"The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice"
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice"
- Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice
There has been an ongoing debate between justice and mercy. True, the mercy is an important and divine attribute, but what is it exactly? And what is justice which is the opposite of mercy?
Mercy - Mercy is a word used to describe compassion shown by one person to another, or a request from one person to another to be shown such leniency or unwarranted compassion for a crime or wrongdoing. (adapted from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercy)
Justice - Justice is the concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, fairness, or equity. (adapted from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice)
So, which side are you on? I personally feel that while one should always show mercy, it is best mixed with justice. As the quote says, mercy is an attribute that benefits both parties, unlike justice, so why do I support a mix? I could refer to many incidents in the real world. On example would be the Oliver Fricker case here in Singapore. In case you do not know what happened, Oliver Fricker trespassed into an MRT depot and "vandalized" on one of the train carriages. He was sentenced to 5 months jail and 3 strokes of the cane. This is justice at work. Oliver Fricker did something wrong (in terms of the Singapore law) and thus is punished for his actions. Many would say that this is fair to Oliver; he committed a crime, but he did no harm to others, why is he harmed (3 strokes) in return? In this case, mercy should of course be shown. While it is stated in the law that it is fair to be caned for vandalism, compassion should also be shown, as everyone deserves a second chance, or even a third. But, if mercy is shown, and not justice, then criminals can go and do what they want and get away with it. Therefore, while justice is important, one should not forget mercy, as it is after all, "an attribute to God himself".
So, which side are you on? I personally feel that while one should always show mercy, it is best mixed with justice. As the quote says, mercy is an attribute that benefits both parties, unlike justice, so why do I support a mix? I could refer to many incidents in the real world. On example would be the Oliver Fricker case here in Singapore. In case you do not know what happened, Oliver Fricker trespassed into an MRT depot and "vandalized" on one of the train carriages. He was sentenced to 5 months jail and 3 strokes of the cane. This is justice at work. Oliver Fricker did something wrong (in terms of the Singapore law) and thus is punished for his actions. Many would say that this is fair to Oliver; he committed a crime, but he did no harm to others, why is he harmed (3 strokes) in return? In this case, mercy should of course be shown. While it is stated in the law that it is fair to be caned for vandalism, compassion should also be shown, as everyone deserves a second chance, or even a third. But, if mercy is shown, and not justice, then criminals can go and do what they want and get away with it. Therefore, while justice is important, one should not forget mercy, as it is after all, "an attribute to God himself".
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