As usual and expected Susan, thank you for your thoughtful reply.

Though you and I are on opposite ends of the religious spectrum, I respect your commitment to your Faith. I just don't understand why you and other Christians, who often exhibit such goodness, kindness, devoutness, etc. don't give yourselves the personal credit you deserve. If I needed to emulate and follow someone down the paths of human righteousness it would be persons like you, my Christian relatives, and some others here that I would seek out for guidance. However, I think all those just mentioned would be righteous without the unnecessary cloak of Godliness, because that goodness and conscience is innate and your religion just helps express those qualities. I know; I am probably completely missing the point. As a former devout Christian, now an atheist, I can not comprehend the wonders of, or the mind of, God.

My logic leads me to the conclusion that Christopher Wilder could not receive justice from a God that my mind reasons as nonexistent. So justice must be meted out here and now.

In all fairness, I want to say that the tragedy mentioned above strengthened my relative's belief in God. I certainly do not understand that, except their grief would have likely driven them insane without some "hope" of seeing their beautiful, wonderful, innocent, daughter again. Therefore, I must give some credit to religious belief, notwithstanding the false "hope" it provides, for helping them get through this nightmare.

Cruiser