian,
Quite bluntly, that is not what he said at all.
It is part of our belief that "justice" includes punishment for things done in this life.
In Christianity, for instance, a man executed for a brutal murder STILL has to face the justice of God for that sin.If he is not repentant before his death he stands condemned for the crime a second time before God.
In the Baha`i order if a man commits such a crime and is punished for it on earth, he has faced justice and God will judge him on other things rather than that.
Bruce does not think this applies to the lesser sentence of im[prisonment. I do. I provided the quotes to support that and in my opinion, I carried my point. But - the crux of the matter comes when someone passes away and comes to justice before God - am I right or is Bruce? We'll come to know in due time - not that I plan to commit any murders in the future, and I have not done so, so far.
In this dispensation God has clearly delegated His authority to judge to mankind, and charged Him with dire responsibility in that act. He promises that if we do that correctly, our judgement stands for His in this particular case.
So, is man's justice gentler than God's? Suppose as horrible a murderer as Hitler or Stalin. had stood in the docks of justice and been sentenced to hang like so many other political and war criminals? Under Baha`i Law He would have stood before God delivered from judgement for the murders he committed. Of course, he would still face justice for so many things that underlay those murders - racial prejudice, brutality (other than murder), etc., etc. In Baha`i estimation Pol Pot who was punished for similar crimes before a trial would stand in better stead before God's judgement than the likes of Hitler and Stalin.
I do not understand your outrage, you obviously have not followed the discussion that well.
Regards,
Scott