4 ms·

Horrifying. The entire legal system is supposed to be based on the concept that it is better to let the guilty walk than destroy an innocent person. Instead o

by edoo 8y ago

Horrifying. The entire legal system is supposed to be based on the concept that it is better to let the guilty walk than destroy an innocent person. Instead of evidence they used federal agents as expert witnesses providing evidence free accusation. It is almost like prosecutors pursue cases based on the likelihood of winning instead of actual evidence.

nvahalik 8y ago
> The entire legal system is supposed to be based on the concept that it is better to let the guilty walk than destroy an innocent person. This is true if you believe that there is a final justice. However, in a secularizing society that doesn’t believe in God or final judgement, if you want justice it has to be here and now since it will not come any other way.
- nerdponx 8y ago
  On the contrary, how can you rationalize locking up an innocent person unless you believe they will be redeemed at The End?
  - sandworm101 8y ago
    True. Too many people accept the evil of false convictions because they believe in life eternal, that unjust suffering during life will be rewarded afterwards. I'd rather get things right now than roll those dice.
  - bendotero 8y ago
    I get the logic here. But in many religions god is the source of justice. Got no idea if OP is a Christian or not but there are plenty of judicial proceedings in portions of the Bible that lots of Christians overlook, particularly about the requirement for at the least two or three witnesses (which doesn't necessitate eyewitness but at least two credible witnesses) before a conviction takes place. There is also plenty of case law in the Hebrew scriptures about not imprisoning or punishing someone if there is no evidence (e.g. establishment of sanctuary cities for accused persons to go to while a just trial is pending).
    - jki275 8y ago
      Just to pick a small nit here, OT law is not considered binding on Christians today by most Christian theologies. It's valuable for understanding the NT, but not considered binding as law.
- ajnin 8y ago
  How can you call that justice when innocents are imprisoned for crimes that did not commit while the criminals go free ? That concept comes from the belief that it is worse to punish an innocent than to let a culpable go free. Call that utilitarian if you will but it has nothing to do with a hypothetical final judgment.

by edoo 8y ago

nvahalik 8y ago

> The entire legal system is supposed to be based on the concept that it is better to let the guilty walk than destroy an innocent person. This is true if you believe that there is a final justice. However, in a secularizing society that doesn’t believe in God or final judgement, if you want justice it has to be here and now since it will not come any other way.

nerdponx 8y ago
On the contrary, how can you rationalize locking up an innocent person unless you believe they will be redeemed at The End?
- sandworm101 8y ago
  True. Too many people accept the evil of false convictions because they believe in life eternal, that unjust suffering during life will be rewarded afterwards. I'd rather get things right now than roll those dice.
- bendotero 8y ago
  I get the logic here. But in many religions god is the source of justice. Got no idea if OP is a Christian or not but there are plenty of judicial proceedings in portions of the Bible that lots of Christians overlook, particularly about the requirement for at the least two or three witnesses (which doesn't necessitate eyewitness but at least two credible witnesses) before a conviction takes place. There is also plenty of case law in the Hebrew scriptures about not imprisoning or punishing someone if there is no evidence (e.g. establishment of sanctuary cities for accused persons to go to while a just trial is pending).
  - jki275 8y ago
    Just to pick a small nit here, OT law is not considered binding on Christians today by most Christian theologies. It's valuable for understanding the NT, but not considered binding as law.
ajnin 8y ago
How can you call that justice when innocents are imprisoned for crimes that did not commit while the criminals go free ? That concept comes from the belief that it is worse to punish an innocent than to let a culpable go free. Call that utilitarian if you will but it has nothing to do with a hypothetical final judgment.