Hate Mail

I am sent a story about an incident in which a disabled man was assaulted with his own, metal cane by a woman who is said to have become enraged when he said he didn't believe in God.  

Laura Reid, 49, was visiting the victim in his home, and at one point she asked him if he believed in God, police told the station. The man jokingly replied he didn’t. Reid became so enraged by his answer that she allegedly picked up his metal cane and beat him over the head and body. She then robbed him.

Police told WDRB that the man was unable to leave because of his disability. Reid stayed in his home for three hours after the alleged assault, then left with his cell phone, keys, wallet containing credit cards and $50 cash.

The man was forced to crawl to a local gas station in order to seek help, where paramedics took him to a nearby hospital. He suffered serious injuries, including a concussion, a broken arm, multiple bruises, cuts and abrasions.

The victim was able to cancel his credit cards and identify Reid, who is being charged with assault, robbery and unlawful imprisonment. An arrest warrant was issued in October and she was taken into custody Tuesday.

Well, the first thing to say is that it's an assault and robbery, neither of which are OK either in the law or in religion.  People who do what is alleged should be dealt with severely, especially for the assault. If it turns out to be a hate crime, I wouldn't have any problem with that being taken into account in sentencing, the woman, if guilty, should definitely be required to take anger management counceling and have to address her bigotry.   Assault is a serious crime, the guy could have been killed.

All of the atheists online seem to assume that the woman is a Christian, which I didn't see claimed in the stories I've looked at.  If she believes she is she's certainly bad at being one, if this account is accurate.   No one who put the teachings of Jesus into practice would do that.  It's certainly not likely to persuade anyone that they should seriously consider the truth of those teachings.   What she did is remarkably like what the robbers in the parable of the Good Samaritan did, only he was in his own home, not traveling.  I do have to wonder why no one wonders what the religious affiliation of those who helped him is.  It being Kentucky, I'd guess it was a safe bet that some of them believe themselves to be Christians, who would be analogous to the Good Samaritan in the story.  It would be interesting to know, but only because of the use that it's being put to by atheists.

We don't know much more about the situation than that the man was able to get help and that he had serious injuries as well as was robbed, the name and age of the woman and that she and the victim of the assault and robbery had some kind of a relationship.  It would be good to know if the woman had previous convictions of crimes, though maybe this is the first time she ever did anything like this. The robbery makes you wonder if that wasn't her intent all along but we don't know enough to know that.

The trial should be interesting. More interesting than the internet babble.

I am glad the guy is, apparently, recovering from the assault and was able to cancel his credit cards.  I hope he gets justice.  I hope he comes out of it with more than just being a temporary and ephemeral object of anti-religious polemic.  I haven't seen his name in the media, maybe he doesn't want the attention the story has gotten. I don't think I would.