As a preacher, I have always maintained that the answers to life are found in the Bible. Our English and American judicial system is based on English common law, which is based on books of authority, especially including the Bible. You can see Judeo-Christian principles all throughout our law. If we would follow such tradition carefully, we would have an easy answer for the confusion in Washington over the accusation(s) brought against Supreme Court nominee Judge Kavanaugh.
The answer is simple. Scripture teaches that no accusation should be brought against anyone without two or three witnesses. The confusion we have in Washington is all based on “she said, he said.” How are we possibly to know whom to believe? Far too many people believe one or the other based on their prejudices coming into the issue.
But Scripture has the solution. The accusation should not have been entertained by the Senate committee, especially in public. From the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 19:15 says, “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.” By following that principle, we take pressure off of everyone trying to figure out who to believe. Then the New Testament says, regarding people in positions of leadership, in I Timothy 5:19, “Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses.”
The logic is obvious. I wrote a similar article to this years ago when the Anita Hill uncorroborated charge was brought publicly against Judge Clarence Thomas. I would apply the same test of fairness to Democrat or Republican alike. We should not receive these wild unsubstantiated charges, without multiple witnesses for corroboration.
Someone says, well, a rapist could go free — rarely are there witnesses. Police seek evidence other than witnesses all the time — including forensic evidence and circumstantial evidence, etc. It takes more than one accusation to convict someone. To our shame, in our American history we have seen young men lynched on one false accusation.
Someone says, what if it were your daughter? Well, what if it were your son? We need to go by evidence, not emotion.
My view is truly non-partisan. And far too many of us still base our view on political preference or prejudice. We should apply fairness to everyone. And we certainly see that the Bible does have the answer.
Pastor Jim
