The Austrian Horror
It's a while since I blogged and though I wanted to write about so many issues, but for some reason, I didn't. I won't get into all those reasons now but perhaps I'll do so in some other post. However, after pondering over what this Austrian man did to his children I felt that I just had to blurt out something that would make sense... maybe not to the world at large but, at least, to myself. What a shame it took such a horrible event to pull me out of my blog-limbo.
I've always been against 'capital punishment' because I am 'pro-life' all the way, but when I read this story I just wanted to say, go hang him or send him to Abu Ghraib or wherever and let him rot.
I just can't seem to understand what must have driven him to do all that he did. I know it makes no sense to try and find a rationale because there just can't be one. Crazy example, I know, but even serial killers have a pathetic background that drives them to a life of senseless rampage. Not that I'm justifying serial killers, but yes, I'm trying hard.
But where this man is concerned, all I feel is utter disgust and my dark side would be only too glad to get a little 'expressive'. All I see in him is utter evil and the smug look on his face only heightens the horror and revulsion I feel towards him. How could a 'dad' be such a bastard?
I guess, such people challenge our deepest beliefs and faith systems. I do believe in the power of the cross to forgive the most hardened sinners and bring them to repentance. So if I believe that to be the gospel truth, then going by that statement, logically, it should certainly include this Austrian man, too... but can he repent? and if he does, then, shouldn't I overlook his offence and be more merciful? Personally, I'd like to see him hanged but that would defeat the very purpose for my not wanting people to get hanged... it would prevent the possibility of a change of heart in this man.
Then there is the question of his children, why did they have to go through all this?
I suppose there aren't any easy answers available, but let's face it, the more we read about this story, we are faced with many more questions than answers.
Where were the neighbours? Didn't they notice something odd was going on in this house? Were they so indifferent that they didn't care about the scars and the frequent pregnancies? How come no one bothered to check with the social service? And what about the mother? What was she doing when this was going on? Why did she just accept his word blindly? Wasn't she curious to know how - and from where - her husband was getting these babies into the house? Or did she know about it and was too embarassed and ashamed to admit that her husband and the father of her own daughter could do such a thing?
Curiosity is often considered a liability in social interactions, but I wish at least in this case, people had tried to be more curious and nosey. Maybe it would have lessened the horror. Maybe it would have stopped things from going the way they did. Maybe the story would have had a different ending.
Who knows?
I've always been against 'capital punishment' because I am 'pro-life' all the way, but when I read this story I just wanted to say, go hang him or send him to Abu Ghraib or wherever and let him rot.
I just can't seem to understand what must have driven him to do all that he did. I know it makes no sense to try and find a rationale because there just can't be one. Crazy example, I know, but even serial killers have a pathetic background that drives them to a life of senseless rampage. Not that I'm justifying serial killers, but yes, I'm trying hard.
But where this man is concerned, all I feel is utter disgust and my dark side would be only too glad to get a little 'expressive'. All I see in him is utter evil and the smug look on his face only heightens the horror and revulsion I feel towards him. How could a 'dad' be such a bastard?
I guess, such people challenge our deepest beliefs and faith systems. I do believe in the power of the cross to forgive the most hardened sinners and bring them to repentance. So if I believe that to be the gospel truth, then going by that statement, logically, it should certainly include this Austrian man, too... but can he repent? and if he does, then, shouldn't I overlook his offence and be more merciful? Personally, I'd like to see him hanged but that would defeat the very purpose for my not wanting people to get hanged... it would prevent the possibility of a change of heart in this man.
Then there is the question of his children, why did they have to go through all this?
I suppose there aren't any easy answers available, but let's face it, the more we read about this story, we are faced with many more questions than answers.
Where were the neighbours? Didn't they notice something odd was going on in this house? Were they so indifferent that they didn't care about the scars and the frequent pregnancies? How come no one bothered to check with the social service? And what about the mother? What was she doing when this was going on? Why did she just accept his word blindly? Wasn't she curious to know how - and from where - her husband was getting these babies into the house? Or did she know about it and was too embarassed and ashamed to admit that her husband and the father of her own daughter could do such a thing?
Curiosity is often considered a liability in social interactions, but I wish at least in this case, people had tried to be more curious and nosey. Maybe it would have lessened the horror. Maybe it would have stopped things from going the way they did. Maybe the story would have had a different ending.
Who knows?
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