Such examples could be multiplied so that Jesus’ own injunction against violence to one’s enemies (on the model of God) becomes steadily negated on his own lips across the growth of the Gospel versions themselves. None of this negates, for me, the terrible human consequences for evil. But, as I understand Jesus, those internal consequences from evil should not be described as external punishments from God. Divine punishment, forgiveness and mercy are simply bad theology for the fact that there are