An Eye for an Eye

I mentioned in a past post that SVP is studying iconic actors, specifically—but not limited to—Morgan Freeman.  On Friday, we finished the movie, Se7en, where he co-stars with Brad Pitt as one of the main detectives.  This movie is about the 7 deadly sins.  A serial killer is on the loose, targeting those who are an example of each of these sins.

There is a part in the movie that really stuck out to me and left me wondering about how I would react in a similar situation

*The following is a spoiler*

In the end, the killer, John Doe, leads both detectives to the location of his last two victims.  Mills hold Doe at gunpoint as Somerset (Freeman) speaks to the delivery truck driver who is dropping off a package.  Somerset opens the package and immediately tells Mills to drop his gun.

Doe explains that he is the embodiment of envy, as he desires Mills ‘normal’ life, which causes him to behead Tracy, Mill’s girlfriend.  This also kills another life, as Tracy was pregnant.  Upon learning this, Mill loses his mind and shoots Doe, who accepts death for his sin of envy and at the same time, makes Mill an example of the sin, wrath.

The last two deaths, in my opinion, is cleverly planned by Doe and it made me wonder if I would be able to control myself under such circumstances. 

Firstly, I am not a short-tempered kind of person.  If something or someone were to upset me, I most likely would walk away instead of fighting back.  Likewise, if someone were to steal from me or hurt me or someone I love, I would not steal from them or hurt them back.  Instead, I would go to the authorities even if I run the risk of being called a snitch.  I don’t believe that fighting solves anything because ‘an eye for an eye makes the world blind’, as Mahatma Gandhi states.

However, Mill’s love is beheaded and his child is killed as a result of Doe.  If someone in my family is murdered, I don’t know how I would react.  Of course, I would be sad and angry.  But would I be angry to the point that I would kill the killer?  Most likely, I would hate them, but not kill them because in the end, it would not benefit me or my family.

Personally, I believe that there are the police, judges and prisons for that.  However, what if the authorities aren’t doing their best or they aren’t being fair?  Would I be angry enough to serve the killer justice at the sacrifice of my own life?

Murder is a tragic occurrence in this world, but to kill a killer would put me as low as them, no matter what they did.  I am fortunate to be in a situation where I will not have to kill another person for whatever reason—not that I will take this for granted.  However, if someone I love were to be killed, I would pray for them and have faith that our legal system will pull through.  My killing the killer will just add more stress and burden on my family.  So instead, I will be grateful to wake up every morning and to be able to live another day.  That loved one’s time was up—maybe too soon—but there is nothing that I could do to bring him/her back.  The best I could do is continue to live my life, keep them in my thoughts and live the life they weren’t able to.

All in all, I challenge you to be the bigger person in any situation, even if vengeance is much easier.  Don’t give your family more to grieve on.  Instead, be appreciative for the life that you still have and keep living.  It is okay to be angry, hurt and confused, but it is not okay to take another’s life.  I am truly sorry for and my thoughts go out to those families like Mill’s and I could only pray for the safety and health of my own.