As suggested in last week’s post, acrimony and ugliness continue to be the norm as the week progressed, unfortunately to include some comments in this blog.  Predictably, those with preconceived biases in favor of or against Mr. Kavanaugh generally weighed in with moral cases that buttressed their positions.  For those generally in favor of Mr. Kavanaugh, “we must listen to the claims made by Professor Ford, but claims made by a single party must have corroboration.  While we must be clear to respect her claims, we have no requirement to believe them without evidence beyond her own testimony.  Justice demands that people are innocent until proven guilty.”  Those that are against Mr. Kavanaugh say that women must be believed when they make a brave claim against a dominant male culture.  As Hawaii Senator Hirono says, men must

“just shut up and step up. Do the right thing for a change”  *

In the end, the disagreements come down to a difference in worldviews–they always do.  So what is a biblical way to view justice in the curious case of Mr. Kavanaugh?

A Christian worldview begins with the reality of the inherent dignity of all of God’s image bearers, both male and female.  “In the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.”  That dignity is what separates us from animals.  For those of us that enjoy watching the nature shows, we can think of the brutality that the male sex of the species may do in the passion of their sex drive.  What a sad spectacle it is to watch a baby lion cub rise up to fight the new champion who has driven off the prior male leader of the pride–the cubs are mercilessly killed by the new young male.  The lioness is then driven to procreate with the new male lion, seemingly forgetting the loss of her cubs by the murderous new suitor.  It is precisely that we are created in the image of God that the violence of men in pursuit of the passion of sex is a grievous affair.  Image bearers are capable of restraining their lusts, and channeling them into a God-ordained purpose through biblical marriage.  Those that would deny the inherent dignity of individuals due to being created Imago Dei must come up with other rationale for why biological urges should be ignored.  But when Christians see a vulnerable young lady assaulted for the sexual pleasure of a stronger male, we know this is more than “boys will be boys;” we know that it is unacceptable behavior that demands justice.  Yet Christians also know that the sin of Adam carries through to each man and woman alive today, and that just as some males will harm females in pursuit of fleshly desires, so too females will harm males for their own sinful desires.  Interestingly, a majority of females that support the me-too movement are likewise concerned over false allegations by women against men.  Many of them have brothers and fathers and sons that they know could be falsely accused to their destruction.  Christians likewise view attempts to destroy a male for political purposes as an attack on a fellow image-bearer, and are an injustice that must be opposed.  Biblical justice requires the testimony of two witnesses precisely because of this; and neither the stronger (or more powerful, or richer) shall be favored, neither shall the weaker (or poorer) be favored, but there must be impartiality in justice.

Demands for corroboration are called by some an insurmountable burden, since the predator often can prey on a victim in ways that isolate her from other witnesses.  This is a valid concern, yet Christians know that there is a God in heaven, and no one will ultimately get away with any injustice.  And if the alternative to a biblical view of requiring two witnesses requires us to commit an injustice to satisfy earthly cries for justice, this is a call for justice misplaced. It is not that far in our past when the single voice of a woman claiming rape would be sufficient to jail innocent black men.  Surely the answer to injustices to black males cannot be to commit injustice to white males.  Ultimately there is a God in heaven who will avenge.  Yes, the government is to be an avenger of God’s wrath here on earth, yet in a fallen world even the government must be constrained or it will be a far greater evil itself.  Further, a biblical view of justice would not necessarily be swayed by the emotive power of the person making the charge.  We know that

“The first to plead his case seems right, Until another comes and examines him.”

One of the more perverse claims of some in this case goes like this:  Because males have historically not been punished for sexual aggression, and females have historically not had their claims taken seriously, that the mere allegation of an assault is a sufficient reason for Mr. Kavanaugh to withdraw his nomination.  Yet while justice is inherently social (always a relationship between individuals), yet it necessarily is applied uniquely to the individual circumstances of the case.  As it says in Deuteronomy,

“Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin.”

This principle of individuals being fully culpable of their own sin, but not the sins of others, is one of God’s standards of justice.**

In summary, let me cheer all sides on with this.  Take heart my friends.  Justice will be done. Jesus Christ is on His throne, and no matter the result of our political process, and we have a King who will make all things right in His perfect timing.  We:

Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.

* This is an outrageous charge; as if all males are only interested in being able to get away with sexual assault themselves.  As if we don’t have wives and daughters and mothers that we love and want protected from predators.  Shame on you Senator Hirono, and shame on you for not being courageous enough with your own convictions to tackle real sexual assault when you had the chance.

** The only one who is to pay for the sins of others is our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.