Freedom and Responsibility
In May of 2023 a 28 year old man in Baltimore, Maryland viciously assaulted 2 pro-life protesters outside of a Planned Parenthood facility in Maryland. The suspect, Patrick Brice; claimed to the court that he was only seeking to debate the initial victim on the concept of 'sin', when he (in his own words) "Just snapped" and decided to tackle the 84 year old man and beat him up. He then did the same to another man who attempted to stop him; the entire ordeal being caught on surveillance video for the whole world to see. In most situations and other cases, such evidence and confession from a suspect would be seen as evidence enough to Garner a conviction that would lead to substantial incarceration; however this time was different.
Yes, this time both the judge and the jury seemed unable to determine that any really serious crime had been committed, despite evidence and witness testimony which supported the case. The problem? Both judge and jury seem convinced that the pro-lifers had OBVIOUSLY said something to "trigger" the man into assaulting them. In so conjecturing, the Judge sentenced the perpetrator to one year of home detention and 3 years of probation; in a slap on the wrist that is likely to encourage such behavior rather than deter it. Oh yes he was convicted of 'assault', but the "justice" for his crime was so impotent that it is likely to encourage similar acts of violence in others; if not to convince the perpetrator himself that he is above reproach.
However the so-called justice system acts however, is an underlying problem in society at large today, which has been increasing in recent years: denial of responsibility for one's own actions. We see it all over the place. People claiming that they are not responsible for outbursts of anger, acts of rage, acts of sheer violence, acts of sexual abuse, acts of theft: all are swept under the rug of denial of responsibility. And what is the excuse for denying responsibility? People claim that they are "triggered". As if somehow the entire world and other people in it are the ones responsible for how YOU choose to act and respond to stimuli in your environment. Yes, the legal excuse offered for defense of virtually any action which results in a criminal offense these days, is very much an old excuse we used to hear many years ago, albeit in a new form- "the devil made me do it."
My friends, when you place the blame for your own words and faults and deeds onto someone else, you likewise place in their hands your freedom and your salvation. If you allow yourselves to be nothing more than a mindless beast, driven by emotion and instinct alone; then you make yourself a slave to passion and the vices of men willingly, sacrificing salvation and liberty in the process. It is not enough for man to say "I am free", until he learns also to say that "I am responsible for my own actions". There is no true freedom without recognizing that we are beings of independent thought and choice, through God's gift to us of free will. This calls us to recognize that not all emotions or passions that swell within us are good or beneficial to ourselves or our communities; and to temper our actions with that knowledge. Freedom without personal responsibility is no freedom; but rather a tyranny of passion.
In the end, regardless of how the state views your crimes, despite how the media or social media spin your actions to claim that you were not responsible because you were "triggered", despite your own denials of self-responsibility; the justice of Almighty God shall reign supreme. Even if you manage to evade the just punishment for sin on earth, you will make retribution on your day of judgement, when the hearts and minds of all men shall be open to the one who created them and sees them all. And let me tell you this my friends; I would much rather go ahead and seek forgiveness and justice while here on earth, rather than postpone it and wait for eternal judgement. The judge on earth has only earthly punishment to invoke; but God has all eternity and the entirety of creation in his hand. Seek repentance and accept responsibility for your actions now, or throw your salvation into the hands of others and blame them; and find yourself with the fallen angels who did the same thing.
