Yesterday I mentioned that I lost about an hour of MBTI test-taking time over the choice of mercy vs. justice. I've been getting some great comments on that topic via email, so I thought I'd open it up here.
I honestly can't decide. Both concepts mean a great deal to me: Justice suggests fairness and choosing what's objectively right; mercy allows for compassion and case-by-case consideration. These are the sorts of things that keep me up at night.
How about you? Please chime in.
Justice is important, but mercy wins by a nose.
Posted by: scott | November 26, 2008 at 12:48 PM
I think this mirrors my personal transformation recently from conservative to more liberal. Before, I probably would have chosen justice. But now I'd definitely pick mercy (and I like your definition). There's not much of a contest between the two for me.
Posted by: Elena | November 26, 2008 at 12:53 PM
I don't see justice as excluding a mercy factor -- it's possible to be both just and merciful. So I'll go with justice.
Posted by: Wendy | November 26, 2008 at 01:05 PM
Don't Christians claim that's the difference between Old and New Testaments? Old = justice, New = mercy.
Me, I hate those dichotomies and always draw a blank with either/or quizzes. Couldn't do the career-prediction tests in school, either. The multiple-choice format never offered a "Well, it depends" option.
Posted by: Nancy | November 26, 2008 at 04:44 PM
Mercy all the way--I can't even explain why. It's a purely visceral reaction.
Posted by: Margaret | November 26, 2008 at 08:33 PM
I really struggle with that. One of the things I try to live by is "it's better to be kind than to be right." I think I choose mercy, but sometimes it's despite my desire to make someone pay!!!
One of the ways I deal with it is to strongly believe that what goes around comes around in the short term and the long term. Last week I lent a friend in trouble some money...later that day, I got over $1,000 in checks that I didn't expect in the mail from insurance refunds I didn't know I had coming.
As hard as it is to choose Mercy over Justice sometimes...my personal belief is that Mercy has it's own rewards.
Posted by: Di | November 27, 2008 at 08:53 AM
How about merciful justice?
Posted by: nina | November 27, 2008 at 10:00 AM
P.S. I never like to choose.
Posted by: nina | November 27, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Justice includes mercy - so both.
Posted by: Liz | December 01, 2008 at 07:22 AM
Mercy.
Justice is clearly important, but Justice without mercy is much worse than mercy in the absence of justice. So, mercy wins.
Posted by: James | December 01, 2008 at 01:58 PM