Although, the decision for me was disappointing, I wasn’t surprised. It’s a sad refrain that unfortunately is all too often spouted these days as an excuse for the perverse and evil actions of some of the vilest people in our society. If all else fails in their defense; blame their upbringing.
The idea that suffering past abuse or dysfunction automatically predisposes one to a twisted value system is ludicrous. Even more preposterous is the notion that this reasoning can and should be used to justify or excuse behavior arising from that value system.
Although I don’t know for sure, it would seem to me very probable that Hitler had a less than perfect childhood. If true, should history excuse his actions or reduce our collective sentence on Him as a result? Conversely, I have read that the boys who killed their fellow students so unmercifully in the Columbine tragedy grew up in very balanced, loving homes. The point? Past events and circumstances cannot, should not, be considered a reliable indicator of, let alone an excuse for, current abhorrent behavior.
We have the choice what values we will live by. Joshua 24:15 tells us to” choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.” Rom 6:16 says, “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” Implicit in these passages is the idea that regardless of our past, we have the ability to choose the values we will serve now.
In my library at home I have a series of books by David Pelzer. The first installment in the series is titled “A Child Called It". In this and subsequent books by Mr. Pelzer, he details how he was systematically abused by his parents from an early age. Most of his subsequent adolescent life was spent being shipped from one foster home to the next. Some of these homes weren’t much better than what he experienced at the hands of his birth parents. Yet, somehow David rose above it. Rather than repeating the cycle of abuse with his own family…he chose to go in a totally opposite direction. He now travels the country seeking to help other children who suffer as he did.
David Pelzers’ story is not an aberration. There are plenty of similar stories of people who despite terrible circumstances determined they weren’t going to repeat the cycle of their past. It’s altogether possible that the guy or gal who stops to hold the door for you at the at the local grocery store may be a victim of an abusive childhood.
The Bible doesn’t give Christians the luxury of hiding behind our past. We are told in Romans 6:23 that "the wages of sin is death." There’s no indication here that God distinguishes between what caused the sin. Regardless of what the cause, we are responsible, and the penalty is the same in all cases.
I can’t imagine on that final judgement day if anyone will get too far with God the Father and Jesus Chrsit by launching into a litany of past hurts and abuses in an attempt to reduce the severity of their sentence. I just don’t think it will fly. No one else’s name will be on the page but their own. It’s not only fair, it’s righteous judgment.
It’s a standard of judgment that we can only wish would be applied to the Zacarias Moussaoui’s of this world.
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"I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word." Psalms 119:15 - 16