Saddam Hussein, Justice and Fairness

"That's not fair!" We become sensitive from an early age to issues of fairness. Parents often reply, "Life just isn't fair." At the same time parents may teach their children to be as fair as possible. But what is considered fair and just is often a matter of opinion and widely disputed!

Iraq's deposed dictator, Saddam Hussein, was sentenced to death by hanging by an Iraqi court on November 5. Specifically, Hussein was convicted for the 1982 torture and murder of 148 people in a single Shiite town in retribution for an attempt on his life there. About 50 of the 148 died during interrogation before they could be executed. Some of those hanged were children.

Six subordinates of Hussein were also sentenced—two received the death penalty, one received life imprisonment, three received up to 15 years in prison. A seventh one was acquitted for lack of evidence, concluding the emotional nine-month trial during which three defense lawyers and one witness were murdered.

The death sentences automatically go to a nine-judge appeals panel, which has unlimited time to review the case. If the verdicts and sentences are upheld, the executions must be carried out within 30 days. The executions would not be delayed even if Saddam is in the midst of a second trial for allegedly slaughtering about 5,000 Kurds in a chemical weapons attack on the town of Halabja in March 1988.

"It's not fair!" is being heard from countless people for seemingly countless reasons. Saddam supporters proclaim the whole trial was unjust and rigged by the Western "invaders and occupiers." Some people and governments think that any death penalty is unfair. The families of an estimated 2 million executed Iraqis feel they will be cheated of any future opportunity to make their charges in court and hear the resultant sentences.

However, many throughout the world feel that any form of legal execution will be far less than what this brutal tyrant deserves. Some wish that Saddam could die as many deaths as the number he caused. Others wish he could be tortured in the multiple ways he had their associates tortured. If the hanging is private, many Iraqis will be dissatisfied and may question whether he really died.

These predictable reactions merely illustrate the many limitations, flaws and failures of the world's criminal justice systems. Some who are guilty of crimes are never arrested, or never indicted, or never sentenced, or merely receive a slap on the wrist. On the other hand, sometimes innocent people are convicted and minor offences are punished with overly harsh sentences.

Legal and judicial systems often are more concerned with procedures and technicalities than with determinations of guilt or innocence. Attitudes of the heart, motives and remorse are not always taken into consideration the way God would. Good deeds go unrewarded much too often. Life is not always fair.

People even accuse God of being unfair, especially when they see the wicked enjoying pleasure while the righteous suffer. But God replies, "... is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair?" (Ezekiel 18:29Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the LORD is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
See All...). All of Ezekiel 18 is enlightening on this subject.

Our views tend to be very shortsighted compared to God's vision. In the long run, goodness will be compensated and evil will be punished. God is working diligently to save us from the ultimate punishment of eternal death. He desires "that all should come to repentance" so He can forgive and save them (2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
See All...; 1 Timothy 2:4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
See All...).

Sometimes God disciplines us, out of tough love, to get us on the right track (Hebrews 12:5-11 [5] And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
[6] For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
[7] If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
[8] But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
[9] Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
[10] For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
[11] Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

See All...). Thankfully, "Christ died for our sins" so there can be justice and forgiveness at the same time (1 Corinthians 15:3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
See All...).

The Bible contains many prophecies related not only to man's terrible injustice but also to Christ's second coming to bring a peaceful world (Isaiah 59:4-20 [4] None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
[5] They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.
[6] Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.
[7] Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.
[8] The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
[9] Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.
[10] We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.
[11] We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.
[12] For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;
[13] In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
[14] And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
[15] Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.
[16] And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
[17] For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.
[18] According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.
[19] So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
[20] And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.

See All...) governed "with judgment and justice…forever" (Isaiah 9:7Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
See All...).

Disciples of Jesus Christ must be willing to love and forgive anyone. But until Christ returns, the New Testament teaches that there is a need for human government to attempt to maintain law and order and justice (Romans 13:1-7 [1] Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
[2] Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
[3] For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
[4] For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
[5] Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
[6] For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
[7] Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

See All...; 1 Peter 2:11-20 [11] Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
[12] Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
[13] Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
[14] Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
[15] For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
[16] As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
[17] Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
[18] Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
[19] For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
[20] For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

See All...). However, humanity will have only limited success until Jesus Christ comes to teach His standards of fairness and to administer perfect, godly justice. God will make all things, including today's suffering and unfairness, work together for our good in the long run. Then life will be fair!

I recommend two booklets that will greatly expand you understanding of this complex issue of justice and fairness from a biblical perspective. Just request or download your free copies of: Why Does God Allow Suffering? and What is Your Destiny?