It's a Sin to Kill a Mockingbird

In the beginning, the elohim created skies and earth.

Welcome back.

The Bible does not tell us what sin so much as show us what it is with stories, wisdom sayings, and poetry.

Modern authors do the same thing from time to time.

For instance, in her lovely book, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee writes eloquently about sin. Near the end of her book, she shows us how sin embeds itself in life in such a way that a dilemma ensues, a dilemma that moves us beyond our notions of truth, justice, and the American Way.

Sheriff Heck Tate and Atticus Finch have discovered that the recluse Arthur "Boo" Radley killed Bob Ewell, who is a racist, child abuser, and eternally ensconced literary depiction of white trash.  Boo killed Bob Ewell in order to save the lives of Atticus' children, Scout and Gem Finch, from the evil man.

Atticus Finch told the sheriff that there should be a hearing to determine whether or not a crime had been committed. The sheriff would have none of that. He told Atticus Finch that his report would say that Bob Ewell fell on the knife that killed him.

In his argument the sheriff recounted what we know is the energy of sin that began in the story, as it often does in life, with a deed, an act, a choice.

In this case, the choice was made by a lonely, young white woman who decided to seduce a kind hearted black man.  She asked him for help as he passed by her house.  He helped her, and by his choice, he set in motion a sequence of events that led to his destruction and the near destruction of two children. 

Sheriff Tate’s concern was that a hearing would cause undue attention that would subsequently cause undue suffering in Boo Radley's life.  

The sheriff said, "I never heard tell that it's against the law for a citizen to do his utmost to prevent a crime from being committed, which is exactly what he did, but maybe you'll say it's my duty to tell the town all about it and not hush it up. Know what'd happen then? All the ladies in Maycomb includin' my wife'd be knocking on his door bringing angel food cakes. To my way of thinkin', Mr. Finch, taking the one man who's done you and this town a great service an' draggin' him with his shy ways into the limelight-to me, that's a sin. It's a sin and I'm not about to have it on my head. If it was any other man it'd be different. But not this man, Mr. Finch."

The child, Scout Finch, connects the dots between protect Boo Radley and killing a mockingbird.

The discussion about the mockingbird occurred earlier in the book, at the supper table, when Gem Finch learns to his chagrin that their guest, Walter Cunningham, owns a rifle.  Walter is younger than Gem. 

Atticus shares how his father gave him a gun when he was about Gem’s age.  He says his father told him that he could shoot any bird he wanted except mockingbirds, that it was a sin to kill a mockingbird because they do nothing except sing for our enjoyment.

Of course, we see in the book that Tom Robinson, who does nothing but kind deeds for May Ella Ewell, is killed.  The effects of that sin spreads throughout Maycomb like a contagion that must be contained or it will destroy a lot of people.

There was nearly a lynching with the sheriff across the street with a rifle.  There was nearly the murder of two children.  It was a big mess caused by the simple decision of a solitary person.

That is sin.

Blessings…