h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Okay, a while back I was in a litigatorial fury due to the case of the "Philadelphia Four", a smaller group (initially 11) who had been charged with several ridiculous crimes that could have given them nearly half a century in prison and a ridiculous amount of money in fines, all because they were practicing their first Amendment Rights for free speech and because they were Christian.

I overreacted a bit, people calmed me down, and the incident gradually faded from memory.

And today, I learned that the people were all, thankfully, released from the charges, and were allowed to go free.

However....the group that was defending the Philly Four in court is now filing a civil suit against the city of Philadelphia, and many of the officials involved in the pressing of these charges.

I'm torn about this. I mean, it's important that we take steps to insure that such ludicrous charges won't ever be filed again, else a lot of innocent people could go to prison (not to mention the fact that the First Amendment would basically be dead if it ever happens and doesn't end as happily as it did here). So a nice civil suit would send the "don't mess with our rights" message.

However,....I'm not sure that Christians should act like this. We're commanded to turn the other cheek, to love our enemies, to treat others the same way that we would want to be treated, etc. It seems to me that the proper way to continue here would be to....well, I don't know. Start an advocacy group? Maybe just drop it and walk away? Let people have that second chance that we're supposed to let them have?

It's disturbing, if nothing else. This shouldn't be allowed to happen again. But a civil suit just seems to be sending entirely the wrong message. Maybe it'll help, maybe it won't.

I need to pray about this....