IS IT ABOUT MICHAEL VICK OR ME?

     The Philadelphia Eagles have placed Michael Vick under contract.  Already people were jumping off the Eagles bandwagon! How could you? I’ll never forgive you! He’s not worth the trouble!

     Let us clear some air here. I own three dogs. A Lab. an Australian husky-Lab mix and an English spaniel. I have had the pleasure of dog company all the seventy-five years of my life. I applaud the great work done by all the animal rights activists and by the ordinary people who rescue and care for animals. They deserve the credit and contributions they get. I’ve fished from time to time and watched fishermen break the snouts of little sand sharks and throw them back int the water and drown. I’ve shared, with you, the nightly news pictures of maimed, mangled and burned animals. Iam aware of the ugly practices of slaughter of some of the meat we eat. I am appalled by men’s cruelty to animals! Michael Vick turned this in to a business and he deserved the punishment he received. I’ve come to that conclusion based on the facts that I’ve been able to glean from the media. But what troubles me is that the outrage against him continues. Is it because we have forgotten what it means to forgive? Do we believe that some should never be forgiven? Is the work of forgiving just to difficult for some? Is there some other motive for continuing not to forgive?

     Forgiving is generally recognized as that quality of human spirit that removes indignation, resentment and anger which has proceeded from some perceived (accurately or inaccurately) wrong. Nations sometimes go to war because of some wrongly perceived offense which its leaders refuse to forgive. Indeed, some evil leaders use the “big lie” technique to arouse the anger of people so that the leader can get his or her own way, even though a calmer more rational nation would not agree normally.  Human beings are offended or angered, even to the point of violence, by some perceived wrongful act of another. It is I suppose a part of the human condition. I would venture a guess that such emotion grows from our primal “fight or flight” syndrome. If that be the case then why should one harbor resentment, nurture anger, constantly obsess about some indignity to ones self? Once we have made the decision to walk away or to “fight” there is no more need to be upset by the offense. To continue dwelling upon another’s wrong becomes an affliction. It consumes us, or more specifically erodes our good judgement. So when one forgives, he or she lets go, lays aside the wrong, does not allow the offense to enter into ones life journey decisions. It’s over. and a new relationship (of whatever nature and without anger, resentment or vendetta) begins. All humans err from time to time. If we are to live in some state of peaceful concordance then forgiving one another is a fundamental element of society. Otherwise, we will live in an ever increasing state of anger, resentment, jealousy and hatred. It will be only a matter of time before the hatred is acted out. I think the Vick affair is not on an earth shattering level yet, but it is on the verge of becoming very damaging to one individual. The breach of a levy begins with the trickle of a small leak!

     The point is that Michael Vick was sentenced in a court. He served his time. He paid all of his fortune for fines and debts. He says he is sorry and wants to begin again. There is nothing in that scenario that condones his crime, or even his overall conduct with regard to animals (or for anything else, for that matter). There is no reason to judge him as an evil man. Indeed, we do not make such decisions. We’re not here to judge our neighbor’s soul or spiritual worth. That’s the business of God. Our philosophy of government holds that a person is free to work out his or her own relationship with God. We believe, and constitutionally hold, that punishment is to be reasonably related to the offense, and scarlet letters are not part of our system. Punishment cannot be “cruel and unusual” says our Constitution. We claim that rehabilitation is one of the goals of our judicial system. One of the great failures of that system is that we, in fact do not rehabilitate, for in order to do that we would have to forgive and it’s not “politically correct” to forgive in these days of ours! That’s what is distressing about much of the reaction to Vick’s hiring by the Eagles.

     The man himself says that he has changed. He says he’s rehabilitated. He says he wants to start again. What is there about that that shows he’s not telling the truth? Where is there any evidence that what Mr. Vick says is not true. If we want to suggest that “once a liar, always a liar” then we join the empty headed who replace the brain power it takes to reach considered and factually based judgments, with no mental work and guessing. Such is the wherewithal of shysters. Those who would withhold judgment are perfectly entitled to do so, so long as they are not withholding just to continue unwarranted punishment.  The man has apparently done what our system of justice requires of him – pay the price and change your ways. Now it’s our turn, our obligation as a member of society, to give him, and those in similar situations, an opportunity to live as a participating member of our community.There is no evidence that once someone has broken the law that such a one will always break the law. There is no evidence that once someone has committed a heinous act that such a one will do so again. Every major religion, including Christian, Judaism and Islam, teaches that forgiveness is part of the spiritual journey to God. Each teaches that there is a divine call to forgive. The Gallup Poll finds that 94% of Americans believe that it is important to forgive. Forgiveness has been considered important not only in religious thought, but also in social and medical thought. Those who will not forgive do harm to themselves. Anger, depression and inner turmoil are often the fruits of such unforgiving natures. Those who do forgive find greater peace in their lives and they are freer to move on with good works.

     So, if we can forgive Michael Vick, and allow him to move on with his proposed life, we can move on with our concerns that men and women ought not abuse any of God’s creation: be it things, like forests, and oceans, and air; or be it fish, fowl or beast; or be it human beings, regardless of their definition by other humans. Let us give Mr. Vick the benefit of the doubt at this point. We, in doing so, are not condoning animal abuse, but rather we are supporting the noble belief that mankind has the amazing God given power of repentance, the power to change, the power move on and do good for others who also inhabit this small portion of God’s good creation.

 

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