I recently watched an interview of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. No matter your opinion of him, it is an eye-opening piece with surprises. He confessed to his private conservative views, but goes on to discuss how his understanding of the Constitution keeps him from making some decisions he would like to make personally. As a Justice, his judicial understanding and beliefs win out over his own private and personal opinions. His written judicial opinions regarding Supreme Court cases are quite clear about what he thinks, including responses to his fellow Justice’s opposing opinions. One particular Justice is Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a liberal who formerly worked for the ACLU. Some of Justice Scalia’s written opinions have called her opinions “absurd” and “self-righteous”.
Two very different people with different understandings of the very same document. It might cause one to picture a court that spends their life-long appointment despising and attacking each other. However when the interviewer pointed out these judicial disagreements between these two Justices, she also noted her discovery that they were “such good friends”, on and off the court. He replied:
"I attack ideas. I don't attack people. And some very good people have some very bad ideas," Scalia says. "And if you can't separate the two, you gotta get another day job.”
His point was that your ideas, though extremely important, should not affect how you treat people and get along with them from day to day. Justice Ginsburg had very nice things to say about him, and it was said they had even vacationed together. WHAT? They voluntarily spent time together for the purposes of relaxation? What kind of an example is that....?
Jesus told his disciples, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another” John 13:34 (also 1 John 3&4). Beyond our likes and dislikes; beyond our opinions, there is something of greater, rather, the greatest importance. Jesus Christ came to show us the supreme and unending love of God, and was quite clear about the importance of us returning that love, day in and day out.
Scalia and Ginsburg on vacation together? The lion lying down with the lamb (Is 11:6)? Wherever will this go if we take Jesus’ words of love and peace to heart? Perhaps our mouths and arms are supposed to be so full of love that we can no longer carry harmful words, spitefulness, revenge or grudges, and instead leave them far behind. What will you choose to carry with you this week?
Two very different people with different understandings of the very same document. It might cause one to picture a court that spends their life-long appointment despising and attacking each other. However when the interviewer pointed out these judicial disagreements between these two Justices, she also noted her discovery that they were “such good friends”, on and off the court. He replied:
"I attack ideas. I don't attack people. And some very good people have some very bad ideas," Scalia says. "And if you can't separate the two, you gotta get another day job.”
His point was that your ideas, though extremely important, should not affect how you treat people and get along with them from day to day. Justice Ginsburg had very nice things to say about him, and it was said they had even vacationed together. WHAT? They voluntarily spent time together for the purposes of relaxation? What kind of an example is that....?
Jesus told his disciples, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another” John 13:34 (also 1 John 3&4). Beyond our likes and dislikes; beyond our opinions, there is something of greater, rather, the greatest importance. Jesus Christ came to show us the supreme and unending love of God, and was quite clear about the importance of us returning that love, day in and day out.
Scalia and Ginsburg on vacation together? The lion lying down with the lamb (Is 11:6)? Wherever will this go if we take Jesus’ words of love and peace to heart? Perhaps our mouths and arms are supposed to be so full of love that we can no longer carry harmful words, spitefulness, revenge or grudges, and instead leave them far behind. What will you choose to carry with you this week?
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