Verdict upheld for Christian father and his two sons burned alive in 1999

The Staines Family

The Supreme Court on January 21 upheld the verdict of the Orissa High Court and gave a life sentence to Bajrang Dal activist Dara Singh, who burnt alive Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons, Philip and Timothy, aged 10 and six respectively, on the night of January 22, 1999, as they slept in their jeep. The then President of India, K.R. Narayanan, had described the murder as “one belonging to the inventory of black deeds of history” and a “monumental aberration from the tradition of tolerance and humanity for which India is known”.

The Church, very much in line with the stand of Graham Staines’ wife, Gladys Staines, who stunned the world by forgiving the murderers of her husband and two sons, is satisfied with the sentence. The Church and Gladys Staines are happy that the Supreme Court turned down the demand of the Central Bureau of Investigation that Dara Singh and his 12 accomplices be sentenced to death. The Church has consistently stood for life, and not death. It believes that a person should be given enough opportunities to change his life and a prison is as good a place as any for someone to reflect and change one’s ways.

Source: Deccan Chronicle

My Comment:

I completely agree with the upholding of this verdict, and I thank Jesus Christ that Gladys Staines has forgiven the murderers. It is a huge act to forgive in light of losing not only your husband, but your two sons as well.

My heart breaks for Gladys Staines. Anger is a sin, and a natural emotion that we all have felt, hence we are all sinners. But the Bible tells us not to be overcome with evil, but to overcome evil with good.

Proverbs 20:22

Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.

Romans 12:17-21 

Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Gladys knows she will see her family one day in heaven. She has Jesus Christ on her side, and that is all she needs. Her story is not the first one I’ve heard, nor read. A Pentecostal pastor’s daughter was murdered by her husband. The pastor went to the prison, forgave his son in-law, and prayed to Jesus, in hopes his son in-law would repent, and accept Christ. It is a hard thing to do, but Christ loves us so much, that forgiveness is a possible thing.

Written by: Gloria