Entertaining Angels

Question: The beautifully photographed scene in which Dorothy joins Peter in washing the feet reminds you of what biblical scene? When Dorothy joined Peter in washing the old man's feet, instantly one thought came to mind, the biblical scene of Jesus washing the apostles feet the night of the Last Supper. This scene is extremely significant because Dorothy is tending to the needs of those who have less than her, just like Jesus did. Dorothy plays the role of a true hero throughout the film "Entertaining Angels" because of her on-going support for anyone whom she encounters. Her unconditional love for her daughter, friends, and the poor shows how much Jesus shone through her everyday that she lived. Her calling led her to sacrifice a man whom she truly loved. She asked Forster to attend the baptism of their baby, but he refused to even listen to Dorothy because he did not want any religion involved in their relationship and their lives. Therefore, her calling to the church ended up bringing her closer to Jesus but further from Forster, a man she loved at one point in her life. Overall, Dorothy's story has an effect on anyone who learns about it, watching her grow and completely transform into a different person enabled me to see that anyone can be changed for the better if they are dedicated to their religion and to others.

Hotel Rwanda

The film Hotel Rwanda for me, was very effective and moving. Not only am I more thoughtful to others around me and life in general, but viewing this movie has shown me not to take anything for granted because anything can change in an instant. Jack, who plays a cameraman for BBC, speaks very truthfully about how an individual typically reacts to violence in todays society. He says, "If people see this footage, they’ll say ‘Oh, my God, that’s horrible,’ and then they’ll go on eating their dinners." Sadly, I am guilty of this statement while many others are as well. Since the 21st century is so open to violence and completely adjusted to viewing in it all different ways, we are desensitized to harmful acts like genocide and war because we see it all the time. If current society was different, than I believe that many people would act upon violence in our world and would send help in any way if it was needed somewhere in the world.

Can Forgiveness Play a role in Criminal Justice?

Before reading the article "Forgiveness" which involves a case between Connor McBride, a 19 year old who murdered his girlfriend Ann Grosmaire, I was not aware as to how large of a role restorative justice played in our society. In my opinion, I don't think that restorative justice should be considered as an alternative to the traditional criminal justice system. If restorative justice should be applied in society, it should be used in minor cases, not major cases like the murder of Ann Grosmaire. If criminals are giving the opportunity to redeem themselves from their actions instantly, then they will not change their actions from the past. Any person like Connor McBride is truly a large threat to our world and I believe people like him should redeem themselves through a certain amount of time in jail, but nothing too extreme like the death penalty.