He can be a good man in some ways, but if he doesn't regret murdering someone in the past, chances are he'd do it again given similar circumstances, so from my perspective he's only a good man until he kills again. How effectively he can resist his bloodlust is the only appropriate measure, and if he's gone 40 years without physically assaulting someone he's probably a good man. If he hasn't, then murder is probably still on the cards and he's someone I'd probably steer well clear of.

I don't want to fall into the morass of judgemental crap the question has generated.  With the limited information you provided, it is difficult to come to a conclusion that makes sense.  As far as society is concerned, he got 10, served 10, he has paid his debt.  Been a model citizen since.  He is a good guy. 

As far as God is concerned, he will judge and forgive whom he will, as for us, we are commanded to forgive everyone for anything.  So all that discussion is moot. 

Hey, KFC.  Could you provide a scriptural reference to the notion that God forgave Cain?  or any of the others you mentioned?  Take your time, it may take you a while.

I'd like to and can do that. It would only take two minutes if that so it's not a time issue, but I really don't want to unless MM gives me permission first. It's his blog and his decision if he wants me to answer you being it's sort of a religious question you're asking.

How you get "bloodlust" from a single act is so far beyond my thinking, I have nothing to reply with.

Ok, in the spirit of fellowship and to show that truly there is no animosity between you and I, go ahead and answer BFD's question.

Well I'm making assumptions, the first being that he's the kind of person who regularly gets into fights. People who don't like fighting don't get into fights. The second is that if he does like fighting, and if he doesn't feel guilty about murdering someone, then obviously he wouldn't have many qualms about killing again in similar circumstances.

Bloodthirsty is perhaps a little strong, but if he hasn't given up the love of fighting after paying a 10-year penalty for murder, then presumably he really gets a kick out of hurting people, thus bloodthirst.

Thanks MM. I'll keep it brief and to the point.



The key to forgiveness is repentance, that is, truly feeling sorry for your crime. Genuine repentance. Not just feeling sorry for yourself that you got caught.


Adam & Eve: "Unto Adam and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them." (first sacrifice given as God provided for them before he sent them out of the garden). Gen 3:21

Cain: "The Lord said to him (Cain) 'Therefore whosoever slays Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.' And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him." Gen 4:15 (a picture of mercy and grace).

David: "And David said to Nathan (the prophet) I have sinned against the Lord, and Nathan said to David, The Lord also has put away your sin. You shall not die. But because by this deed (adultery and murder) you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme; the child also that is born to you shall surely die." 2 Samuel 12:13-14 (Psalm 51 is the great prayer of repentance by David over this sin).

Okay, I guess you see some sort of repentance and forgiveness there.

It's not, though.

no, I was asked to show the forgiveness part. I didn't put down, in the case of Cain, his repentance, just God's forgiveness. God, instead of killing Cain for the murder of Abel, instead showed mercy and grace and allowed him to live.



Why not?


The whole point is we can forgive someone for committing a crime and at the same time expect there should be some accountability for the action. In other words...while you may be free to choose you are not always free to choose your consequence.

KFC, you are assuming. Cain didn't repent, he was not forgiven. He was worried about himself and how hard his punishment was. Sparing his life was a way of insuring he suffered his punishment...a life of exile. His fortunes would have been better is someone had killed him. As for the others, you assume because God acts as he always acts, that those folks were forgiven. Maybe they were, but the fact that they were treated with care does not necessarily prove that.

I'm assuming? Think about it. Could you be? What are you basing your answer on? Do you know there were other examples in scripture where God took a life right then and there? Have you ever heard of Achan in the book of Joshua for instance? He was a greedy deceitful man who God took out immediately.

Besides we see that God did protect Cain even so. Obviously he was sent out but he had contact with others, otherwise there would be no need for this mark upon him. Besides all that Cain built a city eventually and prospered.

In scripture it was quite plain, a life for a life. The fact that Cain lived shows only of the mercy and grace that God is capable of.



well think about this...even Jesus forgave the sinners who killed him while on the cross. He even said so as he looked down. It doesn't mean they will escaped accountability tho.

This is a whole lot of wrong assumptions, first wrong one is many people that do not like to fight have been "forced to" because the choice to walk away was taken away from them.

After living a crime free life for forty years we can "assume" this man does not "like" fighting" or there would have been other examples of it. There were none.  There has been proven examples of single killings, A one time event where a killing takes place under a set of circumstances, never to be duplicated again. While most people "THINK' they are above killing in truth they are not! anyone can kill another human being given the right circumstances. IMO.

Perhaps he abused his children, or beat his wife, or something else that an otherwise upstanding member of the community can sometimes hide for 40 years.

Better yet, why don't you just name this individual so we can look into the full story for ourselves? It's clearly someone you know, as you seem to be very personally involved in the whole thing.

Very few facts are given, however, the above is one of them.