recognition that we are sinners...in the NY Times?

The killing "could have happened in any city, in any university," he said. "It says more about the dark side of the human soul than it does about the extent of security measures."

This is the last paragraph of an article in the NY Times today about the murder committed last week involving a technician and a researcher in a science lab at Yale University. In following this story over the last two weeks, it's been interesting to see the reactions that people have had: mostly shocked, horrified, and outraged at how anyone could do this. I'm going to say (at the risk of being deemed a pessimist), for me, this comment actually was such a relief to read, especially in the Times, of all places.

Whenever a tragedy like this strikes, people immediately start to point fingers and start to think of how horrible a person must be to be capable of commiting such a crime. Yes, it is a horrible tragedy and an event worth being mourned and most definitely recognized. However, what people seem to forget is that we're all equally capable of commiting such crimes and atrocities! Think back to David, where in Acts 13:22 he is considered "a man after God's own heart". However, if you look at 2 Samuel 11:14-17 you see the exact same man (David, a man after God's own heart) commit a heinous crime: killing a woman's husband so that he can have her for himself. This doesn't seem possible that the same man could be seen in such contrasting situations. Instead, what it does for me is show what grace God has showered me with in not allowing me to commit such terrible sins; nevertheless, I'm just as capable as David or the technician at Yale University of doing such ugly acts.

Something tells me the person quoted in the NY Times may not have had the same thought process when making this statement. However, I'm glad he said it. He couldn't be more right. As much as my heart goes out to the family of the victim and all of the people touched by this incident at Yale, (and as much as it makes me want to say "AH! How could anyone do that?!) it does help me remember that I'm no better than this murderer and his act is only a reflection of the "dark side of the human soul" found within us all.