MovieChat Forums > Bad Lieutenant (1992) Discussion > Do you think the nun was right to forgiv...

Do you think the nun was right to forgive them?

posted 9 years ago by Zombie55
5 replies | jump to latest

In this film, do you think the nun was morally right and within her rights to forgive the two guys that raped her, and why?

Also, by law, if one was to forgive rape and say they really DON'T want the offenders to go and face jail time, does that mean the police can let them go even after discovering not only the fact that the crime took place, but who is responsible?

What do you think?

Also - do you think that her forgiveness came strictly from her religious beliefs?

Cause there are plenty of women or otherwise victims of rape that will not JUST forgive them like that without either fighting for legal justice or taking revenge or even just killing themselves.

Hell in Ferrara's other film also with Zoe Lund - "Ms .45" (aka "Angel of Vengeance"), the lead heroine went beyond just killing one of the men who raped her but had also developed hatred for men in general as a result and went on a killing spree.

Could it be argued that the nun had somewhat physically and psychologically healed from her ordeal to also outright forgive them?

And do you think she was right? Thanks!

[–] cwg2779 9 years ago

From a Christian perspective forgiveness is always right (though not always easy )regardless of the offense.

I wouldn't realistically say that the nun was immediately healed because it would take a lot of time and probably therapy to recover
from that but forgiveness is a start.

I don't think her forgiveness would be sufficient for them to get away with it. it would be ultimately up to the DA and I doubt for such a serious offense that would happen.

[–] Zombie55 9 years ago

But isn't the main reason the lieutenant at the end lets them go is because her forgiveness means that legally they cannot now be arrested and charged since she failed to report them? So what could the DA have done here?

Didn't the police ALREADY know WHO they were and wasn't the ONLY thing stopping them from getting arrested and put into prison was nun's forgiveness and unwillingness to testify?

Or did the lieutenant himself personally find them without the police knowing who they were and if the police got to them before the lieutenant did they would have arrested them and put them away even without nun's testimony?

The greatest trick the Devil has ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist!

[–] chas77 9 years ago

I was under the impression that the "BL" was so awed by her forgiving the rapists that he felt he needed to let them go for his own personal redemption.

[–] Zombie55 9 years ago

True, but I was still curious if the other cops got them first then they could have still been put away even without the nun pressing charges against them, legally-wise? (Well, I doubt the other cops will kill them, that won't be legal at least.)

The greatest trick the Devil has ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist!

[–] chas77 9 years ago

need a legal expert to answer that one.