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Erika Kirk Rejects Revenge for Husband's Killer

Michie

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"I've had so many people ask, 'Do you feel anger toward this man? Like, do you want to seek the death penalty?' I'll be honest. I told our lawyer, I want the government to decide this," she explained. "I do not want that man's blood on my ledger. Because when I get to heaven, and Jesus is like: 'Uh, eye for an eye? Is that how we do it?' And that keeps me from being in heaven, from being with Charlie?"​


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mindlight

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It was a powerful moment in her speech when she was able to forgive her husband's killer. Forgiveness and state justice are different matters, however. Erika Kirk's soul is clean of the poison that this man might have inflicted on her life because forgiveness gives that toxic evil no foothold in her life. The state carries out justice for the reason of the common good: Retribution and deterrence may require this man's death, even though he has been forgiven by his victim's family and most likely, given his life history, by the victim himself from his heavenly position.
 
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FireDragon76

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It was a powerful moment in her speech when she was able to forgive her husband's killer. Forgiveness and state justice are different matters, however. Erika Kirk's soul is clean of the poison that this man might have inflicted on her life because forgiveness gives that toxic evil no foothold in her life. The state carries out justice for the reason of the common good: Retribution and deterrence may require this man's death, even though he has been forgiven by his victim's family and most likely, given his life history, by the victim himself from his heavenly position.

I disagree. Context is everything.

If Erika Kirk wished to make such a statement, she could have done so in a different venue where a message of forgiveness would not have mingled with vengance and outrage. As it is, the result is risking sanctifying MAGA's bigotry and contempt, which are not Christian values.
 
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Michie

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After describing how, “on the cross, our Savior said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,’” she said, “I forgive him,” leading to heartfelt applause from the audience.

“I forgive him because it was what Christ did, and is what Charlie would do,” she said. “The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the Gospel is love, is always love. Love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us.”

Erika Kirk also reflected on her late husband’s faith as well as her own, which began with her sharing how he talked about “his submission to the will of God” at TPUSA’s AmericaFest two years ago. She highlighted his reference to the Bible verse Isaiah 6:8, which she summarized as proclaiming: “Here I am, Lord, send me.”

She recalled how she spoke with her husband backstage after his speech and urged him to consult with her first before making a statement like that again, warning him, “God will take you up on that.”

“And he did with Charlie,” she said, referring to her husband’s assassination.

“Eleven days ago, God accepted that total surrender from my husband and then called him to His side. More than anything, Charlie wanted to do not his will, but God’s will. And over these past 11 days, through all the pain, never before have I found as much comfort as I now do in the words of our Lord’s Prayer, ‘Thy will be done.’”


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RileyG

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"I've had so many people ask, 'Do you feel anger toward this man? Like, do you want to seek the death penalty?' I'll be honest. I told our lawyer, I want the government to decide this," she explained. "I do not want that man's blood on my ledger. Because when I get to heaven, and Jesus is like: 'Uh, eye for an eye? Is that how we do it?' And that keeps me from being in heaven, from being with Charlie?"​


Continued below.
God bless her in his love!
 
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mindlight

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I disagree. Context is everything.

If Erika Kirk wished to make such a statement, she could have done so in a different venue where a message of forgiveness would not have mingled with vengance and outrage. As it is, the result is risking sanctifying MAGA's bigotry and contempt, which are not Christian values.

Bigotry and contempt? Romans 13:1-7 grants the power of the sword for the common good to the state. It is not accurate to describe state justice, applying capital punishment for murder, as bigotry or contempt, or indeed even to suggest it is motivated by revenge - it is simply due process. The rule of law is a distinct matter from personal forgiveness is my point here.
 
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_Dave_

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My fear is that her forgiving of the killer will be used by the defense during the sentencing stage after the killer's conviction to ask for a lightened sentence. What Erika should have done after forgiving the killer was to followup by saying she accepts the appropriate punishment that would be carried out by the men who God has assigned to be His actors in making sure the perpetrators of evil face the consequences. Forgiveness and punishment are not the same, and shouldn't be linked.
 
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Yarddog

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I disagree. Context is everything.

If Erika Kirk wished to make such a statement, she could have done so in a different venue where a message of forgiveness would not have mingled with vengance and outrage. As it is, the result is risking sanctifying MAGA's bigotry and contempt, which are not Christian values.
I think that she did as she should have. It was a moment of Light amid all of the darkness that many spoke. Those MAGAists revealed just who has divided this country. They spoke against all of Charlie Kirk's spiritual beliefs.
 
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iarwain

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I think that she did as she should have. It was a moment of Light amid all of the darkness that many spoke. Those MAGAists revealed just who has divided this country. They spoke against all of Charlie Kirk's spiritual beliefs.
Jimmy Kimmel, is that you?
 
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Pepperdoodle

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"I've had so many people ask, 'Do you feel anger toward this man? Like, do you want to seek the death penalty?' I'll be honest. I told our lawyer, I want the government to decide this," she explained. "I do not want that man's blood on my ledger. Because when I get to heaven, and Jesus is like: 'Uh, eye for an eye? Is that how we do it?' And that keeps me from being in heaven, from being with Charlie?"​


Her speech was good!! I thought the Memorial should have ended with it, unless she requested otherwise.

But when a person is saved, nothing keeps them from getting into Heaven as she implies by saying "I do not want that man's blood on my ledger. Because when I get to heaven, and Jesus is like: 'Uh, eye for an eye? Is that how we do it?' And that keeps me from being in heaven, from being with Charlie?"
That's not how it works. Her salvation is only based on her accepting Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior...nothing else!!
So whether she wants the death penalty or not for her husband's murderer, either way won't keep her from being with Charlie.
 
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Pepperdoodle

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Bigotry and contempt? Romans 13:1-7 grants the power of the sword for the common good to the state. It is not accurate to describe state justice, applying capital punishment for murder, as bigotry or contempt, or indeed even to suggest it is motivated by revenge - it is simply due process. The rule of law is a distinct matter from personal forgiveness is my point here.
Bigotry and contempt is what murdered Charlie Kirk. These people :rolleyes:
 
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Pepperdoodle

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My fear is that her forgiving of the killer will be used by the defense during the sentencing stage after the killer's conviction to ask for a lightened sentence. What Erika should have done after forgiving the killer was to followup by saying she accepts the appropriate punishment that would be carried out by the men who God has assigned to be His actors in making sure the perpetrators of evil face the consequences. Forgiveness and punishment are not the same, and shouldn't be linked.
Well said.
You should tag her on FB or Insta and share that point with Erika!!
 
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Pepperdoodle

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I think that she did as she should have. It was a moment of Light amid all of the darkness that many spoke. Those MAGAists revealed just who has divided this country. They spoke against all of Charlie Kirk's spiritual beliefs.
Oh please, lol.
The main ones who have divided this country are the Left leaning.
You need to step away from their echo chamber :rolleyes:
 
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Yarddog

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Oh please, lol.
The main ones who have divided this country are the Left leaning.
You need to step away from their echo chamber :rolleyes:
You show that you are totally unaware of the events over the past, almost twenty years which have brought us to this point. Imagine that, a right winger out of touch.LOL.

Left and right have always been on opposing sides but they could work together to pass important legislation. Moderate Republicans and Democrats could be best friends and praise each other. Lindsey Graham, Joe Biden, and John McCain were incredible friends for years.

Things began to change after Obama was elected President. We, then, saw the rise of the Tea Party. It was made up of far right wingers that hated having a black man as their President. White Nationalism began to grow as groups like the Oath Keepers Egan to grow in numbers and Tea party members practiced violent opposition.

The Tea Party was absorbed by Trump's MAGA rising and moderate Republicans were forced out. Republicans were forced to sign pledges not to work with Democrats or they would be forced out.

The DOJ has the statistics which show that most political violence is perpetrated by right wingers.
 
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iarwain

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The DOJ has the statistics which show that most political violence is perpetrated by right wingers.
I don't buy Biden's DOJ statistics. I hear they don't even count the BLM/Antifa riots as left wing violence. We all have eyes, we can see what's going on. You know what they say about statistics, you can make them say whatever you want them to. Even if those stats were true (which I HIGHLY doubt), the vast majority of high profile violence and attempts at violence have been by the left.
 
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FireDragon76

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I think that she did as she should have. It was a moment of Light amid all of the darkness that many spoke. Those MAGAists revealed just who has divided this country. They spoke against all of Charlie Kirk's spiritual beliefs.

I can't really see anything redeeming about it. Context is everything. Whatever her sincere grief may have been, it's outweighed by the context. Sentimentality alone doesn't redeem a person, or a movement.

A sane and sober-minded person would be seeking consolation privately, not as a spectacle, in this moment, and not so quickly seeking to find meaning, or opportunity for others, in tragedy.
 
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