On a T shirt staring back at me from my paper last week, I read, "Looters are scum." I don't accept that "scum," is the right word.
If we ran with the OED., scum can be: "a layer of dirt, froth, impurities, or other matter, forming on the surface of a liquid," or, "Dross rising to the surface in the purifying of a metal," or "Worthless despicable people," etc. etc.
Are the looters a layer of dirt? I don't think so. Were the looters going through some sort of purification by fire? I don't think so. Is anyone worthless? I don't think so. Can we more accurately define them? For sure.
Here is my starting point. All humans are fearfully and wonderfully made. Looters included. All humans have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. Looters too. All humans can be forgiven and made new through Jesus Christ. Looters also.
So I define looters as, "Humans who have done wrong but for whom there is still hope of redemption through Jesus Christ."
Do I approve of what they did? No. Do I excuse them? No. Can I justify their behaviour from any view? No. They did wrong and properly face punishment.
I just don't accept they are scum.
