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Thursday, January 05, 2006

Child Rapist Gets 60 Days

Here's a story to give you morning indigestion.

First, there is a man named Mark Hulett who raped a little girl repeatedly over a span of four years starting when she was seven years old.

Second, the prosecutor asked for 8-20 years in prison, which seems like a light sentence to me. I would support hanging the man by his neck until dead. And I suspect a large majority of the American population would agree with me.

Except, of course, the judge overseeing this case. It seems the man was convicted of the crime and the judge only gave him 60 days. And his reasoning: "The one message I want to get through is that anger doesn't solve anything. It just corrodes your soul."

That's got to be the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Who is this message for? The criminal or the victims? And of course he is dead wrong. Anger solves lots of problems. Who does this judge think is worse, the child rapist or the people who get mad at the child rapist? You want to know what is corrosive? Child rape. That's pretty bad.

For someone who is trying to eradicate anger, this fellow - Edward Cashman - is flopping big time. For instance, he's made me angry. What about you? What about the parents of the 11 year old victim? I'm guessing they were mad at Mark Hulett for repeatedly raping their daughter. Now, instead of helping de-corrode their souls, Judge Cashman has only made them angry at one more person . . . him.

And this is what really snaps the camel's back. The judge said he doesn't want to punish Mark Hulett because punishment - and here I have to quote - "doesn't work." What? Doesn't work how? The purpose of punishment is to punish. In what way does punishment not do that? Oh, I suppose if you think that punishment is supposed to cure cancer, then it doesn't work. Or if punishment is supposed to make the criminal a better person, then it doesn't work at that either. But the purpose of punishment, as far as I see it according to St. Paul in Romans chapter 13 is to . . . you guessed it, punish.

I thank God that there will be a reckoning. And I know full well that apart from God's grace in Jesus Christ, I likewise deserve God's wrath. No less than Mark Hulett. And that is why Christ instituted the Church: to preach about the atonement and the forgiveness of sins. And the reason why God instituted the government is to punish wrongdoers like Hulett.

Judges and courts exist, not to implement their own wills upon others - nor to forgive sinners and absolve the penitents for that matter - but to implement the just and perfect will of the Creator and Divine Lawgiver and Judge of All in these circumstances. Morally bankrupt judges like the Honorable Edward Cashman should recall that God is angry with sinners and it's his job to punish them.

Any dissenters should please take this up with St. Paul in Romans 13 and not me.


(Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin)

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7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is this not the result of liberal
ideology? Can anything good come
from liberals? I think not, as they are basically godless. No I
take that back. They make up their own gods as they go along, so they can pat themselves on the back and say, "what a good boy, girl, god I am" For what it's worth.

Preachrboy said...

Rev. Stiegemeyer, (and other interested parties),

Please join myself and Bob Waters at his blog as we have been exploring the proper principles for the Government's punishing of wrongdoers.

It all started with a story Bob posted about two mean hanged in Iran for being gay. But since then Bob has posted some very insightful comments on a number of related questions. I have been playing the role of respondent.

One of the positions Bob seems to be taking, which would appear different from what you are saying here, is that the primary goal of government weilding "the sword" is to protect society, not to punish. I see both purposes, and perhaps there isn't really a tension between the two (that by punishing, the government protects).

However I also agree with you that the punishment in this case seems outrageously light - even insulting - for the crime committed. I would love to have you jump into our discussion...
at:

http://watersblogged.blogspot.com

Robert Elart Waters said...

Does this juristiction elect its judges?
Is there a provision for recall, or impeachment? If ever a case called for it, this does.

Pastor Scott Stiegemeyer said...

Preachrboy,

"But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer." Romans 13:4

I agree that the government's purpose is to protect the citizenry, but I have never heard any other interpretation of Romans 13:4 than the one I exposit. I may try to go over and join the fun.

Out Of Jersey said...

Can anger corrupt the soul? Anger at me getting a latte when I ordered a cappuccino, sure. Anger at the guy who flipped me off, absolutely. But anger at the sin that harmed a young girl? You have got to be kidding me. It is things like this that break my heart, and only make me wish I can get out of the working world quicker and get into full time service.

Preachrboy said...

Righteous anger has even been known to turn over a temple table or two, and whip some money-changers but good!

Anonymous said...

that is one of the crulest and unjust things i have ever seen happen. for it to be a judge of our goverment shows how unfocused we are as the united states. this shows a huge flaw in the circut. if there is this judge doing things like this how many more are out there. people spend years in jail for not enen intending to break the law but, the law is the law NO that is full of crap. people go to jail for victimless crimes but a child rapist ges only 2 mounths in jail. people culd spend over half there life for selling weed go to jail for even years for just possing it but again a child rapist gets only 60 days. i protest the entire system this is not one incident this is an extrerem case of injustice and oly an exaple of how our country is being run.

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