Do Prisoners Deserve Christmas Gifts and Cookies?

[Donaldswife]

Its not about rewarding anyone for anything.

In my mind it is about bringing hope to hopeless, and love to the unloved.

BTW, I am not a very religious person either. I just value life, even in people who have made bad choices.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I agree. I believe that if society really wants to rehabilitate those sent to jail then it is important to ensure that we let those folks know that they are thought of as more than just criminals who do not even deserve a stinkin' cookie at Christmas. If the church wants to enlist teenagers to bake as a part of a community service effort I am all for it.

I agree.

I think there are a lot of people that are "forgotten" long before they go to jail.
But that's another thread entirely.

 

[luvsJack]

In my mind it is about bringing hope to hopeless, and love to the unloved.

BTW, I am not a very religious person either. I just value life, even in people who have made bad choices.

There are many "religious" folks in this world that need to remember the bolded statement.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I'll ask since its been brought up more than once, but isn't the point of forgiveness to forgive those who are truly sorry?

No. Except when you hit chance #491, if you are being literal.

 

[luvmy3]

Jesus asked his father to forgive his executioners while he was dying. If you're looking to live by his teachings, not being harsh about some cookies and socks might be a good start.

And what is this garbage about "depends on the crime"? None of us are qualified to judge who deserves compassion.

I'm an atheist. I'm the immoral one.

I totally disagree, those who have been victims of crimes are certainly qualified to judge whether or not criminals deserve compassion. When someone sticks a gun in your face and robs you, you may see things a bit differently when it comes to criminals and what they deserve.

 

[Allison]

I agree. I believe that if society really wants to rehabilitate those sent to jail then it is important to ensure that we let those folks know that they are thought of as more than just criminals who do not even deserve a stinkin' cookie at Christmas. If the church wants to enlist teenagers to bake as a part of a community service effort I am all for it.

I agree. People amaze me sometimes. Do people really begrudge someone a cookie?

 

[MzDiz]

There are many "religious" folks in this world that need to remember the bolded statement.

I couldn't agree more.

I have a cousin that did time in prison for something stupid. He didn't hurt anyone, he just went along with someone else's dumb idea. You'd never know where he spent 12 years of his life by looking at him now.

 

[MzDiz]

I totally disagree, those who have been victims of crimes are certainly qualified to judge whether or not criminals deserve compassion. When someone sticks a gun in your face and robs you, you may see things a bit differently when it comes to criminals and what they deserve.

Been in a worse situation than that. I stand by my statement.

 

[Sorsha]

I totally disagree, those who have been victims of crimes are certainly qualified to judge whether or not criminals deserve compassion. When someone sticks a gun in your face and robs you, you may see things a bit differently when it comes to criminals and what they deserve.

And I totally disagree with THIS.

Those who have been wronged are certainly within their rights to wish to see justice done, but how can one human being have no COMPASSION for another?

You may not like the person, you may condemn their ACTIONS, but are you not to still feel compassion for the person? Are we not all human?

If someone sticks a gun in my face and robs me (assuming I am not shot) yes I will be angry, yes I will wish to see that person caught and punished, yes I would like my property returned to me, but I will also wonder what desperation led another human being to do such a thing. Was he hungry? Did he need money to keep his family clothed or in a home? Was he, as a child, abused or starved of all love and affection? Was he addicted to a terrible substance and not in his right mind? I may never know, but that doesn't stop me from feeling compassion for him and whatever dreadful part of his life led him to the eventual path he chose.

 

[luvmy3]

Been in a worse situation than that. I stand by my statement.

You can stand by it, but that doesn't make me think you are any less wrong.

 

[Donaldswife]

I totally disagree, those who have been victims of crimes are certainly qualified to judge whether or not criminals deserve compassion. When someone sticks a gun in your face and robs you, you may see things a bit differently when it comes to criminals and what they deserve.

I worked as hotel desk clerk, and was robbed at gunpoint when I was 19 years old. He told me he was going to come back and kill me....

I still stand by what I said.

 

[Arielle22]

OP,

Many homeless shelters have people who are criminals both who have served time and who have not been caught yet. I imagine some nursing homes also have people who were prisoners when they were younger.

So if the person does their time and then goes out into society does that make them more worthy then when they were behind bars?

 

[daisax]

For those concerned that axe murderers and child killers are going to be gorging on sprinkle cookies next week, I would suggest that the prisoners who would participate as recipients of the donations would be the ones who are on their best behavior in the prison and deemed worthy for perks.

I think some people need to watch some of the reality programming shot in jails. Yes, some of the people are scary. Most are just idiots who did something wrong. Or even a series of wrong things. But they're not animals and they're not incapable of appreciating a nice gesture.

 

[luvmy3]

And I totally disagree with THIS.

Those who have been wronged are certainly within their rights to wish to see justice done, but how can one human being have no COMPASSION for another?

You may not like the person, you may condemn their ACTIONS, but are you not to still feel compassion for the person? Are we not all human?

If someone sticks a gun in my face and robs me (assuming I am not shot) yes I will be angry, yes I will wish to see that person caught and punished, yes I would like my property returned to me, but I will also wonder what desperation led another human being to do such a thing. Was he hungry? Did he need money to keep his family clothed or in a home? Was he, as a child, abused or starved of all love and affection? Was he addicted to a terrible substance and not in his right mind? I may never know, but that doesn't stop me from feeling compassion for him and whatever dreadful part of his life led him to the eventual path he chose.

You can disagree, but I've been there so I speak from experience so I know it is possible to feel no compassion for that person at all. I don't care what compelled him to do it, none of his reasons justify it or make him "human". People who threaten someone's life over $100 aren't worth the paper that C-note is printed on, they are no different than animals IMO, and they certainly don't deserve cookies and presents at Christmas. You may think differently, and thats fine for you, but I will never think the way you do about a criminal like that.

 

[luvsJack]

You can stand by it, but that doesn't make me think you are any less wrong.

It doesn't make the poster wrong, maybe of a different opinion or feeling than yours but not wrong.

Some of us choose to live our lives having compassion for others and choosing to forgive those who have wronged us. Forgiving someone does not mean they shouldn't pay for their crime, but it does mean that we remember that they are first and foremost fellow human beings.

If a victim of a crime chooses not to forgive the person who victimized them, that is their choice. That doesn't mean that someone else is wrong for showing that person a little human kindness.

 

[Sorsha]

You can disagree, but I've been there so I speak from experience so I know it is possible to feel no compassion for that person at all. I don't care what compelled him to do it, none of his reasons justify it or make him "human". People who threaten someone's life over $100 aren't worth the paper that C-note is printed on, they are no different than animals IMO, and they certainly don't deserve cookies and presents at Christmas. You may think differently, and thats fine for you, but I will never think the way you do about a criminal like that.

That's Ok, we can agree to disagree, I am sure we would probably disagree on a lot of things. That's all part of being individual people.

However, I have pity and compassion for YOU, and hope that someday you can learn to forgive, before your anger eats you up from the inside and makes you miserable. No one deserves that either.

 

[101DalmFan]

It doesn't make the poster wrong, maybe of a different opinion or feeling than yours but not wrong.

Some of us choose to live our lives having compassion for others and choosing to forgive those who have wronged us. Forgiving someone does not mean they shouldn't pay for their crime, but it does mean that we remember that they are first and foremost fellow human beings.

If a victim of a crime chooses not to forgive the person who victimized them, that is their choice. That doesn't mean that someone else is wrong for showing that person a little human kindness.

Well said!

 

[RunningGirl]

I think if I was to answer completely, this would become a religious thread which isn't allowed. I would be asking myself WWJD...did He think the lost sheep was worth finding?

 

[luvmy3]

I worked as hotel desk clerk, and was robbed at gunpoint when I was 19 years old. He told me he was going to come back and kill me....

I still stand by what I said.

I don't know why you keep saying that, I know you stand by it, telling me over and over isn't going to make me think you are right.
I respect the way you feel, however there are people who can judge whether these criminals deserve compassion. The fact that you choose not to "judge" them doesn't mean others don't have the right to.

While we aren't speaking specifics here, but can you honestly say to a parent whose child is abducted and murdered, or a rape victim that they don't have a right? Your "nobody" includes those people. So, again you can stand by your statement, but I stand by mine that you are wrong.

 

[luvsJack]

You can disagree, but I've been there so I speak from experience so I know it is possible to feel no compassion for that person at all. I don't care what compelled him to do it, none of his reasons justify it or make him "human". People who threaten someone's life over $100 aren't worth the paper that C-note is printed on, they are no different than animals IMO, and they certainly don't deserve cookies and presents at Christmas. You may think differently, and thats fine for you, but I will never think the way you do about a criminal like that.

Until you reach that level of desperation for that $100, you can't understand it. and its not necessarily that it justifies it in anyone's mind. It can EXPLAIN, but not EXCUSE.

Forgiveness of someone is about looking past what they did, not necessarily understanding it. If a woman decides to forgive her husband for an affair, she may never really understand what drove him to it. But she chooses to see past it. Same thing, sort of.

If we had chosen not to forgive my cousin and ignored him as his own family did, he may have ended up right back in jail doing the same things. And we would have spent all these years angry and hurt by the things he did. I think our choice benefitted all of us.