Reverend Ping said: “There is a very significant difference between Christian and non Christian facing execution. When someone comes to faith through the process of facing execution they have a new confidence in God and do not run away but face the reality of paying the price for their crime.”
In the Herald Sun Father Coleman ‘Coley’ McKenzie was quoted as saying: “I think this boy Nguyen has made his peace with God. This is the important issue.”
From the AAP Nguyen wrote a letter to the President of Singapore declaring he found God and accepted responsibility for his action. He wrote: “Amidst these score of painful revelations an unspoken truth was exposed, I found myself in deep sorrow for the true victims; the families of those whom (sic) suffer as a result of losing a loved one to drugs. This truth has put many things in perspective for me."
Nguyen also wrote a separate letter to his mother saying: “With aching comprehension I come to terms with the loss I feel without mum, I have begun to learn the true meaning of life. In a place ravaged by fear and haunts I have found hope. I have discovered purpose."
Nguyen death has brought the issues of capital punishment to the forefront which is causing a heated debate within Australian Christians.
Archbishop Peter Jensen explained the conflict within a Christian between ‘supporting the judicial system while calling for just punishments.’ He said: “Christians are always sensitive to this because the death of Jesus was by capital punishment. In this particular case the disproportionate nature of the justice applied to this crime is of great concern to us.”
A lecturer in Christian Thought at Moore Theological College Dr Andrew Cameron believes the execution raises a tension in how ‘Christian sees all human beings as being made in the image of God.’ He said: “People matter so much that to kill one of us seems to demand no less than the life of the killer be forfeit. Yet to take the life of the killer seems to undermine the very preciousness of humanity that we seek to protect.”
It is important Dr Cameron say that: “God has given the duty of justice in Singapore to its government but at the same time observers from other cultures have the duty to question the suitability, consistency and success of practices like capital punishment.”
For more information on Dr Cameron perspective please refers to:
http://www.sydneyanglicans.net/indepth/articles/nguyen_tuong_van_and_punishment_by_death_andrew_cameron/
Reverend Lau said: “We believe if someone is prepared to commit a crime, they need to be prepared to pay the price because we want security for the country and for our lives. But we feel strongly for his family having to go through this very difficult experience and this will guide my pray during this weekend.”