Christians and Jury Duty
http://jimmymccarty.wordpress.com/2008/08/14/christians-and-jury-duty/
So…a couple of days ago I had jury duty. In LA County jury duty is a one day trial set-up. Basically, you show up one day and wait around to see if you get picked to be on a jury. If you do, you serve on that jury. If you don’t, you are free from jury duty for 12 months. I didn’t get picked. I didn’t even get a chance to speak, but I wondered what I would say…
I have some reservations about serving on a jury as a Christian such as:
1. Participating too closely in the functioning of a kingdom of this world.
2. Putting myself in the place of God by playing judge.
3. The conflict of interests in, as a Christian, being called to the ministry of forgiveness and reconciliation and the state’s God-mandated duty to punish those who do harm so we don’t have to (Romans 12-13).
4. The criminal justice system provides little justice. Innocent people are found guilty, and guilty people who are punished are not rehabilitated. Our criminal justice system lacks much true justice, compassion, mercy and redemption. Should I, as a Christian, partner with such a corrupt system?
5. I am called by Jesus to live by “turn the other cheek†and no longer by “eye for eye†so the potential of me being put on a case that could lead to a death penalty charge is truly troublesome.
6. Paul told Christians they shouldn’t be taking one another to court. If there were a case of Christian vs. Christian could I participate in it?
