RELIGION AND SOCIETY - CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

WHY WE NEED LAWS

• HUMAN BEINGS LIVE IN GROUPS - ANY GROUP NEEDS RULES TO ORGANISE BEHAVIOUR OF INDIVIDUALS WITHIN IT - E.G. ROADS WOULD BE DANGEROUS WITHOUT LAWS - HUMAN BEINGS NEED TO KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM EACHOTHER
• SO PEOPLE CAN WORK AND BE INVOLVED IN BUISNESS WITHOUT HAVING REWARDS FOR WORK TAKEN AWAY - E.G. IF YOU WORKED HARD FOR SOMEONE WHO DID NOT PAY YOU - MODERN DAY SOCIETY WOULD NOT FUNCTION WITHOUT REWARDS FOR WORK BECAUSE NO ONE WOULD WORK
• TO PROTECT WEAK FROM STRONG - E.G. LIFE WOULD BE DANGEROUS IF THERE WERE NO LAWS ON MURDER
• TO KEEP EVERYTHING ORGANISED - UK IS AN ADVANCED CIVILISATION THAT NEEDS LAWS

WHY LAWS NEED TO BE JUST

• PEOPLE WOULD FEEL RIGHT TO BREAK LAW IF UNJUST - SOCIETY WOULD FALL APART
• SOME LAWS UNJUST, PEOPLE MAY THINK ALL LAWS UNJUST - LAWS WOULD NOT FULFILL PURPOSE
• IF LAWS UNJUST, PEOPLE WILL PROTEST - CAUSE CHAOS - E.G. HUMAN RIGHTS PROTEST IN US 1960S
• PEOPLE THINK LEGAL SYSTEM NOT WORKING IF LAWS CREATE UNJUST SOCIETY - LEAD TO CIVIL WARS

RETRIBUTION - PUNISHMENTS SHOULD MAKE CRIMINALS PAY FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE WRONG

• MAKES CRIMINALS PAY FOR CRIME IN PROPORTION TO SEVERITY OF CRIME COMITTED
• MAKES CRIMINALS SUFFER FOR MAKING VICTIMS SUFFER
• ACTUALLY PUNISHES CRIMINAL - DICTIONARY DEFINITION IS 'MAKE OFFENDER SUFFER FOR WRONGDOING'

DETERRENCE - PUNISHMENTS SHOULD BE OF SUCH A NATURE THAT THEY PUT PEOPLE OFF CRIME

• IT WILL STOP PEOPLE COMMITING CRIMES E.G. PEOPLE WILL NOT MURDER IF THEY WILL BE EXECUTED

REFORM - PUNISHMENT SHOULD TRY TO CHANGE CRIMINALS SO THEY WILL NOT COMMIT CRIME AGAIN

• ONLY WAY TO STOP CRIME - TURN CRIMINALS INTO HONEST LAW ABIDING CITIZENS
• MOST CRIMINALS COMMIT CRIMES BECAUSE OF UPBRINGING - DO NOT KNOW BETTER
• INVOLVE GIVING CRIMINALS EDUCATION SO THEY CAN FIND A PROPER JOB AND DO GOOD IN SOCIETY

PROTECTION - PUNISHMENT SHOULD PROTECT SOCIETY FROM CRIMINALS

• CAPITAL PUNISHMENT AND LONG PRISON SENTENCES KEEP CRIMINALS AWAY FROM SOCIETY

WHY JUSTICE IS IMPORTANT TO CHRISTIANS

• BIBLE SAYS THAT GOD WILL REWARD THE RIGHTIOUS AND THE JUST
• JESUS SAID THAT RIGH SHOULD SHARE WITH POOR IN NEW TESTEMENT
• THE GOLDEN RULE
• CHRISTIAN CHURCHES HAVE MADE MANY STATEMENTS ABOUT HOW JUSTICE IS IMPORTANT
• MATTHEW - BLESSED OR THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTOUSNESS

WHY JUSTICE IS IMPORTANT TO MUSLIMS

• QUR'AN TEACHES THAT GOD WILL REWARD THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN JUST ON THE LAST DAY
• PART OF MUSLIMS ROLE AS VICE-GERENTS OF GODS CREATION IS TO BEHAVE JUSTLY TO OTHERS AND ENSURE WORLD IS GOVERNED IN A FAIR WAY
• ISLAM TEACHES THAT ITS UNJUST TO BE INVOLVED IN INTEREST - TAKES MONEY FROM POOR
• ISLAM TEACHES THAT ALL PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS BEFORE LAW - MUSLIMS SHOULD WORK FOR FAIRER SHARING - WORK OF MUSLIMS TRYING TO BRING JUSTICE TO THE WORLD

FOR

• ACT AS DETTERENT FOR FUTURE MURDERERS
• KEEPS SOCIETY SAFE FROM CRIMINALS
• HUMAN LIFE MOST IMPORTANT THING THERE IS - SHOWN BY TAKING SOMEONE'S LIFE WHO HAS TAKEN ANOTHER'S
• RETRIBUTION - MAJOR PART OF PUNISHMENT - ONLY COMPENSATION FOR TAKING A LIFE IS TO HAVE YOUR LIFE TAKEN

AGAINST

• STATISTICS SHOW THAT DEATH PENALTY DOES NOT AFFECT CRIME RATE IN SAID COUNTRY
• MANY DO NOT EPECT TO BE CAUGHT - DETERRENT INAFFECTIVE
• HUMAN LIFE MOST IMPORTANT THING - MUST RESPECT IT, NO MATTER WHAT PERSON HAS DONE
• CAN'T SINK TO CRIMINALS LEVEL
• LIFE SENTENCE OFTEN REGARDED AS WORSE THAN DEATH

 AGAINST

• CHRISTIANITY BASED ON IDEA THAT JESUS CAME TO REFORM SINNERS - CANNOT BE REFORMED IF DEAD
• JESUS BANNED RETRIBUTION - SAID EYE FOR EYE WAS WRONG - NEW TESTEMENT REPLACED LAW OF OLD WHICH PERMITS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
• HUMAN LIFE IS SACRED - ONLY GOD HAS RIGHT TO TAKE LIFE
• THE GOLDEN RULE
• THOU SHALT NOT KILL

FOR

• BIBLE SETS DOWN DEATH PENALTY AS PUNISHMENT FOR NUMBER OF CRIMES - ALLOWED BY GOD
• ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AND C OF E HAVEN'T RETRACTED STATEMENTS PERMITTING IT
• CHRISTIAN CHURCH ITSELF HAS USED CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE PAST
• REEP WHAT YOU SOW
• EYE FOR AN EYE, TOOTH FOR A TOOTH

FOR

• PUNISHMENT SET DOWN BY GOD IN QUR'AN - WORD OF GOD
• MUHAMMAD MADE SEVERAL STATEMENTS AGREEING WITH CP - PERFECT EXAMPLE TO MUSLIMS
• MUHUMMAD SENTENCED PEOPLE TO DEATH FOR MURDER - FINAL EXAMPLAR 
• SHARI'AH SAYS CP IS PUNISHMENT FOR MURDER AND ADULTERY - LAW OF ISLAM

AGAINST

• RECOMMENDED BY QUR'AN BUT NOT COMPULSORY
• SHARI'AH SAYS FAMILY OF MURDER VICTIM CAN ACCEPT BLOOD MONEY FROM MURDERER INSTEAD OF CP
• AGREE WITH NON RELIGIOUS ARGUMENTS

LAWS ON TABACCO

• ILLEGAL TO SELL TOBACO PRODUCTS TO ANYONE UNDER 18
• ALL TABACCO PACKS MUST HAVE LARGE, HARD HITTING HEALTH WARNINGS - NOT ALLOWED TO SHOW MISLEADING TERMS E.G. LIGHT, MILD, LOW TAR
• ADVERTS FOR PRODUCTS ARE BANNED
• ILLEGAL TO SMOKE IN ALL INDOOR PUBLIC PLACES

LAWS ON ALCOHOL

• ILLEGAL TO GIVE ALCOHOLIC DRINK TO ANYONE UNDER AGE OF 5 EXCEPT IN EMERGENCY
• CHILDREN UNDER 16 CAN GO ANYWHERE IN PUB AS LONG AS ESCORTED BY ADULT
• AGED 16 OR 17 CAN DRINK BEER, WINE OR CIDER WITH A MEAL IF IT IS BOUGHT BY AND THEY ARE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT
• UNDER 18S NOT ALLOWED TO PURCHASE ALCOHOL IN PUB, OFF-LICENCE SUPERMARKET ETC.

LAWS ON DRUGS

• CLASS A DRUGS - E.G. ECSTASY, LSD, HEROINE, COCAINE - 7Y PRISON SENTENCE FOR POSSESION - UP TO LIFE PRISON SENTENCE FOR DEALING
• CLASS B DRUGS - E.G. CANNABIS - 5Y PRISON FOR POSSESION - 14Y PRISON FOR DEALING
• CLASS C DRUGS - E.G.GHB, KETAMINE, TRANQUILLISERS - 2Y FOR POSSESSION - 14Y FOR DEALING

MISUSE OF DRUGS ACT 1971

• CLASS A, B, C DRUGS ARE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES - OFFENCE TO:
  • POSSESS UNLAWFULLY
  • POSSESS WITH INTENT
  • SUPPLY OF OFFER TO SUPPLY
  • ALLOW PREMISES YOU OCCUPY OR MANAGE TO BE USED FOR DRUG TAKING

TABACCO

• PAIN CAUSED TO FAMILY FROM WATCHING LOVED ONES DIE FROM DISEASES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED

ALCOHOL

• ALCOHOL RESPONSIBLE FOR 41% DEATHS FROM FALLS, 30% DEATHS FROM DROWNING
• ALCOHOL RESPONSIBLE FOR 55-75% MURDER VICTIMS
• 50% OF THOSE WHO COMMIT SEX OFFENCES ARE ALCOHOLICS

ILLEGAL DRUGS

• DRUGS ILLEGAL - ALL DRUG DEALERS CRIMINALS
• VIOLENCE BETWEEN CRIMINAL GANGS OPERATING TRANSPORT AND SUPPLY OF DRUGS
• HEAVY COST OF MAINTAINING ADDICTION FORCES ADDICT INTO LIFE OF CRIME

TABACCO

• CAN CAUSE VARIOUS CANCERS, STROKE, CHRONIC BRONCHITUS ETC.
• LIMITS BLOOD SUPPLY TO PENIS - CAUSES IMPOTENCE AND FERTILITY PROBLEMS
• BABY LIKELY TO HAVE LOW BIRTH WEIGHT/ NOT DEVELOP PROPERLY IF MOTHER SMOKES WHEN PREGNANT
• INCREASES RISK OF PREMATURE BIRTH AND STILLBIRTH

ALCOHOL

• LIVER PROBLEMS
• STOMACH DISORDERS
• HEART DISEASE 
• MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS

DRUGS

• INFECTION FROM DIRTY NEEDLES, BACTERIAL OR VIRAL DISEASES, LIVER DISEASE, SELF HARM
• MANY GET PSYCIATRIC DISORDERS

WHY ALL CHRISTIANS ARE AGAINST ILLEGAL DRUG USE

• IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR GOOD REASONS - MUST OBEY LAW IF IT IS JUST
• ST PAUL TAUGHT THAT THE HUMAN BODY IS A TEMPLE THAT MUST NOT BE ABUSED
• MENTAL EFFECTS MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO WORSHIP PROPERLY
• ALL CHURCHES TEACT THAT ILLEGAL DRUG USE IS WRONG

WHY MOST CHRISTIANS ALLOW ALCOHOL AND TABACCO IN MODERATION 

• JESUS' FIRST MIRICLE - TURNED WATER INTO WINE
• ST PAUL SAID ALL CHRISTIANS CAN DRINK IN MODERATION
• JESUS HAD BREAD AND WINE AT HIS LAST SUPPER
• MOST CHURCHES GIVE ALCOHOLIC WINE IN COMMUNION SERVICES

WHY SOME CHRISTIANS ARE AGAINST TABACCO

• TAKING TABACCO OR ALCOHOL - ABUSING GOD'S TEMPLE
• PASSAGES IN BIBLE WARNING AGAINST DRUNKENESS
• BIBLE TEACHES THAT CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL DISRUPTS JUDGEMENT AND MORALS
• CONCERNED WITH SOCIAL AND HEALTH PROBLEMS

WHY ALL MUSLIMS ARE AGAINST USE OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

• QUR'AN SAYS THAT INTOXICANTS ARE MEANS BY WHICH SATAN TRIES TO STOP PEOPLE WORSHIPPING GOD
• MUHAMMAD TEACHES THAT INTOXICANTS IS KAMHR WHICH IS FORBIDDEN
• FORM OF SUICIDE - SUICIDE FORBIDDEN
• MUHAMMAD SAID ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MUSLIMS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH SALE OF ALCOHOL
• MUSLIM LAWYERS TAKE MUHAMMADS STATEMENT 'DO NOT HARM YOURSELF OR OTHERS' TO MEAN THAT YOU CAN'T TAKE DRUGS OR ALCOHOL