RE -- Good and Evil (Responses to the death penalty)
- Created by: Katy Matey
- Created on: 11-11-18 18:21
View mindmap
- RE -- Good and Evil (Responses to the death penalty)
- Liberal Christian responses
- Only God has the right to take life
- Executions go against the sanctity of life and "thou shall not kill"
- They believe that Christinas should follow the teaching of Christ (compassion, kindness etc)
- "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do"
- "Turn the other cheek"
- Also the Golden rule
- Many favour reform -- with chaplains
- Conservative Christian responses
- Some Christians advocate the death penalty , seeing it follows the Old Testament law
- "An eye for an eye"
- "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed"
- The Old Testament specifies 36 capital offences
- Some Christians believe that capital punishment upholds the commandment “thou shalt not kill” by showing the seriousness of the crime of murder
- Some Christians advocate the death penalty , seeing it follows the Old Testament law
- Quakers responses
- Quakers have campaigned against the death penalty since 1818
- All life should be protected because all humans are a reflection of God
- Some of the first prison reformers were Quaker who worked to maintain the dignity and humanity of prisoners
- "Live at peace with everyone"
- Catholics responses
- Catholics are divided
- In 1997 the vatican released a statement saying how execution was acceptable when they knew for certainty who the killer was and when it is the only means to protect society against the aggressor
- It did state that non-lethal punishments are “more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and… the dignity of the human person”
- Traditionally the catholic church was allowed but not encouraged to use capital punishment
- Catholics are divided
- Arguments for
- Rid of dangerous people, value of life made clear, compensation, often take away someone's human rights
- Good effect on society psychologically
- Execution is cheaper
- "Anyone who commits murder shall be put to death”
- "Eye for an eye"
- "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed"
- It deters potential murderers
- Protection, retribution and deterrence
- Timothy McVeigh, responsible for the Oklahoma bombings (killing 168 people), killed by lethal injections
- Arguments against
- Human life vitally important, execution is an easier punishment
- People not of sound mind cannot be fully punished
- It does not work as a deterrent, no murder case is the same, it violates human rights
- Many killed found later to have been innocent, should not be responsible
- eg/ Derek Bentley, mental age of 11
- "Do not judge other, so that God will not judge you"
- "The dignity of human life must never be taken away"
- "If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other"
- "He that is without sin among you -- let him cast the first stone"
- "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy"
- If they are put to death, they have no chance for reformation
- Break human rights
- Innocent men can be put to death
- Liberal Christian responses
Comments
No comments have yet been made