Of course it is the evil people who mostly make the news. So reading about an man out of work who took it upon himself to chase down a suspected child molestor with a frightened 8 y o girl makes one appreciate the goodness in people. Watch the CNN interview.The Link When you think the abductor could have had a gun you appreciate what Victor Perez did even more. So Victor Perez
I don't want to discredit this courageous act by this man, but the title of this thread caught me square this morning. If it is a bit of a thread hijack, I apologise in advance. There are no good people. None of us are good. We are all totally depraved, and crooked deep down. We we bent toward evil, and that cotinually. Save for the grace of God. If you want to look at what is wrong with the world... well, I see myself in the mirror each morning. I am what is wrong with the world. (credit to the paraphrase of British Newspaperman G K Chesterton)
THEU, I cannot reconcile your view to a God that created us in His own image, nor to His son's sacrifice so that our sins would be forgiven.
lhb, are you familiar with the basic theological belief of 'the total depravity of man'? It is a doctrine that follows along with the doctrine of original sin. Stated in the United Methodist Church's Articles of Religion Article VII Of Orginal Sin or Birth Sin Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from orginal righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil, adn that continually. and in the Article following Article VIII Of Free Will The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strengh and works, to fath, and calling upon God; wehrefore w have no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will. In other words man or humanity is now non posse non peccare.. or not able to not sin... I really don't know any major Christian denomination that doesn't teach these basic points of theology. We are by our very sinful nature objects of God's wrath not deserving of salvation, but in God's mercy and grace Jesus did die for us...
I hope that some philanthropist sees this story and sends Victor Perez $10k or something to help him through these tough times. Unsung heroes deserve our praise, and society needs them to get it so that others will follow. It always makes the news and creates a scandal [as it should] when onlookers decline to come to the aid of victims; and it's nice to see one go the other way. Fresno, CA is an agricultural community that has grown up with the Central Valley's farming boom, but is increasingly plagued by gangs, crime and violence, which makes this story even cooler. This reminds me of that story years ago when that inner-city community in L.A. [East L.A., i think] rose up to capture Richard Ramirez, the infamous "Night Stalker" now on death row in California. If I remember it right, the inner-city Hispanic community nearby was outraged and the police had to "rescue" Ramirez from the mob that located and apprehended him. Anyway, i am proud to call Victor Perez a fellow American, and hope that good things come his way. We need more like him among us. God bless him.
If Mr. Perez is an illegal, I say make him an automatic citizen. Surely the President can do that. I am going to send him a little money. A real hero, would love to shake his hand.
