Religion and Society: Crime and Punishment

Revision notes on Crime and Punishment

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  • Created by: Shannon
  • Created on: 13-05-13 20:06

Need for Laws

  • Organise the behaviour of people
  • Stops people's awards being taken away from them
  • Protects weak from strong
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Law and Justice

  • If unjust people will think its right to break the law causing society to disintegrate
  • If some laws are unjust people will think all laws are unjust therefore not fulfiling their purpose
  • If laws are unjust people will not obey them causing trouble in society
  • If laws are unjust people will think the legal system isn't working and may start a civil war
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Theories of Punishment

  • Retribution - Criminals pay for their crime
  • Deterrence - Put people off committing crime
  • Reform - Criminal taught not to commit crime
  • Protection - protect society from criminals and their activities 
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Christians: Justice

  • God will reward the just
  • God wants the world to be run justly
  • Jesus said everyone should be treated equally and fairly
  • Church says Christians should work for justice and fairness in the world
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Muslims: Justice

  • God will reward the just
  • Islamic relief - Work for justice in the world
  • Don't take interest as its unjust
  • Shari'ah says everyone should be treated fairly 
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Non-Religious: For Capital Punishment

  • If people know they will be murdered for murdering someone there will be less murders
  • They should protect society
  • Retribution is a major part of punishment and the only retribution for taking a life is taking the criminals life
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Non-Religious: AGAINST Capital Punishment

  • Can't be sure the court verdict is correct
  • Countries that don't have death penalties have a lower murder rate
  • Murders don't think to be caught so don't think about punishment
  • Life is most important and no one has the right to take it
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Christians: Against Capital Punishment

  • Believe in sanctity of life
  • Jesus came to reform sinners but this can't happen if they have been killed
  • Jesus taught an eye for an eye is wrong
  • Christian churches condemned capital punishment 
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Christian: For Capital Punishment

  • Bible set down CP as a punishment for a number of crimes
  • Roman Catholic Churches hasn't retracted their statement about CP
  • Christian churches used CP for the crime of heresy
  • Peace of society is more important than the reform on the sinner
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Muslim: For Capital Punishment

  • Punishment set down in Qu'ran
  • Muhammad used CP for people who commited murder
  • Muhammad said CP is allowed for murder and adultery
  • Shari'ah says that CP is the punishment for murder
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Muslim: Against Capital Punishment

  • CP is recommened but not compulsory
  • Believe in the sanctity of life
  • Shari'ah says Muslims can accept blood money from the murderer 
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Christian: Against illegal drugs

  • Against the law and Christian's should obey the law as long as its just
  • St Paul said body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and should not be abused
  • Drugs have a mental effect and can make is difficult for Christian's to worship God and follow the Christian life
  • Christian churches teachs that illegal drugs are wrong
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Christians: Alcohol is OK in moderation

  • Jesus drank wine during his life and death
  • Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine
  • St Paul said its okay to drink alcohol in moderation "stop drinking water and use a little wine because of your stomach"
  • Jesus used wine to represent him at The Last Supper
  • Christian churches use wine at communion services 
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Christians: Against smoking and drinking

  • Abusing God's temple
  • Bible teaches that alcohol ' invites violence, inflames passion and impairs judgement'
  • Bible warns against drunkeness - Noah shamed his family by being drunk
  • Christian's should lead an example of a healthy lifestyle
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Muslims: Against drugs and alcohol

  • Qu'ran says intoxicants is the devil trying to keep people away from God
  • Muhammad said every intoxicant was khamr - forbidden
  • Islam forbids suicide and alcohol and drugs is a form of suicide
  • Muhammad says Muslims should not drink alcohol or be involved with the production of it
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