I'm trying to keep myself out of the situation, though. I realize I have a bias, but the bias is not the sole reason I would suggest peace-making or banning. It's more of a plus. What I mean is that the bias is just one more small reason I suggest peace-making or banning, but without the bias, I would still advocate peace-making or banning.
Some people are of a peaceful temperament. I am not one of those people. I like to take action to correct a wrong. That would be why I am going to school to become an attorney. I want to get out there and fix wrongs. My mind simply works that way. It is the way God made me. He gave me a mind for logic, justice, reason, etc. As such, solutions I come up with are going to seem legalistic. That's just the way I am. I can accept that people will be given mercy and grace on occasion, but if someone is receiving neither grace nor mercy and is simply escaping punishment instead, I don't approve.
Scratch that ^. I was trying to justify my feelings because you were making me feel like it was unGodly and unChristian to advocate justice. I talked to my family about it during dinner, and they helped me realize I am right in my view of things.
So, I'm going to correct my statements and stop trying to backpedal over something I need not backpedal over.
In relation to "setting an example" my little brother (out of the mouth of babe's) made this rather brilliant comment: That's like someone robs a bank, and you let them rob the bank again instead of disciplining them or even telling them they're wrong. (paraphrase)
That is so true, and it is exactly what is going on when justice, mercy, nor grace is shown. We are not helping someone by "setting an example" if we don't also tell that person they are wrong. By allowing someone to continue on in bad behavior, you are enabling them, not helping them. When a Christian is doing wrong, you either correct and punish that person or you correct and show mercy/grace to that person.
My mom pointed out that in order to show mercy or grace to a person, you first have to point out to them that they have done wrong, and they must acknowledge they have done wrong. Going back to the robbing example, it is not grace or mercy to see a man rob a bank, ignore it, and allow him to rob another bank. Sure, you may say you are "setting an example" because you personally never rob a bank, but that man doesn't care about you not robbing a bank. That just means there are more banks for him to rob. If he sees that no one responds to him robbing a bank, he is going to go and rob more banks. He'll think "Hey, I got away with it last time. I'll do it again." If you confront the man, and say "Look, robbing banks is wrong, and I have every right to punish you for robbing a bank. I'm not going to, though. I am going to show you mercy this time, but don't do it again" then he knows he can't get away with it.
Now, what do you do after mercy has been shown and the person robs a bank again? You can show mercy again, of course, or you can show justice. Either is an appropriate response. A foolish response is to turn a blind eye to the robbery.
My dad pointed out that Micah 6:8 says to "do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God." God is a God that expects both mercy and justice of His children. Since God never changes, what He expected in the OT He still expects today. God never asked us to "set an example" by turning a blindeye to offensive and unGodly behavior being displayed by Christians. He expects us to show mercy and do justice.
Mom also pointed out that with the way y'all expect Christians to act, if Ananias and Saphira had lived today instead of in Biblical times, they would still be alive. By that she means that Christians are so used to sin and turning a blind eye on unGodly behavior that Christians would have said to let Ananias and Saphira live instead of allowing God to slay them for lying to Him.
God killed people for lying to Him. He accepts offensive behavior from no one. Neither should we.
