Justice versus Mercy

[Aliantha]

Really, when you consider it, justice is just another word for judging and then punishing other people for something you believe they've done wrong. eg. If we take the onramp example, and you're the driver with the option of letting someone else in, if you don't, you've said to yourself in your own mind, you made a bad decision, and now because I have the opportunity to, I'm going to punish you for it.

Maybe that's a base way of looking at it, but human beings are very base in a lot of ways.

Mercy is entirely different. I don't think it's merciful to let someone in during a merge in traffic. First of all, over here it's the law. Second of all, why wouldn't you let someone in? What difference is it going to make to your life if you do? It's not merciful to let someone in. It's just good manners and showing care for your fellow human beings.

Mercy is about love and forgiveness to me. Much as Dana suggested really. It's not merciful if you 'get' something from your actions. Once you get a pay off in any way, such as a feeling of self satisfaction, you're not being merciful anymore. You're being self serving. That's not mercy. Mercy is sparing someone else pain at your own expense. Mercy is where you 'let someone off the hook' at your own expense. In effect, giving that person an opportunity to go about their life in the hope that they will have grown from the experience.

We all demonstrate our need for justice and our ability to be merciful in different circumstances. I don't think they two are even remotely similar or could be applied to the same situations. Of the two, I'd rather be merciful than seek justice, but in my heart, I know that sometimes justice is what I really like to see.