Justice is served
A word about Josh Duggar and Jussie Smollett
Just a couple weeks ago I joined with a number of you in rejoicing that the American justice system worked, again, but this time in two very high-profile cases. The truth is that the adversary system our country’s founders chose has served us very well through the years. Since there is only one righteous Lawgiver and Judge (James 4:12), and we aren’t Him, there’s no denying that any system we establish will be imperfect.
And it’s those imperfections of our human courts that make the presumption of innocence one of the most needed and wise principles of American jurisprudence. By putting the burden of proof on the accuser (the government) rather than the accused (citizens), our founders created a system that would always err on the side of guilty people sometimes walking free rather than on the side of innocent people sometimes going to jail.
I can’t speak to specific concerns regarding the improper application of certain principles of fairness and equal protection, but I can say unequivocally that as designed, we should be forever thankful to live in a country that handles the matter of justice as ours does.
And that’s why, in the face of ever-rising accusations of corrupt courts, judicial malfeasance, and a structurally flawed criminal justice system, it was such a blessing to see two critical cases being adjudicated so wisely and rightly. The jury that found Ahmaud Arbery’s killers guilty, and another jury finding just days before that Kyle Rittenhouse acted in justifiable self-defense, did much to restore confidence in our system of justice.
And this morning I’m appreciative and thankful once again. In case you didn’t hear yesterday, another two high-profile cases just concluded with appropriate decisions being rendered by their juries as well. First, former television star of 19 Kids and Counting, Josh Duggar, was found guilty of knowing receipt and possession of child pornography. Duggar was led away in handcuffs and will be sentenced sometime next year.
Just a few hours later, a different former TV star, actor Jussie Smollett, was found guilty on five counts of faking one of the most elaborately (if stupidly) staged hate crimes in history. He too will be sentenced in the near future.
There’s no question to a rational mind that Duggar’s crimes were far worse. Certainly faking a hate crime is despicable, narcissistic, and speaks to the depressing state of our culture’s obsession with advancement-through-victimization. And there’s no question that it cheapens the seriousness of other cases where people really were victims of unprovoked assault and battery. Smollett’s crimes should certainly be condemned. Frankly, I think given the culture’s new-found obsession with victimhood, the only way to stop more of these hoaxes in the future is to make an example of Smollett. Time will tell whether that happens.
But with as bad as his hoax was, it simply isn’t close to being on par with Duggar’s hideous immorality. According to the court testimony of a top Department of Justice analyst, Duggar had attempted to download “one of the most offensive videos” of child sexual abuse the expert had ever seen. That’s right, Duggar’s obsession wasn’t just child pornography, it included violent sexual abuse of little kids. While I feel for Josh’s wife and his many children now having to piece together a new life without him, there’s no question in my mind that even if inconvenienced, that family is far better off without him near.
I am also firmly aware of the politics in these two cases. Smollett was a Hollywood gay activist who was desperate to pin his “attack” on political opposition, namely President Donald Trump and his supporters. On the other side of the coin, at the time he was charged with molestation, Duggar was serving as executive director of FRC Action, the political lobbying arm of the Christian “Family Research Council.”
If I can be straightforward, it’s the latter point that infuriates me about the Duggar case. Of course, the crime alone is revolting. But subjecting the name of Christ to disgrace in such a public, unrepentant, grievous manner, is devastating for those of us who profess the name of Jesus. I obviously don’t claim to be without sin; and in fact, cases like this make me mindful of my own missteps, faults, failings, and weak human nature. It makes me all the more appreciative of the undeserved grace I have received that covers over a multitude of my own sin.
But I think it is incredibly important for believers to make clear to a watching world that Duggar’s betrayal of his wife, his sexual perversion and depravity, his abuse of innocent children, is all a complete and total contradiction of the character of God, and the commands of Christ.
In 2015, I had been invited to deliver a keynote speech and conduct several workshop seminars for a large event in Colorado. The convention was poised to have a huge crowd on hand because of their special guest speaker the 2nd night – Josh Duggar.
After months of preparation and anticipation of the summer event, I read the first initial reports in May that Josh was being accused of molesting young girls, including his own sisters. As more evidence emerged, I contacted the event organizers and expressed my unwillingness to appear at an event that featured Duggar. Thankfully, either through pressure from the hosts or based on the recommendation of his own counsel, Duggar withdrew.
I’ve thought back frequently to that in recent days, and have expressed thanks to God for that still small voice (1 Ki 19:12), that prompting of the Holy Spirit (Ro 8:14) that helped me put aside my own selfish desires to participate in such a cool event, in order to send a message – not about my own moral superiority, but about the moral superiority of God, and the responsibility those of us who wear His name before a skeptical world must shoulder. I’m also immensely grateful those event organizers made the right decision as believers, despite the headache and potential revenue loss it caused them.
Acknowledging the truism that “but for the grace of God, there go I,” is not mutually exclusive to morally condemning behavior that is morally condemnable, particularly when Satan captures the heart and mind of a fellow believer to perpetrate it. We can do both. We must do both.
As a Christian, I am thankful for the jury that properly convicted Josh Duggar. I am thankful to God that He has used a court of man to protect Duggar’s victims or potential victims from further interaction with him.
We believers pray for justice and rejoice when it is served.
We believers pray for mercy and healing for those who have been victims of great evil.
We believers pray for grace and redemption that reaches even the vilest of sinners…even us.
That’s what I’m choosing to do today, and hope you’ll join me.
ICYMI
Here are a couple things I’ve written recently that I think you might appreciate:
Man I am really grateful for a post like this one. Thank you Peter, for acting as a "sound" sounding board for us, your fellow Believers. This world, this country, is suffering through the constructs of the spirit of the age (much of it, a result of our own Christian complacency). It is good, though, to have biblical voices to read and calibrate our hearts, alongside The Word. Thank you again.
It is heartbreaking, but there are many cases of behavior like Josh Duggar's within the church and within her human leadership. Child abuse is rampant and churches tend to cover it up and pass offending pastors onto the next unsuspecting congregation. This needs to stop. While the world will always use these examples to bash the church, it is important that we clean up our own act from within. We can show the grace God has given us in how we treat our sisters and brothers and demonstrate a small slice of His justice here on earth in combating evil.
Churches need to do background checks and not whitewash the crimes of its former pastors. There is a much higher purpose that trumps concerns about libel and slander.