For those who aren’t aware, there has been something of a “debate”, but what I’d prefer to refer to as an “in house discussion” between Randal Rauser (Professor of Historical Theology at Taylor Seminary) and myself. The discussion so far can be found here: My initial article was Randal Rauser’s Mistake: A Defense of Calvin’s Doctrine [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Justice'
More Mistakes: A Rejoinder to Randal Rauser
December 3rd, 2011 155 Comments
Tags: Arminianism · Calvinism · Circular Reasoning · Divine Justice · Divine Love · Fallacies · Justice · Limited Atonement · omnibenevolence · Question begging · Randal Rauser · Sin · Soteriology · Systematic theology · Total Depravity · Unlimited Atonement
No Special Rights, So . . . One Law for All
May 9th, 2011 4 Comments
We remain militantly critical of contemporary Maori ideology. We believe it excuses personal and family accountability by resorting to the fallacy of historical determinism: Maori, their leadership tells them, are victims of predatory exploitation by European or imperial powers; the significant cause of social and cultural and spiritual degradation amongst Maori stems from the unjust [...]
Tags: Justice · Māori Land · Restitution · Te Urewera National Park · Tuhoe
The Foreshore and Seabed Repeal: The Inconvenience of Due Process
July 2nd, 2009 14 Comments
That the state is not above the law but also subject to it is surely one of the foundational concepts of any just and free society. This notion has found its place in the writings of many influential philosophers, jurists and theologians, it can be found in the constitutions and bills of rights of most [...]
Tags: Foreshore and Seabed · Human Rights · Jurisprudence · Justice · Liberty · Māori Land · Ngāti Apa
A Counter-Point on the David Bain Re-Trial
June 26th, 2009 No Comments
David Farrar links to this interesting opinion piece in The Press on the David Bain re-trial, Plenty of Doubt in Bain Jury’s Verdict. While we normally do not link to media reports of trials, because the media tend to publish selective, sensational snippets of trials removed from their context, this piece is different. It is [...]
Tags: Justice
We’re Confused about the Anti-Smacking Referendum Question
June 19th, 2009 12 Comments
… we’re confused that anyone could find it confusing. The referendum question is: Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand? Should it or shouldn’t it? It seems pretty simple to me. According to TVNZ, Labour leader Phil Goff says the question implies that if you vote [...]
Defamation of the Acquitted – Some Advice
June 12th, 2009 2 Comments
Due to the presumption of innocence we are all supposed to accord an accused following a not guilty verdict, please do take care in suggesting and stating any disagreement you might have in regard to a court’s decision. Defamation is a real possibility in such instances and the defamed can sue the blog/site owner, in [...]
Tags: Justice
David Bain 111 Call "I Shot the Prick" – Court Decisions Available Online UPDATED AGAIN
June 11th, 2009 3 Comments
Did David Bain tell the 111 operator “I shot the prick” on discovering the dead bodies of his family? This evidence was originally suppressed “until completion of the re-trial” as, per Wilson J, The probative value of the disputed sounds is very modest, but the risk of prejudice resulting from their introduction into the trial [...]
Tags: Jurisprudence · Justice
David Bain Not Guilty
June 5th, 2009 5 Comments
Well the verdict is in; David Bain didn’t do it. I will accept the ruling of the court but I am now more than ever keen to read the judicial decision which should be available in the next few days from the sites I have mentioned previously.
Tags: Justice
How to Find the Reported Judicial Decision on the David Bain Re-Trial
June 3rd, 2009 3 Comments
The blogosphere has featured many posts on many blogs regarding David Bain’s guilt or innocence regarding the homicide of his family. We have refused to participate in this speculation and have made our opinions on speculating on the Bain case before the court has ruled clear. I do not intend to break this self-imposed rule [...]
Tags: David Bain · Justice

The “Three Strikes Bill” Moves Forward
January 19th, 2010 2 Comments
I am cautiously optimistic at today’s announcement that the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill a.k.a. the “Three Strikes Bill” will be moving forward as part of the government’s legislative program. In my post Three Strikes: Proportion and Protection, which was published in the New Zealand Law Students Association publication LEX, I argued that the “apparent [...]
Tags: Justice · Public Policy · Punishment · Three Strikes Bill