There was a family of thieves and murderers going back several generations. However, in recent times, many in the family turned from their life of crime, and walked the straight and narrow.
One particular family from this line existed and they had a son who chose to live like his ancestors. This son robbed and killed his fellow man. He robbed and killed those who were strangers as well as his distant relatives, and anyone who he felt stood in his way.
This son went into hiding from the law and continued to bring terror upon his victims. He also tried to convince other family members to resurrect the old family way and to join him.
As it so happened, the sheriff came to the door of the son’s father looking for the son. The father told the sheriff, “I do not know where my son is.” This was a lie. While the father himself did not murder or rob, nor would he give direct support to his son, he would not turn his son over to the law. Deep down he sympathized with his son.
The sheriff asked the son’s mother to divulge the son’s whereabouts and she threw her hands up in the air and proclaimed, “I don’t know what my son does, where he is, nor do I want to know. What he does is his own business. Leave me be.” She did not live the life of a thief or murderer, and had not raised her son to be one, but once he became one, she put her head in the sand and chose to not accept what her son had become. She was ashamed of him, but loved him and dealt with him by ignoring his actions. She would never turn in her son.
The sheriff went to the son’s brother and inquired as to the son’s whereabouts. By all appearances, this brother was an upstanding man. He outwardly projected himself as a pious man. He gave to charity and widows. However, deep down, he sympathized with his brother and secretly gave him direct support. He would give his brother food and shelter, and hide him out from the law. He lied to the sheriff and said, “Am I my brother’s keeper? I don’t know where he is.”
The sheriff went a few houses down where the son’s uncle lived. This uncle lived an honest and peaceful life, and his children and their families lived the same way. However, he wasn’t very close to his brother and their family despite living two houses away. He said to the uncle, “Your family there, two houses down, has a son who is a murderer and thief. I inquired of them where your nephew is and I feel they all lied to me. Go to your brother for me. Explain to him that his son has caused great harm and done wrong to many people. Explain to him that his son sows discontent and does evil even to those distantly related to him. Impress upon your brother, his wife, and their other son, that this is unacceptable and that they need to turn the evil son over so that justice can be done and peace can come to this land again.”
The uncle heard the sheriff and replied, “These are my kin. I have my own family that I tend to. I raise my family my way, he raises his as he sees fit. It is not my place to go to my brother and ask him to turn his son over to you. Yes, his son gives our family a bad name, but don’t judge me because of my brother. Besides, if I were to go to my brother and instruct him as you have asked of me, I may draw anger from them and endanger my own family for alas, his son is known for killing and robbing anyone who disagrees with him. There is peace between us now and I wish to keep it that way. I wish you well.” Afterwards, the uncle thought, “I am not related to the sheriff. While I do not agree with my brother’s family, if I had to choose between my distant brother or the sheriff, I would choose my brother as he is family and the sheriff is not.”
Now, the son continued to rob and murder. Who is guilty for the son’s crimes?
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