Hi IS MISE...

The Singaporeans give most of their Drug Dealers a 'suspended sentence', without exception (naturally I stand to be corrected) irrespective of what nationality they're from, and despite all the Diplomatic protestations and pleas for clemency? Though I don't support the death penalty per se, I certainly applaud their justice system, for taking a 'hard line' with Dealers, unlike the 'out of touch', overfed and overpaid, 'jelly judges' we have lingering about here, in Oz!

As i have known you from birth I can see from where you come from. From which points of the compass of your life you are coming from. Considering also the vastnes of your canvass, we have to begin with a definition of terms. What do we mean by redemption. For me it posits a FALL. If you posit that Sakumaran FELL,then your thesis is in big trouble.Positvely your writing is strong and passionate. But you need to work on the Focus.
Good luck

Manny

Dear Manny,

So you consider "Redemption" to be too strong a description of Sukumaran's state?

Perhaps not a final and eternal redemption, perhaps only partial, but one thing we can be practically certain about: Sukumaran will not be dealing drugs in his next lifetime.

Whichever our last thought at the time of death, that leads us into the next. So long as our brain functions we can use our will to somewhat control our thoughts, but once the brain is gone, the soul travels on auto-pilot according to one's last thought. If Sukumaran had still been thinking about drugs at his time of death then he would be born again to a drug situation; if he thought of his family then he would be born again as a good family-person; and if he thought of making art then he would be born again as an artist.

We don't know our hour of death and only few of us are so fortunate to be thinking of God at that very moment. Those who do, go straight to God, never to return to earth. Sukumaran had this great opportunity as not only him, but also his seven friends, were singing to God at the time. We'll never know whether his soul was indeed redeemed - he could have been distracted, he could for example have thought of one of his friends singing out of tune, but there's a good chance that he was indeed thinking of God at the time his body fell, something we should all envy him for!

Do you think that SUKUMARAN perhaps; realising there was to be no reprieve, no clemency at the last minute, he was going to die? Thought he might have 'a bob each way' as it were, just in case there is a God, and get himself into this mythical 'Kingdom of Heaven' or whatever it is, people choose to believe in. Just a thought is all?

Dear O Sung Wu,

In the case you mentioned, his last thought would have been: "I might have a bob each way". Interesting to imagine the different situations he could land in - perhaps to become a used car dealer, perhaps a politician?!

Prior to his capture, Sukumaran was- as some say here- a "low life". Yes. But isn't that what redemption is? The purchase of a soul that is flawed and tarnished by something or someone of greater value. The man who wrote most of the New Testament- a guy called Saul- was such a low life prior to his redeeming.