Asymmetric Religion and Philosophy

Watch the video or read the statement below. What is Mr. MacAskill talking about? What are these "Scottish values?" Where do they come from? By his reasoning, every murderer should be released a few months before their anticipated death so that they can be with their family (why should anybody else receive less compassion than the murderer of over 200 people?).

I notice no mention of God and Scots have begotten several famous philosophers so one would have expected a purely scientific, rational basis for the decision. I just can't figure out what it is.

Actually, I do know. It's narcissistic, callous, emotionalism. Narcissism, because I'm sure MacAskill feels like a good person for releasing Al Megrahi. Emotional, because I don't see any other basis for his argument. Callous, because he doesn't care that the victims' families have to endure the spectacle of Al Megrahi being feted in Libya.

It reminds me of a quote I saw on NRO, part of which said that leftist liberalism is a Christian heresy. Releasing Al Megrahi is a uncredited perversion of the Christian commandment to forgive.

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I got an email from a site that promotes St. Bridget of Sweden. What St. Bridget has to say is interesting, but the video of "religion and science" is a stretch, at least. I think private revelations from saints are a fun part of my faith. I take then in the spirit that the Church does:

There are two kinds of revelations: (1) universal revelations, which are contained in the Bible or in the depositum of Apostolic tradition transmitted by the Church. These ended with the preaching of the Apostles and must be believed by all; (2) particular or private revelations which are constantly occurring among Christians (see CONTEMPLATION). When the Church approves private revelations, she declares only that there is nothing in them contrary faith or good morals, and that they may be read without danger or even with profit; no obligation is thereby imposed on the faithful to believe them. Speaking of such revelations as (e.g.) those of St. Hildegard (approved in part by Eugenius III), St. Bridget (by Boniface IX), and St. Catherine of Siena (by Gregory XI) Benedict XIV says: "It is not obligatory nor even possible to give them the assent of Catholic faith, but only of human faith, in conformity with the dictates of prudence, which presents them to us as probable and worthy of pius belief)" (De canon., III, liii, xxii, II).

I find them interesting, but don't lose sleep over them. My favorite is the one at Fatima.