Disturbing day (Re. OK & McVeigh)

[Taressa]

Hi Tony and other Loveshack friends,

 

I'm feeling a little sick with the emotions of the day... so much hate floating around after this morning's execution. It just seems that so many victims have become as bitter and jaded as McVeigh.

 

I looked up the poem McVeigh issued as his final statement. It is a poem by William Ernest Henley and I quote it here...

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Invictus

 

OUT of the night that covers me,

 

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

 

I thank whatever gods may be

 

For my unconquerable soul.

 

In the fell clutch of circumstance 5

 

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

 

Under the bludgeonings of chance

 

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

 

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

 

Looms but the Horror of the shade, 10

 

And yet the menace of the years

 

Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

 

It matters not how strait the gate,

 

How charged with punishments the scroll,

 

I am the master of my fate: 15

 

I am the captain of my soul. "

 

by William Ernest Henley 1849--1903

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

I'm shaken by his foolish arrogance and terrible pride. I'm angry at how badly deceived he was to believe there was anything admirable in his actions or his death. I'm sad for those who, through his death, sought comfort for their sadness.

 

May God heal our hatred and our hurt, and protect our hearts. May he keep us in his grace so our arrogance doesn't lead us into destruction like this again.

 

Forgive me if my words seemed preachy; I came to the shack this afternoon seeking comfort in the familiar. Instead I felt the need to talk about something greater.... with death and evil lingering so close about, I run to my Creator. Hope placed in him is not disappointed.

 

In the end, only our choice in life allows us to captain our souls.

 

_______________

 

Philippians 4:6-7

 

New American Standard translation of the Bible)

 

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

 

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

 

Yours,

 

Taressa

[Tony T]

I find this day, with regard to McVeigh himself, to be a day of rejoice for me personally.

 

I feel the same as I did when the O.J. trial was over, when Monica Lewinski got out of my face, and when Elian Gonzalez flew back to Cuba. I no longer have McVeigh to contend with. My mind is more clear and more free.

 

Long ago, I learned not to hate, get angry or be affected by the actions of others, particularly those far away. While I am very sad about what happened in Oklahoma City, I have no more power over that than I did over Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, or..the extinction of the dinosaurs.

 

What I do have the power to do is to accept reality, do my small part of make the world a little better and move forward.

 

I might also add that this was a great day for Timothy McVeigh. While he has no power to dictate how people interpret his life or his death, he is one of the lucky few who knew in advance how and when he was going to die.

 

And I promise you, compared to those who this very day were shot and killed by robbers, pulverized in grinding auto collisions, and who sustained all kinds of other sudden and heinous death, McVeigh layed down and went into a peaceful sleep.

 

I hope I'm lucky enough to go the same way...except no in a prison setting and not after commiting a crime, of course.

[Taressa]

Thank you for your quick response, Tony. It was a nice reminder of something I thought I already knew...it is my response that most matters now. My choice brings about my consequences.

 

While I don't see anything lovely enough to be quite rejoice-worthy in the situation, I do choose to rise above the ugly remains of the situation and take along some lessons.

 

Lesson: Every day of life is a gift

 

Lesson: Bitterness, pride, and anger can blind me to the truth

 

Lesson: A carefully chosen poem does not beautify or validate stupidity or ignorance

 

Lesson: In the long run, it is easier to forgive than to appoint myself judge and justice administrator

[Paulie]

A quote from scripture (I forget where, but my therapist uses it all the time):

 

"Vengeance is mine, says the Lord. Let go so that you may be free."

[Taressa]

Thank you, Paulie. I'm something of a control freak at times so it is hard for me to let go - - even of things far beyond my control. The reminder of who takes control when I let go is a great help. Thank you very much.

 

Are you doing okay these days, Paulie?

[Tony T]

If you want to get biblical here, I think there are indications within the scriptures that God is a loving and forgiving God. He embraces sinners.

 

Now I know that many Churches make contrition (sorrow for having sinned) as a prerequisite to forgiveness and Tim MCVeigh didn't show a lot of that. However, he has a screw loose somewhere and you can surely conclude that by looking at his overall life.

 

I don't think any deity will seek vengeance against McVeigh.

 

However, he needs afterlife classes in rational thinking. I hardly see the logic in killing 168 innocent men, women and children at the Oklahoma Federal building in retaliation for the government storming sites where felons were held up, were shooting at and even killed lawmen, where they were warned numerous times and had many days to give up.

 

I know it's difficult to forgive stupidity but acts this barbaric are far more stupid than demonic. I think the Lord you refer to forgives on the basis of insanity as well.

 

After all, we forgive the man upstairs when Acts of God wipe out entire cities, such as Hurricane Andrew did in Homestead, Florida in 1990, killing 28 people and doing $3 billion in damage. Only the insurance companies seek vengeance in those cases.

 

More recently thousands were killed instantly in an Earthquake in India, another act of God.

 

I don't think we should hold up mortal men to higher standards than we do God.

[Taressa]

Posted by Taressa on Tuesday, 12 June 2001, at 10:18 a.m.

 

While God is indeed loving and forgiving he has above all always given us freedom of choice. God does not embrace sinners, he calls for them to quit sinning. He allows them the choice to continue in sin and go to hell or to choose to turn from sin and return to Him.

 

And true, God forgives when asked for forgiveness but he hardens his heart to the proud. The Bible also says that God does not hear us if we are harboring sin in our heart. The poem McVeigh chose indicates he had pretty well hardened his heart against any god other than his own will. I believe for that choice he is probably in hell. Not because God does not forgive. Not because God is not loving. Not because God is seeking vengeance, but because a loving God honored Tim McVeigh's choice. And THAT is the toughest kind of love to give... a love that honors his beloved's choice not to love back.

 

It was not stupidity that ended 168 lives. It was not insanity for McVeigh displayed incredible presence of mind and self-control from beginning to end. Evil, yes, quite evil. Demonic, perhaps, but more likely this was just a very clear look at the terrible things man can be when we play by our own rules.

[Tony T]

I don't want to engage in religious speculation further than this post because it's a pretty personal thing for every person.

 

However, I don't think anyone is in a position to judge the heart of Timothy McVeigh. While I absolutely detest his willful act of terrorism and murder, I will always be curious as to his motivation.

 

I always like to separate the person from the behavior. McVeigh's life seems to have been pretty good for the most part. His neighbors say he was a great kid growing up. He was a decorated veteran of the Persian Gulf War. Something in his brain went foul and we will never know just what part. Maybe he was affected by his Marine training or maybe he sustained a brain injury during combat in the war.

 

I suppose that's why vengeance is the Lord's and not ours. He is in a better position to see motivation.

 

I also believe in karma. To the degree that I can forgive the trespasses of other people is the degree to which mine are forgiven. I think the biblical passage goes something like, judge not lest yet be judged.

 

McVeigh is gone and he will sin no more.

[Taressa]

I'll agree to step away too, Tony. Agreed - - God who sees to the heart is a far better judge.

 

Thank you, Tony, and you too, Paulie, for the challenging conversation on such a volatile subject and for talking it through with me.

 

Taressa

[wombat]

you talk like a total moron. what does god and mcveigh have to do with the loveshack relationship forum? buy a clue girly.

I'll agree to step away too, Tony. Agreed - - God who sees to the heart is a far better judge. Thank you, Tony, and you too, Paulie, for the challenging conversation on such a volatile subject and for talking it through with me. Taressa