Keywords- Sin and Forgiveness

·        Absolutism- The belief that morals are unchanging and are not altered by human intervention.

·        Eucharist- The sacrament also known as communion, meaning ‘thanksgiving’.

·        Forgiveness- Pardoning others for wrongdoing.

·        Punishment- Penalty for wrongdoing.

·        Salvation- The possibility of being beside God in the afterlife.

·        Sin- Acting against God and His law.

Making Moral Decisions.

Moral decisions are often made based on law and morality within religion and the deciders country and laws, there are a few different schools of morality:

-      Absolute Morality: This is a when a person has a principle such as ‘stealing is wrong’. This applies in all situations, no matter the context or circumstance, which also includes the belief that life can never be taken meaning that even abortion or euthanasia are considered wrong, or that killing in self-defense is still immoral. This belief is supported by Emmanuel Kant.

-      Relative Morality: This is the moral principal that morality can be adapted or adjusted to fit context and circumstance. Someone with this principle would believe that stealing to feed your family or killing to save other lives is morally correct due to the circumstances the person was in.

Aims of Punishment:

1)    Deterrence-To prevent others from being tempted to commit the same crime.

2)    Retribution-To get revenge for a crime.

3)    Rehabilitation-Allowing a person to change their actions and reform.

Forgiveness SOW:

• ·        ‘As we forgive those who trespass against us’- Lord’s prayer.
• ·        Jesus forgiving the adulterous woman, telling her to sin no more.
• ·        ‘Let he who is without sin cast the first stone’
• ·        The parable of the prodigal son.
• ·        ‘Forgive them, they know not what they do’
• ·        ‘Not 7 time but 7x70 times.’
• ·  Colossians 3:13- ‘Forgive as the Lord forgave you’
• ·        Quotes from Matthew: ‘If anyone strikes you, turn the other cheek’ ‘If you forgive others the heavenly father forgives you’

Death Penalty- Arguments For.

• ·  Jesus never taught that capital punishment is wrong.
• ·  The Old Testament teaches that the death penalty should be used for some crimes.
• · Some Christians argue that the death penalty fulfills the commandment ‘Thou shall not kill’ as it shows the severity of the murder.
• · St Paul teaches that Christians should accept and obey the laws of their country, which might include allowing the death penalty.
• · The Catholic Church has not cancelled their statements that capital punishment can be used by the state.
• · Pope John Paul II said in Evangelium Vitae that it should be a punishment only to protect society.
• ·  The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states that the death penalty can be used provided identity and responsibility can be proven beyond reasonable doubt.
• · Retribution is a major part of punishment and the only retribution for murder is death.
• · Who Human life is the most important thing there is, and the value will only be shown by giving those take human life the worst possible punishment.
• · It acts as an effective deterrent.
• ·  Whoever sheds the blood…