A Voice in the Wilderness In Defense of "Mere Conservatism"

Anonymous
August 15th, 2010 - 03:46

An interesting response to this story (taken from The Atheist Experience blog)

Paraphrased:

“I’m here to rob you.”
“Let me tell you about Jesus, I’m a Christian.”
“I am too and I hate doing this, but I still need to rob you.”
“Do you have a family?”
“That’s why I’m doing this.”
“I can help you get a job.”
“I’ve got a job.”
“Then why do this?”
“I need $300 or I’ll get evicted.”
(snip)
“I’m sorry, I have to take every cent.”
“Well, they’ll charge me for this.”
“They’ll charge you for the money I’m stealing?”
“I’m the one responsible.”
“OK, I won’t rob you. And, hey, it’s a BB gun.”

The dishonesty-in-reporting brigade ignores the fact that he didn’t stop until he thought he’d be robbing her…and it gets chalked up to a robbery stopped by faith.

Are people more willing to steal from a corporation than an individual? Yes.
Are people less likely to victimize people once some personal connection is established? Yes.
Did a shared religion help establish a connection? Sure.
Would this robbery have been averted by almost anyone else letting the gunman know that they would have to personally pay back what he stole? It seems likely to me.

The claim that she’d have to pay is also, as far as I can tell, a lie. Essentially, she talked him out of robbing the place by explaining how he’d be robbing her, and not just the store.

So, why doesn’t the headline read “Compassionate Woman Stops Reluctant Robber With Lie”?