Crime and Punishment: Religious Teachings

For Christians, there's a difference between a sin and a crime. A sin is when religious law is broken, i.e. when God's teaching is disobeyed. A crime is when the state laws are broken.

They have a duty to look after other people, and try to guide them to do what's right and repent of their sins.

There are many different types of crime, including murder, theft and hate crimes.

Christianity is against these as they break religious moral laws.

Christians are strongly against murder and theft as they break two of the Ten Commandments.

Murder, often seen as the worst crime, goes against the idea of sanctity of life, and is destroying something that God created.

Theft and hate crimes disregard religious teachings that poeple should be treated equally, as the offender shows no concern for the victim.

Christians Work to Prevent Crimes: 

Strongly against crime: 'Love your neighbour as yourself' (Mark 12:31 NIV).

Christians have defied laws to fight for what's right, e.g. Martin Luther King. In this case, Christians may support breaking laws: 'We must obey God rather than human beings!' (Acts 5:29 NIV).

Christian groups also play their part to try to help to prevent crime. Street Pastors, who help people out at night, have helped to lower crime rates and prevent violence.

The Prison Fellowship is a Christian organisation in England and Wales taht helps prisoners by praying for them and through group activities and maintaining contact with their families. They try to make prisoners see how they have affected victims of their crimes and stop them from committing crime again when they leave prison, e.g. through restorative justice.

Christians believe that God is merciful towards people who genuinly seek His mercy and that they should reflect God's forgiving nature in their own behaviour.

Christianity Teaches that Forgiveness Comes from Love:

Jesus taught that God is always ready to forgive and that Christians must accept that forgiveness, and forgive others in return. The Lord's Prayer includes a verse about forgiveness (Matthew 6:12).

Jesus taught people to seek reconciliation in any disagreements before offering a gift to God at the temple: 'First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift' (Matthew 5:24 NIV). He also taught people to forgive 'not seven times, but seventy-seven times' (Matthew 18:22 NIV).

Forgiveness is closely related to repentance. Christians believe that God's forgiveness can only come when they repent of their sins (i.e. say sorry, and turn their backs on them).

There are Various Christian Views on the Aims of Punishment

Christians think that criminals should be punished for what they've done in a just way. Some think punishment should be 'eye for eye' (Leviticus 24:20 NIV), so focus on retribution. Others believe they should 'turn...the other cheek' (Matthew 5:39 NIV), and so look more towards reformation.

Jesus told poeple to look at their own behaviour before criticising others. In John 8, a woman who was accused of adultery by Jesus when he said: 'Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her' (John 8:7 NIV). No-one did, and it reminds Christians that everyone sins.

Being merciful is important in Christianity, and Christians believe reformation is important: '...if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently' (Galations 6:1 NIV).

Christians also value deterrence and protection - these help make communities less dangerous.

Christians are Mostly Against Corporal Punishment

Christians believe that prisoners have the right to be treated fairly - many want better conditions in prison and visit offenders in prison: 'Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.' (Proverbds 31:9 NIV).

The majority of Christians are strongly against corporal punishment - Jesus was against violence, saying 'all who draw the sword will die by the sword' (Matthew 26:52 NIV). The Bible says that 'Whoever spares the rod hates their children' (Proverbs 13:24 NIV), suggesting that disciplining children throgh corporal punishment is allowed, but many would disagree as it goes against the idea of Christian compassion.

However, there are examples in the Bible of corporal punishment being used on criminals (Deuteronomy 25:2), so these might be used to argue that it's acceptable in some situations.

Christians have Mixed Views on Capital Punishment

Life is special and should be preserved - many religious people believe in the sanctity of life.

Many religious believers think God alone can decide when to end someone's life.

Christians might be against the death penalty because the Ten Commandments forbid killing.

Many Christians are opposed to capital punishment, as it doesn't allow for reform, or show mercy. Jesus said to set aside 'eye for eye' (Matthew 5:38 NIV) and told people to 'love your enemies' (Matthew 5:44 NIV). Many are against the violent natures of the death penalty.

However, some Christians in the US (where capital punishment is legal) believe that the death penalty is a good thing. They say it protects the innocent. They might refer to biblical texts such as 'Whoever sheds human blood, but humans shall their blood be shed' (Genesis 9:6 NIV) and 'Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death' (Exodus 21:12 NIV).

• “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” (Jesus)
• “Forgive them father, they know not what they do.” (Jesus) 
• “Forgive not seven times but seventy times seven” (Jesus)
• “Hate the sin not the sinner” (St Augustine)
• “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult” (Peter)
• “Thou shall not kill” (10 Commandments)
• “Thou shall not steal” (10 Commandments)
• “Love thy neighbour as you love yourself” (Jesus)
• “Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” (Old Testament)
• Sanctity of Life  – God gives life only God has the right to take it away
• All created equal in the eyes of God
• Mankind are created in the image and likeness of God
• The parable of the good Samaritan - everyone counts as your 'neighbour' (Luke 10: 25-37)
• 'God created man in his own image' (Genesis 1:27)
• 'Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.' (Romans 13:1)
• 'Do not judge, or you too will be judged' (Matthew 7:1)

• 'You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgement' (Matthew 5:21-22)
• 'Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath...Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good' (Romans 12:19-21)

Causes of Crime:

• ‘Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.’

Attitudes to Law Breakers:

• 'There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
• ‘For I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Aims of Punishment:

• ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’
• “You have heard ‘an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth’…but I say ‘an eye for an eye makes the world blind.” (Ghandi)

Suffering:

• 'Love thy neighbour.’
• ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.’

Treatment of Criminals:

• ‘He who spared the rod, hates their children.’
• ‘Treat others how you would like to be treated.’

Forgiveness:

• ‘Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.’
• ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times? I tell you not seven times, but seventy times seven.’

Capital punishment

• ‘Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall their blood be shed.’ and ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’
• ‘Pray for those who persecute you.’ and “Love your brother 70x7’, and sanctity of life