Law Professor Ann Althouse was either bored or got a tip on this 28 March 2008 NPR story on a New York City social worker who was being mugged and turned the incident around by taking his teenaged mugger to dinner. I would say this story is atypical, but in this season of Advent it has the appropriate message for our troubled world.
But, the story can also elicit cynicism, as the comments in the Althouse blog post show.
My take is the commenter who said "Too good to fact check" is correct.
Regards — Cliff
sets in motion a very interesting....if not timeless....moral and ethical discussion. At what point does the Christian...or in the case of atheists...the meek....decide that the line is crossed, that the "strong" are insisting on taking TOO much. With the proper encouragement provided by growing lack of resistance, there is a whole class of "people" in this world that will readily insist that ALL of one's possessions be turned over.....or else. So, instead of a "simple" mugging where the mugger wants a warm coat...and "hey" a nice meal thrown in isn't too bad either.....maybe the mugger now wants the deed to your house, the title to your car, the combination to your safe and the account #'s to your bank accounts. Hey....it's JUST a mugging. Shouldn't we turn the other cheek? Or...as the Biblical commandment offers, "what you do to the least of these, you do also to me."
ReplyDeleteKind of bad for the real estate, automotive and banking industries.
Then there are those in the mugger class who want what you have including the sheer "joy" of, once getting your possessions, beating you to death.....and then going to dinner.
Sort of puts a stark robe on being a Christian.....or meek.