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I guess it depends on where you are reading: the Old Testament = yes \ New Testament = NO. The Catholic church teaches that capital punishment is a sin just like abortion.
Would you please tell me where in the New Testament that it says "NO" to capital punishment?
It doesn't. Unless you can show me specifically (Chapter and verse please) where it does.
What are the statistics? Is crime higher here compared to anywhere else?
I think if we were tougher on crime, we would reduce crime considerably. Other countries are much tougher on crime. Perhaps that is the answer.
Oh, so someone who commits a heinous murder, dismembering his victim and disposing of the pieces, may have some good qualities? So, he should be spared? Like Danielle Van Dam's killer, David Westerfield? He invented some wonderful things that were of great help to people with disabilities.
He left poor little Danielle's body (I believe she was 6 years old) in the desert to be picked apart by animals after he was through molesting her and then taking her life. When they found what was left of her body, there wasn't much but skeletal remains. They found "kiddie porn" on his computer (he lived in a nice neighborhood in Poway, Ca, just five miles from where we had lived). He blamed the porn on his son.
But, he wasn't really an evil person, and he had some good qualities. Tell me: What value are his good qualities in light of this heinous crime?
Then be disturbed.
Who the H-ll gives a d-mn what they would think of it? It's called for by GOD. Who are we to question GOD?
"Righteous, holy, nice, and good"? What makes you think anyone thinks that? It's God's law, take it up with Him! I think He has a little more authority that you.
Your question was: "Why are Americans so overwhelmingly for the death penalty?" At least that is the Title you placed on your post.
The simple answer is because most Americans believe it is right. And so do I.
As much as some don't like it, when you look at our heritage, and the source of our basic laws, the death penalty for murder comes from the Bible. God prescribed it, because murder is an offense against God Himself. This is because Man was made in Gods image.
Some of you will jump all over my case for this. Tough. That's the answer.
Unfortunately for you we do no govern based on our emotions otherwise we wouldn't even have a military. Republicans of the religious Right bent attempt to speak for America & the Church but only reveal a tremendous amount of ignorance [go back to school
The following Christian denominations condemn capital punishment as a sin:
Roman Catholic\ Orthodox\ Lutheran\ Anglican\ Methodist\ Disciples of Christ\ Presbyterian\ etc = 90% of Christianity. Do you see your denomination among the above?
Here's the Lutheran position: "It is because of this church's concern regarding the actual use of the death penalty that we oppose its imposition. The practice of the death penalty undermines any possible moral message we might want to 'send.' It is not fair and fails to make society better or safer. The message conveyed by an execution, reflected in the attention it receives from the public, is one of brutality and violence." [13]Death Penalty - Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Here's the Methodist position: "The United Methodist Church declares its opposition to the retention and use of capital punishment in any form or carried out by any means; the church urges the abolition of capital punishment". Capital Punishment
Maybe you can look up the Baptist Church's position. It helps to know what you are asserting is correct. Maybe next time you will do your homework when attempting to speak with any credibility.
Well, how about: God prescribed it. They are violating God's law. No wonder people are leaving some of these churches in droves.
I DON'T understand why so many people think it's righteous, holy, nice, and good.
Because you and I are on a team. We are countrymen. Our obligation to each other is to lend our capacity for violence to the government so that any who try to violate the law suffers that violence in response. We do this so that we have security.
The government exists in the state of nature. When someone hurts one of our people, they have attacked our government in the state of nature and therefore must be responded to in a natural way: Full force reciprocation.
That is why I'm happy to see murderers die. Because when another American dies, it's, principally, as if I were dying.
Quote:
Originally Posted by happ
How about the men who were executed & later found to be innocent?
Who are you? Jimmy "Can't make a decision" Carter?
I think this demos why libs are only libs until they ascend the stairs of their parents basement: You have to trust your organization. If you acted in good faith, as the last line of defense against the punishment, then you did nothing wrong.
If an innocent person dies, it's the fault of the jury. It's a reflection on the lack of justice in the local population. If you're worried about innocent people dying, you should be talking about the importance and definition of "innocent beyond a shadow of a doubt" rather than complaining about the consequences.
Well, how about: God prescribed it. They are violating God's law. No wonder people are leaving some of these churches in droves.
The Catholic church is the largest in the nation\world & is not losing members [but are losing priests because celibacy is unrealistic]. Believe whatever you want but don't speak for Christianity until you know what you are talking about.
Last time I checked we have separation of church and state and I could careless what any catholic priest has to say on the subject.
Religious zealots like party hardliners love to quote chapter and verse when it supports their views and suffer selective memory loss when it doesn't.
We are a nation of laws. WE must have consequences for those who disregard our laws. Life in prison for brutal disregard of anothers right to life is not a just trade. Life in prison for ananimal that deliberately took the life of their victim with no regard no compassion for others does not deserve the compassion of society nor should they receive it.
Because you and I are on a team. We are countrymen. Our obligation to each other is to lend our capacity for violence to the government so that any who try to violate the law suffers that violence in response. We do this so that we have security.
The government exists in the state of nature. When someone hurts one of our people, they have attacked our government in the state of nature and therefore must be responded to in a natural way: Full force reciprocation.
That is why I'm happy to see murderers die. Because when another American dies, it's, principally, as if I were dying.
Who are you? Jimmy "Can't make a decision" Carter?
I think this demos why libs are only libs until they ascend the stairs of their parents basement: You have to trust your organization. If you acted in good faith, as the last line of defense against the punishment, then you did nothing wrong.
If an innocent person dies, it's the fault of the jury. It's a reflection on the lack of justice in the local population. If you're worried about innocent people dying, you should be talking about the importance and definition of "innocent beyond a shadow of a doubt" rather than complaining about the consequences.
Just answer this: why do states & countries that do not have capital punishment have much lower crime rates than states that do execute? What does the United States have in common with just a few other countries [China\Iraq\Saudi Arabia, etc]? Capital punishment is nothing more than an emotional reaction that can not be justified/ substantiated by the facts. Quit reacting and use your brain.
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This will settle the question.
