You’ve heard the phrase “innocent until proven guilty. Yet in some circumstances people are regarded guilty till proven innocent.
The media kerfuffle between Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh is both fascinating and deeply frustrating. I don’t want to analyze the debacle here – and it is a debacle. I’m interested in the reactions to this fiasco, and why people take sides.
For those who may not be familiar with the issue (I somewhat envy you), here’s a quick summary from Wiki:
President Donald Trump nominated Kavanaugh on July 9, 2018, to replace retiring Associate Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. During the confirmation process, Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of having sexually assaulted her in the early 1980s. Over the next few days, two other women accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct. Kavanaugh “categorically and unequivocally” denied that the event Ford described occurred and strongly denied all allegations.
Not everyone is impressed with Ford’s allegations. See PJ Media’s article giving several reasons for concern HERE. See this article as well.
It does seem rather politically expedient (at least to me) that Ford remained silent all these years, only speaking up following President Trump’s nomination of Kavanaugh. Naturally, most conservatives defend Kavanaugh.
Others have quickly sided with Ford, despite not having seen any evidence. Many are professing Christians, some are feminists. Perhaps predictably, most of the presumption of Kavanaugh’s guilt examples I’ve seen come from progressive leftists.
From a political standpoint, an accuser doesn’t need to prove anything regarding Kavanaugh. Once doubt is sufficiently cast the smear has done its work. From the standpoint of a leftist activist, whether he is guilty or not is irrelevant to the “greater political good.”
But leaving aside political and ideological biases, over the years I’ve noticed a tendency among people to presume a person’s guilt based on nothing except presumption and subjective intuition. The Lindy Chamberlain case comes readily to mind. See also the Wiki article Death of Azaria Chamberlain.
The Chamberlains claimed a dingo took their baby girl. Long before the authorities officially charged them, some of my acquaintances “just knew” that Lindy was guilty of murdering Azaria. I recall asking why. Did I miss something? They told me she looked guilty. Others agreed, including enough of the media for a case to be made against the Chamberlains.
One enterprising journalist claimed that the name Azaria meant “sacrifice in the desert.” It actually means “YAHWEH has helped” in Hebrew. Of course there was no internet or Google in those days, and so the rumor mill gained traction!
Naturalists informed us that dingoes don’t naturally take babies. Ironically, long after the fiasco, there were reports of dingoes exhibiting aggressive behavior. Warning signs were strategically placed in tourist spots advising the public to keep an eye on their children – and not to feed the dingoes.
Despite the eventual exoneration of the Chamberlains, many stood by their guilty verdicts. They wanted the Chamberlains to be responsible, rather than the animal.
I know of a more personal case of around that period. A fellow in his teens was suddenly called into his work manager’s office. He was promptly told that he stood accused of inappropriately touching a female line worker. The accuser – a hard-working quiet woman more than twice his age – stood in a corner crying profusely. The accused male’s face immediately turned red.
If I didn’t know any better, I’d have said he was guilty. I mean, how can someone – who isn’t a professional actor – possibly fake crying like that? And why blush if you haven’t done anything. But I knew for certain the poor schmuck was innocent because he was me! And I’m so glad I didn’t have those intuitive face-readers judging my case.
As it turns out, our company had been preparing to re-locate to another area which my accuser didn’t want to travel to. She found another job, gambling that if she brought assault charges, the company would pay her early annual leave and release her. Providentially, she related her intentions to other female employees, who promptly alerted the manager. When she eventually put her plan into action she was fired.
But here’s the rub – I’m still guilty!
Oh, I wasn’t guilty of assaulting that woman. Brett Kavanaugh may also be innocent of the particular crime Ford and others accuse him of. Ford may also be telling her truth. Yet we’re all guilty of sins and crimes deserving eternal punishment.
We’re not guilty till proven innocent- if we stand alone, we are guilty.
How many of us would feel comfortable standing in front of an Omniscient Judge as every single event and secret thought of our lives was uncovered for the world to see (Matt 12:36; Rom 14:12)? Would that frighten you? It should. The thought of it terrifies me.
While we might plead our innocence regarding any given sin, the sum of our sins will eventually catch up with every single one of us. One day we must all face the only Judge and Court that matter. The good news is that Jesus Christ has offered a way to salvation and the covering of our sins.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Co 5:21
Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin. Rom 4:7-8
If you haven’t already placed your faith in Christ’s provision for your sins, isn’t it about time you did?
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
We have an Advocate in Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1-2).
Praise be to God!
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