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Thursday, December 20, 2012

Justice


Principles and Guidance

¥      Justice, Equity and Compassion in human relations.

§  Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion and the transforming power of love.

·       Justice, a strength that builds a healthy community:

o   Active citizenship (Sam Nzima)

o   Fairness (Mohandas Gandhi)

o   Leadership (Nelson Mandela)

 

Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.

Understandings of justice differ in every culture, as cultures are usually dependent upon a shared history, mythology and/or religion. Each culture's ethics create values which influence the notion of justice. Although there can be found some justice principles that are one and the same in all or most of the cultures.

Justice is one of the four cardinal virtues in classical European philosophy and Roman Catholicism.  It is closely related, in Christianity, to the practice of charity, because it regulates the relationships with others. It is a cardinal virtue, which is to say "pivotal" because it regulates all such relationships, and is sometimes deemed the most important of the cardinal virtues.

Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being.

Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts. Those accused of crime have protections against abuse of investigatory and prosecution powers. Norse society was based on agriculture and trade with other peoples and placed great emphasis on the concept of honor, both in combat and in the criminal justice system.  It was, for example, unfair and wrong to attack an enemy already in a fight with another.



Justice is a Major Arcana Tarot card, numbered either VIII or XI, depending on the deck. This card is used in game playing as well as in divination.

A. E. Waite was a key figure in the development of the most famous of modern Tarot interpretations.  His version of the Justice card contains, as his cards usually do, references to classical Mythology. In his deck, the card is 11 (switched with the Strength (Tarot card)).

 
Wicca is a nature oriented religion.  Wiccans consider the natural processes of the Earth and the greater universe to be divine.  All life and all lives are sacred. Most covens rule and govern the Circle with justice and with love as representative of the Goddess and/or God.

Many Wiccans also seek to cultivate a set of eight virtues mentioned in Doreen Valiente's Charge of the Goddess, these being mirth, reverence, honor, humility, strength, beauty, power and compassion.

Compassion is the virtue of empathy for the suffering of others. Compassion allows you to have true love, not only for others, but also for yourself. It allows you to forgive yourself when you make mistakes. It's also the ability to have deep feelings and concern for the misfortune and suffering of others. Compassion allows you to share another's pain, gives you the desire to relieve it, and the willingness to act on that desire.



Forseti (Norse God of Justice and Reconciliation)  He is the son of Balder and Nanna. Forseti was the wisest, most eloquent and most gentle of all the Gods.  He bears the axe as his symbol and his hall is Glitnir, the Hall of Justice, which is said to have golden pillars and a ceiling of silver and radiated light for some distance.  Forseti's name would be said before a trial to ensure that the argument was perfectly reconciled. But not really not a popular God since most Norseman preferred revenge not justice.

Tyr (Norse God of War and Law)  The bravest of the Gods, he willingly sacrificed his right hand in order to bind the dangerous Fenris wolf.  He is the overseer of the Thing, the legislative body of the Gods of Asgard, and also one of the most capable warriors among the deities. The Tiwaz Rune t is balance and justice.  The rune of sacrifice of the individual (self) for well-being of the whole (society).  Tyr is the reason we shake hands - it is to show that we have no fear and that we hold no weapons a true warrior does not need one. 

Syn (Norse Goddess of Justice and Defense) Her name means “denial”.  She is one of Frigg‘s handmaidens and she stands guard at the door of Frigg’s palace, refusing entrance to any who are not invited.  Syn also defends the weak, and she is called upon by those who have been wrongly accused of crimes to aid them in their battles.

 

"Let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you."
 


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