A few weeks ago the Scottish government released Al-Megrahi, the man convicted of bombing U.S.-bound Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988.

The past few weeks have been rough ones for the Scots. Angry Americans threatened to boycott Scottish products. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lined up to condemn the move. (I was by the way a strong supporter of Hillary, and I still am, but disagree with her on this reaction)

This is one of many good examples on the polarization and the great gap between American thinking and European thinking when it comes to Justice and the theories and platforms on which this thinking is built.

Let me generalize to try to show my point.

An eye for an eye

The American system wants the offender to get what he deserves. The punishment is then awarded according to the crime committed.

In Europe it’s very different. Let this encounter serve as an example.

I was talking to a friend of mine some time ago. He works as a Judge in one of the biggest courts in Oslo. I asked him about a case he had presided over and asked him why he only gave 2 years in jail for what I considered was a grave offense. (It was the case in which Munch’s scream painting was stolen)

His answer was this. First of all he told me that he felt 2 years was a very tough and hard sentence for the offender.  Second of all he told me that his main purpose as a judge was not to give this man what he deserved, but give him a chance to both live with the consequence of what he did and get back into society and become a good citizen again.

The decision to free Al-Megrahi was made in accordance with Scottish legal practice, which makes explicit provision for the early release of prisoners on compassionate grounds.

Let me summarize: In Europe the goal is not to give the offender only a punishment in accordance with the gravity of his crime, or to give him what he deserves, but  also to show and give grace with the desire to help him into a normal life some day again.

Intertwined with view of God

This fundamental view on justice is also very much intertwined in the view on salvation, God and Christianity. One can argue that both views come out of how one understands salvation, humans worth the bible and God.

The dominant American Christian view is again God as a judge, giving us what we deserve. And in this aspect the western European church follows the Americans. But the Eastern European church(Orthodox) have a totally different view. God as a father, trying to help his children with their mistakes.  As a parent guides his children. This thinking is very far from a judicial view of God and his relation with humanity.  The way of Jesus is never one that gives back what one deserves. It is one that shows grace and mercy also in the Judicial sphere of humanity. I applaud the Scottish for following the way of Jesus in this case. Grace and Peace to Al- Megrahi.

Read more about Eastern Christianity and the difference between western and eastern Christianity in my post; “The lost Christianity”

I am horrified by the Christian right

I have been following the election process in the states carefully over the last few months, and am again struck by the way politics is conducted in this beautiful and great land of freedom.

I am horrified by the rhetoric and claims of the religious Christian right putting fear into the hearts of millions of voters.

James Dobson

James Dobson, president of “focus on the family” is one such Christian right leader.

Jim Wallis confronts James Dobson, asks for an apology and says the following; “The fictional letter released through your Focus on the Family Action organization, titled “Letter From 2012 in Obama’s America”, crosses all lines of decent public discourse. In a time of utter political incivility, it shows the kind of negative Christian leadership that has become so embarrassing to so many of your fellow Christians in America. We are weary of this kind of Christian leadership, and that is why so many are forsaking the Religious Right in this election.

This letter offers nothing but fear. It apocalyptically depicts terrorist attacks in American cities, churches losing their tax exempt status for not allowing gay marriages, pornography pushed in front of our children, doctors and nurses forced to perform abortions, euthanasia as commonplace, inner-city crime gone wild because of lack of gun ownership, home schooling banned, restricted religious speech, liberal censorship shutting down conservative talk shows, Christian publishers forced out of business, Israel nuked, power blackouts because of environmental restrictions, brave Christian resisters jailed by a liberal Supreme court, and finally, good Christian families emigrating to Australia and New Zealand.”

An embarrassment

Jim Wallis continues with the following.

” The America you helped vote into power has lost its moral standing in the world, and even here at home.

The America you told Christians to vote for in past elections is now an embarrassment to Christians around the globe, and to the children of your generation of evangelicals. And the vision of America that you still tell Christians to vote for is not the one that many in a new generation of Christians believes expresses their best values and convictions.

Christians should be committed to the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of America, and the church is to live an alternative existence of love and justice, offering a prophetic witness to politics. Elections are full of imperfect choices where we all seek to what is best for the “common good” by applying the values of our faith as best we can.

Dreams and hopes

Dr. Dobson, you of course have the same right as every Christian and every American to vote your own convictions on the issues you most care about, but you have chosen to insult the convictions of millions of other Christians, whose own deeply held faith convictions might motivate them to vote differently than you.  This epistle of fear is perhaps the dying gasp of a discredited heterodoxy of conservative religion and conservative politics. But out of that death, a resurrection of biblical politics more faithful to the whole gospel—one that is truly good news—might indeed be coming to life.”

Tomorrow the world turns its eyes, hopes and dreams to two men, Obama and McCain. I believe the best choice for the world is Obama, I believe the best choice for America is Obama, and if I could would give him my vote tomorrow at noon. No matter who you chose tomorrow, dont let fear be the deciding factor.

the need for change will finally prevail over the appeals to fear. Pray that the voters will choose either Barack Obama or John McCain as the best agent of change, rather than submit to the tyranny of fear. It is always better to live (and to vote) in the light of hope than in the darkness of fear. It is always an act of faith to believe that, in the end, hope will prevail over fear.

Read more about the elections here.

It has been good to see how America for the first time came close to electing a woman for the presidential candidacy. I have been inspired, stimulated and impressed by Hillary Clintons hard fought campaign, in a mans dominated world. I am however sorry to see that she only came close. As Jim Wallis points out on his blog, the woman who were at the core of her campaign are left with some hard pills to swallow.

“Many of them feel she was treated badly by the press, with many instances of overtly sexist attitudes and commentaries that would never have been directed at another male candidate. I, for one, think they are right — there were many media comments about Senator Clinton that were sexist and that would never have been used against a man. Indeed, there are often regular comments in the media about women that would simply not be acceptable if similar things were said about men or even ethnic minorities. As a culture, sexist assumptions, attitudes, and language are still far too acceptable to us.”

There is no doubt that Clintons campaign has been important for woman in America, but woman all over the world will once again be inspired to fight against men in all spheres of power. This is not because its bad with men in power, but because there is a need for woman there as well.

Wallis points out that this is the case no matter what political stance one holds.

As most of you have figured out by now: I have taken a special interest in the 2008 US Presidetial campaign.

I have been following a mister John Edwards and been impressed by his agenda. Here are some thoughts borrowed from Jim Wallis.

John Edwards ended his campaign this afternoon at the same place he started it and with the same theme—ending poverty as a moral imperative. In the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Edwards said that he was stepping aside in this presidential campaign, but that he would now continue his life-long work for economic justice. Before announcing his decision, he called both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to ask for a pledge to make ending poverty central to their campaigns for president and to their presidencies if they are elected.

It has been a sad start to 2008 for Muslim women all over the world. The brutal death of Benazir Bhutto certainly is a setback for women in this region.

During the election campaigns the Bhutto government voiced its concern for women’s social and health issues, including the issue of discrimination against women. Bhutto announced plans to establish women’s police stations, courts, and women’s development banks. Despite these plans, Bhutto did not propose any legislation to improve welfare services for women while in office. But despite this she served as an example and a icon for millions of women and men everywhere in this region.

I hope and pray that more women like her will rise and give women equal rights,safety,justice and education as men.

I hope we will see strong leadership also in the western part of the world. And I hope to see many strong and powerful women step into positions of influence.

I hope Hillary Clinton will answer that wish. It doesn’t look that way in the polls. Sadly the christian man dominated right in America will do everything it can to hinder a women from being president. I don’ t wan

t to compare it entirely with the way female politicians are treated in Pakistan but there are similarities.

I believe woman rights and womans position also in the muslim world will be affected in a positive way if United States of America does elect there first woman president. And so will all the women of the world.