I Am Gotham's Reckoning...

In order to keep in touch with my comic book theme, please allow me to make comparisons between the short film 'White Bear" and Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises." In "The Dark Knight Rises" the main antagonist, Bane, captures Gotham city and holds it hostage. While the military and Batman both struggle to take their city back, Bane, hands over the justice system to the people of Gotham. Hence, in short, the justice system becomes very corrupt with lunatics in power and a very large amount of people are executed or punished without fair trial.

After the conclusion of "White Bear", I felt like the park -that was created for correction I suppose, would have been the product of one of the criminally insane members of Gotham's justice system. Allow me to be very clear, criminals need to be punished for their crimes. Period. However, where is the line between punishment and torture? What the woman encouraged and allowed to happen to that little girl is demented and deserves severe punishment, but what does that punishment look like? I personally do not think it looks like relentlessly and mentally torturing someone day in and day out without end, especially for the enjoyment of others. Furthermore, one has to ask the question when does somebody dishing out justice become someone who is hungry for vengeance. This dilemma of course leads to the overarching issue of man wanting to be as God. Nonetheless Romans 12:19 states: "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay.' says the Lord."

So, if we are not to seek vengeance, but supplying justice is not wrong, what is the right answer? Hopefully, all of us can agree that the short film "White Bear" is an example of extremism that should not be taken as doctrine. Yet, if the justice system in the theatrical universe of the "White Bear" had simply just imprisoned the woman, her punishment would seem to weak. Hence, it is my belief and foundation that the best way to solve this predicament of how to accurately apply justice is found in God's word. Genesis 9:6 states: "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man." If we lived by this code of whoever intentionally takes another man or woman's life outside of the bonds of war, their life shall too be taken. After time, there would be less questions on how to be the reckoning of a city and more questions on how to build our society to its' fullest.