For as long as evangelicalism has existed, American Christians have been divided over how best to approach public policy issues. While many conservative Christians agree on abortion, consensus has been more difficult to build on other issues. Policy areas such as immigration, crime, and the environment continue to divide opinion among well-meaning Christians who have different ideas about how to achieve complex goals.
One such multifaceted policy area is the criminal justice system. The United States has the largest incarcerated population in the world. Homes in Japan account for only 4% of the world’s population 16 percent Number of people incarcerated around the world. Not only does America incarcerate disproportionate numbers of people, but our system’s successes in delivering justice have drawn criticism for its failures. Despite the problems, safety issues remain a concern for Christians, and criminal justice reform is notoriously difficult to implement.
What is justice in impossible situations?
Against this backdrop, the Netflix documentary menendez brothers has been released. Filmmaker Alejandro Hartman takes viewers back to 1989. At the time, brothers Lyle and Eric were accused of murdering their wealthy parents in their Beverly Hills home. On August 20 of that year, the two brothers entered the living room where Jose and Kitty Menendez were watching TV and fired several shotgun rounds at their unsuspecting parents. Despite the gory details of the murder and investigation; menendez brothers It offers believers an opportunity to ponder fundamental questions of justice. Many of these issues, such as the role of the state in punishment and the nature of remedies, are difficult. Ultimately, however, these questions run counter to the simple black-and-white view that evangelicals often gravitate towards.
While the public ridiculed the brothers’ sexual assault claims during the trial, today they are taken seriously.
The story told in this documentary is essentially that of Lyle and Eric Menendez. It’s undisputed that the brothers murdered their parents, but the movie explores the story behind Murder case. Although prosecutors portrayed the brothers as restless rich children trying to get their hands on their parents’ vast fortunes, the truth revealed in the documentary is more complex.
Perhaps the most memorable part of the documentary is the story the defense team presented at trial. The testimony, argued by Leslie Abramson, a leading lawyer in the 1990s, concerned two young men who were severely abused by their brutal father. The defense presented the story of Jose Menendez, a wealthy and powerful Cuban immigrant who brutally abused his children, physically and sexually. In the story told and corroborated during the trial, new evidence Other young people have described Jose Menendez as a monster who repeatedly assaults his own children and others. For his brother Eric Menendez, the abuse only stopped after his father’s death. The brothers said the murder was the tragic end of impossible circumstances.
The story of Christianity and human failure
The public response to this documentary was enthusiastic. It premiered on October 7, and over 22 million viewers watched the film in the first six days. The film is well-made and depicts a sympathetic portrait of the two brothers. Although the trial’s prosecutor, Pamela Bozanich, has a negative attitude towards the brothers’ claims in a featured interview, the family and others involved in the trial paint a less simple and straightforward story. In many ways, this film is a reminder of how far we’ve come in the last 30 years. During the trial, the brother’s claims of sexual assault were widely ridiculed, but today sexual assault is taken seriously. In America in 2024, we know: 1 in 6 young people They have been sexually abused in childhood and the effects are well documented.
Taking this film seriously means that it must balance this Biblical theme of empathy and retribution.
It’s hard to watch this movie and not feel like the brothers have been failed by the system. Their first trial ended in a hung jury, but The retrial greatly limited the defense. In terms of not allowing them to use the “battered woman” defense. The judge said men could not use this defense because they were less likely to suffer the same psychological effects as abused women. Christians who watch this film will be encouraged by the progress our society has made in caring for those who have been abused, but this documentary raises some questions that we must grapple with.
menendez brothers It does a great job of exposing the problems in society and the justice system in the early 1990s. The fact that so few people were willing to believe what these young people went through is shameful. But for Christians, taking this film seriously means having to balance this empathy with the biblical themes of retribution. The Bible makes it clear that governments are given the responsibility to wield the sword in the pursuit of justice (Romans 13:1-7). Furthermore, the Old Testament establishes the principle of proportionality in punishing sin. In other words, Old Testament law allows for the death penalty in cases of murder (Exod. 21:23-25; German. 17:6). Biblical justice certainly does not mandate tolerance for crime.
Perhaps even more importantly, the Bible requires sinners to take responsibility for their actions. The book of James says, “Everyone is tempted when he is enticed and enticed by his own desires; and when desires conceive, they produce sin.”James 1:14-15). The Bible is clear: we are responsible for the sins we commit. Christians do not have the option of pointing to the sins of others as an excuse. While this is true, the Bible also makes clear that situations can become morally complex when multiple wrongs are committed.
in Matthew 18:6Jesus makes an important statement that is essential to understanding the Menendez brothers. In this part of the Bible, Jesus teaches his disciples what the kingdom of God is like. In doing so, Jesus calls a young child to him and says:[W]If I cause one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. ”
Jesus’ point is powerful. It is a great sin for those with influence to use that power to exploit and harm weaker individuals. In the cases of Eric and Lyle, their father used his power to cause deep emotional and physical harm to his sons. This does not excuse murder, but it certainly should be taken into account when considering what justice requires. Addressing both responsibility and exploitation in the pursuit of justice is something many Christians would like to see done in this film.
Is simplicity the enemy of truth?
Morally complex issues are not new to humanity. I have always found the story of Tamar in the Bible challenging. in Genesis 38the widow Tamar tricks her father-in-law, who did not provide an heir (a new husband) who will give her offspring, into sleeping with her. Despite the deceit and sexual immorality, the story ends with Tamar as the victim regaining her rights from her rejecting stepfather. Although the Bible is clear about sin, this story provides something that American Christians often fail to consider. In a world marred by sin, justice may not be what we expect. Simplicity is often the enemy of a more robust view of truth.
Tamar’s actions become more understandable when considered in the context of the ancient world. Women without husbands were at great risk, and women without heirs faced many social pressures. First and foremost, the family watches over an elderly relative, and if there are no children, there will be no one to support her. Second, if there were no heirs, the first husband’s name and land would be lost. Although Tamar’s crimes are not as gruesome as the Menendez brothers, context remains important when assessing justice.
complexity and elegance
My hope for Christians who watch this documentary is twofold. I see criminal justice reform as an area of opportunity for Christians, so I hope this case will move some believers to fight for change. I don’t have all the answers, but the lack of adequate defenses for most criminals seems morally problematic. While this was not the case for the Menendez brothers, the film reveals the problems with the system. At the time, the Los Angeles district attorney was desperate to win, and there was tremendous pressure on prosecutors to secure a conviction.
While this is important, the number of people who can be mobilized for reform is likely to be limited. Christians have contributed to the conversation on this issue in valuable ways; death penaltya question of method crime will be prosecutedthe state of Juvenile law In America, this movement is not yet as popular as other forms of Christian social advocacy. Today, far more Christians devote their resources to the pro-life movement than to criminal justice causes.
By treating people as layered, multifaceted individuals with often painful stories, we can better communicate the grace given to us at the cross.
Perhaps even more than my hope for Christian involvement in criminal justice reform, I am optimistic that films like this will help believers develop a more holistic public witness. . Too often conservative Christians ignore the plight of the oppressed. The Kingdom of God has been and always will be good news for the vulnerable. This includes those who are mistreated by the justice system, but also those who are vulnerable in all areas of human life. I worry that too often we are unwilling to go into the complexity of people’s stories.
This willingness is important for our witness. When Jesus was on earth, he was not afraid to intervene in the morally complex lives of people. Jesus offered salvation to Simon the Zealot, a political terrorist. For Matthew the tax collector, Jesus provided a path to a better community. In Mary Magdalene, Jesus saw a sinner worthy of love. Jesus refused to reduce people to one-dimensional figures. We would do well to imitate him in this regard. By treating people as layered, multifaceted individuals with often painful stories, we can better communicate the grace given to us at the cross.
I don’t know if the Menendez brothers should be released from prison. The crimes they committed are brutal, and their actions after the crime seem confusing to even the most ruthless criminal. While this is true, the film at least acknowledges that there’s more to their story than that. The value of this documentary is that it opens up the viewer the opportunity to see these siblings as more complex and worthy of compassion.
After watching this film, you may gain a deeper understanding of the human experience and become more willing to consider what grace looks like even in the most difficult of situations.
Source: Christ and Pop Culture – christandpopculture.com
