Capital punishment is our society’s recognition of the sanctity of human life. – Orrin Hatch
You’re currently reading “Orrin Hatch,” an entry on Capital Punishment Quotes
3.3.10 / 10pm
“Thou shall not kill!”
3.29.10 / 12pm
There are too many States who take innocent lives by killing innocent people after a mockery of a trial. Should those States and their Governors be exterminated.
Killing humans is wrong
4.7.10 / 5pm
Will you still say so if they kill your wife,daughter, son, mother or father
5.4.10 / 9pm
Yes killing a human is wroung. There are some people who has the killing Occupation. As the law cant change their Occupation. it can give only the punishment…
5.21.10 / 10pm
Will you still stick to your opinion if it was your son / husband / father / relative on death row?
4.26.10 / 6am
Thalt Shalt not kill the innocent.
When someone spills innocent blood they forfeit their protection under that Commandment.
I do not support the death penalty for 1st degree murder if the convicted was not actually seen doing the crime.
All a prosecutor has to prove is that the crime occurred and that you were seen there at the time the crime took place.
The guy in Utah that selected his execution by firing squad, I support his being executed, he killed someone in front of witnesses, there is no question to his guilt.
OJ Simpson, on the other hand, even though everyone is convinced he did it, no one actually saw him do it, so I would not support the death penalty for him if he had been convicted.
5.6.10 / 6pm
‘Thou shall not kill’ but what about the person or persons killed by a murderer? Or is better to spend the taxpayers money, where the victim’s friends and family too contribute. Today’s prisons are like hotels where human rights of prisoners are looked after more than that of the victim’s family. Yes, if it is rigourous imprisionment and the criminal is made part of a chain gang from morning to night, then – thou shall not kill
5.8.10 / 4pm
thou shall not kill translation thou shall not commit a homocide translation to purposely plan a murder or take someones life premeditate murder. murder for gain
thats what the comandment means. get it right
5.10.10 / 1am
“Thou shall not kill” is the commandment under christianity and judaism. Even they both did not follow this in abnormal and unusual situations, politics and wars situation they both killed. Christians crusaders killed thousands in their crusades. Jewish peoples killed in search for and to claim their promised land. The appropriate quotable quote in this context is “THOSE WHO LIVE BY SWORD, DIE BY IT !!”
5.19.10 / 11am
Anyone who takes anothers life shall forefit theirs. Simple as that. If their is a mistrail then it’s the legal system that’s at fault and if “beyond reasonable doubt” it must be life and it should mean just that not 10 years and out on parole to murder again.
5.19.10 / 11pm
The original Hebrew says, “You shall not commit murder”
3.14.10 / 3pm
Thy shall not kill
An eye for an eye
People like Charles NG who have been found guilty deserve to die.
People who are anti Death Penalty should look at it as if the “boot was on the other foot” how would they feel if the victim was their Father / Mother / Sister / Brother / Daughter / Son or themselves – would they still be anti the death penalty.
The worst part is that NG feels he has been dealt an injustice – what about the poor victims and their families – was that a justice Charles NG???
3.16.10 / 2am
The death penalty serves as the best detourant to the crime of murder. Any one who committed murder and was exicuted has never killed again. How many murderers have been released and killed agaiin? Too many to count!
3.18.10 / 3pm
“Capital punishment is our society’s recognition of the sanctity of human life. ”
Makes perfect sense. Let’s kill a human being to show how sacret human life is.
*sarcasm off*
5.19.10 / 11pm
Indeed.
A law requires sanctions, else it is no law at all.
Sanctions must reveal the importance of the precept.
A sanction for murder 1 that is less than the death penalty, is nothing but a clear message that we do not consider the crime to have broken a law of the utmost importance.
The only thing worth a human life is another human life.
Murder is a crime for which the only possible justice is the forfeit of the killers own life. Nothing else even comes close.
You steal 10 buck you pay back 10 buck plus damages and interest.
You steal a million bucks and the laws requires you to pay back only 10000? Would that be justice? Absolutely not.
Same applies to murder 1 cases.
If the sanction does not correspond to and publicly demonstrate the value of the precept, then either the law isn’t that important or the sanction is negatively unjust by its lack of equality. Justice means equality in measures.
People that think taking the life (death penalty) of one that has willfully and wrongfully taken another’s life, is wrong because the sanction ends up equal to the crime, are not thinking worth crap
Thus, refusing to enact a death penalty against murder one perpetrators is sending a clear message that the criminals life is worth more than the victims life, since we are not exacting a sanction equal to the crime. And that is the very definition of injustice!
3.21.10 / 6pm
There are more people in the world that believe it is ok to shoot a person, to pick a woman/little girl at random and rape and kill her, than there are people that pray.
Too many people die at the hands of monsters every day. Too many people die at the hands of monsters that have been released from prisons due to over crowding or because they’ve ‘done their time’.
Murderers and rapists, are NOT sorry for what they did…they’re only sorry that they got CAUGHT!
If you murder someone, you have committed the ultimate crime and should be dealt with just as you have lived. As you live so shall you die. Live by the sword, die by the sword.
And none of this wait 15 years on death row crap. You deserve immediate justice…you get 15 minutes to live and then get taken out back to meet your maker. So many repeat offenders would not have ‘repeated’ had this been the case.
3.21.10 / 10pm
With the death penalty you obliterate all that has happened into the ether – with life behind bars you challenge, you demand ,you obtain retribution and possibly atonement right to the natural end.
4.30.10 / 9am
You, my friend, have never worked in prison… Its quite tolerable these days.
3.22.10 / 6pm
I am a mother. I live in a country where teenagers murder children in the full and certain knowledge that they are doing wrong. I live in a country where paedeophiles are freed after ridiculously short jail-terms and consistently re-offend. I live in a country where parents abuse and in some cases kill their own children. This country is the UK! There is NO deterrent and there should be. Don’t give me any Amnesty crap about human rights. If these people violate a child’s human rights they have given up their humanity and therefore should not have the right to life. There is NO argument that can deny this. If they brought back the death penalty in the UK I would gladly volunteer to put an end to the life of paedophiles and child murderers. The taxpayer should not have to pay for these people to live their lives in prison.
4.23.10 / 8pm
Right on Marien! The biggest problem on this planet is too many people,creating the stresses on society. As the world population increases the death penalty will be used increasingly and eventually for lesser crimes simply because there are too many people. It won’t happen for a while, but it will happen this century!
5.10.10 / 3pm
I remember reading about the Moors Murderers – a fellow and his girlfriend who kidnapped, molested, tortured, photographed and eventually brutally killed countless children in England and refused to even help bring closure to tortured families; I know of a man, I am not sure if his sentence was commuted, who killed an old lady just for so. he and his family were so bad, that at his conviction, his brother and sister were also given custodial sentences for their behaviours in court. there is a young man I know who killed another over gambling money. Should these people have the right to exist and return to the society to prey on others?
5.13.10 / 4am
Serial killers, child killers , “people who lie in wait”, which, by the way, is the Biblical definition of a murderer, are sick! They need to be put down like a sick animal, because they are not fit to be in society, or to be with other people, and God demands it. We are to execute them, send them to God, and he deals with it. They get a perfectly fair judgement.
Once someone does heinous crimes that require the death penalty, they have given up their life in exchange for the one they took. That’s only fair!
It is not for revenge, or any other reason except for fairness. And why should we tend to and pay for all their needs until they die? That doesn’t even make sense!
3.23.10 / 7pm
The death penalty is a load of crap…it serves no purpose in habilitating the criminal and is in many ways hypocritical…okay lets kill a person who is in jail for killing someone else…really smart america!!! Some officials feel it helps to end a certain hold on the family and friends of those who were killed or violated but really I dont think it helps to serve this purpose at all….
4.9.10 / 3pm
No, you my friend are an idiot. The death penalty is needed by the whole country. If you kill some one, then your gonna get killed back. All of the states should be like Texas. Not only does Texas have the death penalty but they have an express line for it so that they can move death row inmates in and out. You a perfect exapmle of the stupid american. Grow up will you?.. Jack Meoff? What your ten years old?
5.6.10 / 10pm
No, actually you are the idiot. Read the book “Actual Innocence.” Look at all the people who have been released from Death Row in the past few years because DNA proved their innocence. Death penalty proponents always say, “What if it was your family member who was murdered?” Well, what if it was your family member who was wrongly put on Death Row. It’s better to spare a million killers than kill one innocent. And don’t argue that DNA evidence will fix everything. What if you’re the unlucky guy who is wrongly convicted and no DNA evidence is available?
4.14.10 / 12pm
It helps me to know that the bastard that murdered my aunt is in jail, but I’m not happy that he’ll be let out in about 13 years. I feel he should be sentenced to death. Not just for my aunt, but because she wasn’t his only victim. It’s ridiculous that we would let a man like that out to kill another person. Plus it’s a complete waste of tax dollars to keep him alive and sitting in a cell for the rest of his miserable life.
5.10.10 / 3pm
Agreed. We have become conscienceless wimps, giving in to conscienceless bullies.
5.10.10 / 1am
Capital punishment does have a purpose. The prime purpose of death penalty is to deter criminals, sociopaths, murderers from taking innocent life. The other purpose of death penalty is to protect society from anarchy and mayhem. The murderers do not deserve to live to kill again. But, if the law did not act to remove the criminal, the frustrated innocent public will take revenge and kill the killer anyway. Killing in revenge may be wrong, but an independent judiciary does not kill a criminal in revenge. That way it saves law abiding society frustration and killing ouf of revenge.
3.25.10 / 1pm
The Death Penalty is needed to some aspect. I condone the Death Penalty, to the extent that the “Offender” is FOUND guilty without reasonable cause. What happened if the Offender was INNOCENT? and wrongly executed? I believe that if a person is found guilty, and proven 100% without doubt or reason with the horrendous crime that has been committed. The Death Penalty fits the crime. First it MUST be proven that the offence is committed.
3.27.10 / 3am
Can we always be sure that there hasn’t been an error of judgment? Of course not. The alternative to killing those found guilty of a heinous offence is to lock them away until they die, and not in luxury. If it transpires that the individual is indeed innocent, there are ways of making up to him/her. Killing does not allow effective corrections to happen.
3.29.10 / 11am
It’s hard for me to say that I’m in favor of the death penalty any more than i am in favor of unemployment, poverty, disability, abortion or other harsh realities of life.
However, for some crimes such as mass murder, child murder or other sadistic crimes involving torture and death, perhaps the death penalty could be considered a humane method of ending a life so wicked and remorseless.
It’s a big question but for me and with regret, it’s a qualified Yes
3.30.10 / 2am
I don’t say every one who kills should be put to death. In depends on each case. However to abolish the death penalty in it’s entirety, is not a particularly intelligent thing to do. Some complaints by Amnesty International are very good, but others are out and out idiotic, and even very annoying, and result in me having developed some contempt for that organization.
3.30.10 / 10am
the death penalty is a farce we kill people to show that killing is wrong, how ironic, we also have drivers who drink themselves into oblivion then kill somebody with a weapon as lethal as a gun but we do not execute them they probably get a fine, disqualified from driving and maybe a short jail term. why do we “select” people for execution in this way surely the death of any person by violence is a terribly sad thing but killing the killer solves nothing. There is then the problem of innocent people that have been executed, who speaks for them after the event.
3.30.10 / 10pm
I agree with MH Gallager. Some human being are in fact wild animals, so, better eliminate them for the common safety.
I rather worry about those who do the job!
4.23.10 / 9pm
Don’t compare humans to wild animals. Animals are better behaved than humans. They don’t molest their young or kill their own kind for the hell of it. Humans are the scumbuckets of this planet. We have indiscriminate breeding which creates the lowlifes who are most of the problem!
5.22.10 / 2am
Nature has no concept of rights, these are man made concepts. Therefore man can(and has) also make up responsibilities that are required from all citizens in order for societies to function in relative peace and harmony. Rights and responsiblities should roughly equate, so if one goes out with a weapon with the idea that they might take a life, from that point, they should lose their own rights to the same extent. Whether that knowledge discourages them from further action is THEIR CHOICE! Time people started talking about responsiblities more (like Kennedy did). Maybe if Amnesty International did, more people would take notice of them. There are murders where there is no doubt about the perpetrator, in those cases capital punishment is an appropriate result for that person’s taking away anothers right to life. The victim certainly lost their right to life!
3.31.10 / 2pm
ask this question from relatives of victim and u will find the right answer.
Death penalty is a great deterrance and need not be abbolished.But keep it for rare of rarest cases.
4.5.10 / 9pm
I’m in favor of the death penalty,
but only but public crucification,
with the jury present to witness.
4.6.10 / 5am
We must believe, no one should take nobody’s life for any reason.
And that “no one” includes the most powerful entity is the legal system itself. If global warming is a problem for us, than capital
punishment should be the next.
4.11.10 / 1pm
Arguments against the death penality:
1.Buddha: refrain to kill, because already the intention to kill, kills your mind and heart, blocks your wisdom for ethics..
2. Jurisprudence: an unknown punishment (death) cannot be part of a human law system.
3. Criminology: the death penalty doesn’t deter from killing but opens the door for killing. (the State kills, why not me?)
1. My personal conviction. (Buddhist)
2. and 3. are proven f a c t s.
4.12.10 / 5pm
I think capital punishment is the only way you can be sure a person will not commit the same crime twice. too many ppl die bcuz of this,so yes im all for it.
4.13.10 / 2pm
The argument “what if it was your daughter, mother etc that got killed” is not really valid. I would probably kill someone I found in my house stealing my posessions but that doesn’t make it right to bring in the death penalty for burglary. Objectivity over subjectivity every time.
4.18.10 / 1pm
Jesus says: Look to the beam in your own eye before attending the motes in others’. In this case it means: expunge racism from your heart. Once you are free from it, you may perhaps be allowed to think about the death penalty. Else what you say is but ugly nonsense.
7.26.10 / 11pm
I don’t get the logic of your argument B.B. Quoting Jesus in favour of the death penalty must be a first? Jesus prevented the death penalty of Moses law being carried out on a woman taken to him because of Adultery
4.20.10 / 11am
The death penalty isn’t fair primarily because the justice system isn’t eaual to all and fair.
4.23.10 / 9pm
Everyone that is against the death penalty should be required to pay for that inmates upkeep.
$3.00 for a bullet and maybe $2000.00 for a casket versus $50K a year for every year they are kept in prison. Doesn’t make a lot of sense to keep convicted murderers around to me.
5.3.10 / 8pm
it isnt that simple, there are years of trials and processes.
there is no simple cut and dried “bullet to the head and it is over,” it isnt that simple
4.24.10 / 2am
If the Death Penalty was used the way it was first set up, they would not be on Death Roll for 13 to 20 years.
We now have D.N.A. if it shows they did it the time should be 30 days, not years and years.
And if anyone thinks they have been cured, let that Killer go live with their wives, and their children for a year.
4.26.10 / 6am
DNA only shows that you were at some time in contact with the victim. It does not guarantee that you killed the victim. It only serves as circumstantial evidence unless there was rape involved.
Or that there is blood platter on your clothes or you from the victim. Even then, unless you were actually seen killing the person, then I would not support going for the death penalty with you. However if you were seen doing it then I would support the death penalty.
4.24.10 / 5am
Capital punishment should be applied to all crimes greater than parking offences. Crime statistics would drop to zero overnight.and the rest of humanity could throw all the locks away.
7.26.10 / 11pm
“The rest of humanity” would number zero by then
4.30.10 / 12pm
Judges corrupt, Lawyers Corrupt. Police Corrupt, Press Corrupt. Jury wants to go home/back to work. You can not prove guilt 100% every time, there for you can not kill. Legal justice is neither blind nor is she free from financial gain, there for you can not kill.We are not civilized and we will be judged by our actions weather they fall into the majority or not.
5.4.10 / 2pm
i don’t agree to death sentence.killing is not the part of human law system
5.4.10 / 10pm
Killing is not the part of human law system. And the death punishment is imposed only on repeated murderer. Its meaningless to expecting the Human nature from them. So Death punishment would be the solution to stop them and their followers…
5.10.10 / 2pm
You mean, you will give him the chance to do it twice, to see if he means it? So you can throw away the life of one victim? We should all ask ourselves: What if the victim was my mother/father/wife/child? Would you be so objective? To be objective in this matter is to be on the side of the criminal.
5.5.10 / 7pm
to me its like this who ever kills have to be punish.if the system are 100% sure without doubts that the person are guilty for the crime they should deal with the consequences,i think if you kill then you should be kill,i saw somone wrote if it was your family,to tell the honest truth i think that person shoud think about the other person for a while and who kill that person.do you all really want people like that in the world for me i don’t
this is a serious matter…
5.6.10 / 8am
I support capital punishment but wat I feel should be given to those accused of commiting “rarest of rare cases “of crimes,this so as to instill in everyones mind the fate they desrve,in commiting such heinous act
7.26.10 / 11pm
I think execution is a heinous act too. Would you be willing to carry out the execution?
5.6.10 / 12pm
The capital punishment is essential some times for the existance of humanbeings. By killing an innocent person the right of living of the killer ends at that time. If the rule implement the rate of crime will be reduced.
5.7.10 / 10am
A terrorist after killing ur family members and dare to say sorry couldnot kill ur relatives still u will not be in favour of capital punishment…………….Man Be practical
5.8.10 / 4am
Life is sacred for all ….I would pray that I could use the power of compassion no matter what the circumstances were, no matter how provocative…”hatred never overcomes hatred, only love” says The Buddha
6.1.10 / 4pm
i agree…but do those that kill do so out of hate? if loves overcomes hate, then what overcomes the love to kill?
7.26.10 / 11pm
Probably love
5.8.10 / 8pm
I fully support the Death Penalty for Murderers, Kidnappers and anyone conected with Armed Robbery
If a criminal shots at you – You should be able to shoot back with Lethal force
Here in South Africa Murder, Rape, Killing Assulting, Child Molestation and Abuse and also Woman Abuse is EXTREMLY High
The Criminals just laugh at the legal system in this counrty
They go in to jail and 10 minutes later they are released
All of teh above Criminals have no fear and continue their escapades without fear of the police
A guy who killed soemone was realeased on 50.00 rand bail while my wife was fined 300 rand for driving without a number plate
We have our priorities mixed up here in South Africa
The poice have now been given instructions to kill if they are shot at
Unfortunately it also has resulted in innocent people been killed as well in the crossfire
Very tragic – but it shows that things are getting very bad here
While I do suport the Death Penalty I also advise Caution
The Death Penalty is final and extreme caution should be taken to avoid executing innocent people which can happen and does happen
If a person is caught coming out of a Shop, House Building, Bank with a gun of any type in their hands or on their persons then they should be shot – ON SITE with no mercy shown to the vermin
The same goes for Child & Woman Molesters, Abusers and Rapests
In fact I would eve go as far as advocating that anyone caught Raping a Woman or Child be Castrated – not chemically but physically have their sex organs removed permanently and still jailed for at least 30 years with Hard Labour
The other alternative is tie them up spread out – bring a 20 pound hammer on their private parts and leave them for dead
Drastic – I Know but do it enough times and the message will get through
Oh and just to make sure the message gets through have it done publicly and on TV
As for the people who protest cry ” Its Inhumane” – to them i say – and what about the victims these people leave behind with mental and physical scars for the rest of their lives
If they complain then they should join those animals (Actually that is an insult to the animals – sorry) in the punishment meeted out to these vermin
If the Death Penalty is not adminsted then these vermin should be sentenced to LIFE & HARD LABOUR
They should not be given medical treatment or helped in anyway
Here in South Africa criminals are treated like royalty
A robber breaking into a bank and shooting someone and the gets shot gets VP treatment while his victim is treated like dirt – The criminal gets free medical treatment while the victim has to pay for all his medical expenses
I know Im been harsh but when you have seen and experenced this first hand you someone feel very bitter as to the way these people are treated
The way things go here a rapest comes into your house – Rapes your wife while you watching – Yu manage to get free and shoot the person
You get charged with murder or attempeted murder and are sent to jail while that vermin gets off scott free
Likewise when you catch someone robbing your house or business
You not allowed to shoot the person to protect your property
You just have to stand there and watch
Pathetic
In South Africa if they had to have a Referendum on teh Death Penalty 70 to 80% if not more of the people here would say YES to Bringing it Back
Been there
Got the T Shirt
DEATH TO ALL RAPESTS, KIDNAPPERS, ABUSERS, MOLESTERS, MURDERERS and THIEVES
5.9.10 / 5pm
capital punishment and the crime for which it is the verdict go hand in hand. they are two sides of the same coin. just one aspect should never be discussed or put to vote. rephrase your question capital punishment for a particular crime.
5.10.10 / 1am
In reference to kasab’s case of 26/11, without a doubt, the death sentence is appropriate. He acted as a soldier of enimy, waging war on India. So just like a soldier may die in war, it should be perfectly justifiable to kill kasab, and his like. Why, 9 others of his team died, why should he be kept alive. Besides, what would you do, just release him back to pakistan, so JeM, and Let, and all other jehadi hoodlums hire him again to attack another part of India? If not, are you going to keep him in jail for rest of his life, and feed him free food? At tax payers’ expense. Is that fair to the tax payers, and the victims of kasab and his like? Definitely not! So, he deserves to die. Those who live by the sword, die by it.
5.10.10 / 2pm
If we are a sovereign nation and have made laws in the interest of a just and law-abiding society, how can we allow foreigners, some from countries presently exercising the death penalty in some form, to tell us we are wrong? Is the life of the victim of no value? Should the taxpayers money be thrown away on someone who has nothing to offer but death to its law-abiding citizens? We have criminals on death row, much too long, petitioning other people to save their own lives when they have willfully taken the lives of others. One man, now quite old, killed an old woman so brutally, it was unthinkable and if the truth be told, it was the first time he got caught as he was feared; others have killed without conscience and then we namby-pamby them. Their should be no appeal to the privy council; we are independent; we need no rubberstamp from empire. In a country this size, one dead murderer can never murder again. Hang them or kill them by another means – but do it.
5.21.10 / 10pm
Is the life of the offender of no value?
Telling other nations that they are wrong is something a certain nation is doing all the time – without any respect to national customs or history or…
Offenders would have so much more to offer but death if you only let them.
7.19.10 / 7am
i totoly agree with you
5.13.10 / 3pm
I find it interesting that not one family member whose relative was murdered is against the death penalty
A conservative is a liberal who has just been mugged!
5.19.10 / 10am
Hatch is right, in that the biblical origin of the death penalty is based upon shedding the blood of the murderer who has shed sacred blood.
” . . .from man in regard to his fellow man I will demand an accounting for human life. If anyone sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; For in the image of God has man been made.” Genesis 9:5-6
God: ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother must certainly be put to death.’ Matthew 15:4
Jesus: “So Pilate said to (Jesus), “Do you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you and I have power to crucify you?” Jesus answered (him), “You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above.” John 19:10-11
Jesus: Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.” The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Jesus) replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Luke 23: 39-43
Jesus: “You have heard the ancients were told, ˜YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER” and “Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court”. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, “Raca”, shall be guilty before the supreme court and whoever shall say, “You fool”, shall be guilty enough to go into fiery hell.” Matthew 5:17-22.
The Holy Spirit: God, through the power and justice of the Holy Spirit, executed both Ananias and his wife, Saphira. Their crime? Lying to the Holy Spirit – to God – through Peter. Acts 5:1-11.
The Word of God: Numbers 35:16-21. Note the words “shall” and “surely”. What do you think they mean?
‘But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. ‘If he struck him down with a stone in the hand, by which he will die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. ‘Or if he struck him with a wooden object in the hand, by which he might die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. ‘The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he shall put him to death when he meets him. ‘If he pushed him of hatred, or threw something at him lying in wait and as a result he died, or if he struck him down with his hand in enmity, and as a result he died, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death, he is a murderer; the blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
Here is the full context http://nasb.scripturetext.com/numbers/35.htm
———————————————-
Some lesser New Testament scholars
Saint Paul, in his hearing before Festus, states: “if then I am a wrong doer, and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die.” Acts 25:11.
St. Augustine: “The same divine law which forbids the killing of a human being allows certain exceptions. Since the agent of authority is but a sword in the hand, and is not responsible for the killing, it is in no way contrary to the commandment “Thou shalt not kill”, for the representative of the State’s authority to put criminals to death, according to the Law or the rule of rational justice.” The City of God, Book 1, Chapter 21
St. Thomas Aquinas finds all biblical interpretations against executions “frivolous”, citing Exodus 22:18, “wrongdoers thou shalt not suffer to live”. Unequivocally, he states,” The civil rulers execute, justly and sinlessly, pestiferous men in order to protect the peace of the state.” (Summa Contra Gentiles, III, 146
St. Thomas Aquinas: “The fact that the evil, as long as they live, can be corrected from their errors does not prohibit the fact that they may be justly executed, for the danger which threatens from their way of life is greater and more certain than the good which may be expected from their improvement. They also have at that critical point of death the opportunity to be converted to God through repentance. And if they are so stubborn that even at the point of death their heart does not draw back from evil, it is possible to make a highly probable judgement that they would never come away from evil to the right use of their powers.” Summa Contra Gentiles, Book III, 146.
Saints Thomas Aquinas and Augustine. In addition to the required punishment for murder and the deterrence standards, both Saints find that executing murderers is also an act of charity and mercy. Saint Augustine confirms that ” . . . inflicting capital punishment . . . protects those who are undergoing capital punishment from the harm they may suffer . . . through increased sinning which might continue if their life went on.” (On the Lord’s Sermon, 1.20.63-64.)
—————-
Saint Thomas Aquinas finds that ” . . . the death inflicted by the judge profits the sinner, if he be converted, unto the expiation of his crime; and, if he be not converted, it profits so as to put an end to the sin, because the sinner is thus deprived of the power to sin anymore.” (Summa Theologica, II-II, 25, 6 ad 2.)
St. Thomas Aquinas: “If a man is a danger to the community, threatening it with disintegration by some wrongdoing of his, then his execution for the healing and preservation of the common good is to be commended. Only the public authority, not private persons, may licitly execute malefactors by public judgement. Men shall be sentenced to death for crimes of irreparable harm or which are particularly perverted.” Summa Theologica, 11; 65-2; 66-6.
“St. Thomas Aquinas quotes a gloss of St. Jerome on Matthew 27: “As Christ became accursed of the cross for us, for our salvation He was crucified as a guilty one among the guilty.” As Prof. Michael Pakaluk writes: “If no crime deserves the death penalty, then it is hard to see why it was fitting that Christ be put to death for our sins and crucified among thieves.” ” That Christ be put to death as a guilty person, presupposes that death is a fitting punishment for those who are guilty.” The Death Penalty: An Opposing Viewpoints Series Book, Greenhaven Press, (hereafter TDP:OVS), 1991
Saint (& Pope) Pius V, “The just use of (executions), far from involving the crime of murder, is an act of paramount obedience to this (Fifth) Commandment which prohibits murder.” “The Roman Catechism of the Council of Trent” (1566).
Pope Pius XII: “When it is a question of the execution of a man condemned to death it is then reserved to the public power to deprive the condemned of the benefit of life, in expiation of his fault, when already, by his fault, he has dispossessed himself of the right to live.” 9/14/52.
Christians who speak out against capital punishment in deserving cases ” . . . tend to subordinate the justice of God to the love of God. . . . Peter, by cutting off Malchu’s ear,. . . was most likely trying to kill the soldier (John 18:10)”, prompting ” . . . Christ’s statement that those who kill by the sword are subject to die by the sword (Matthew 26:51-52).” This ” implicitly recognizes the government’s right to exercise the death penalty.” Dr. Carl F.H.Henry, “A Matter of Life and Death”, p 52 Christianity Today, 8/4/95.
“Death Penalty Support: Modern Christian Scholars”
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2009/07/death-penalty-support-modern-catholic.html
Christianity and the death penalty
http://www.prodeathpenalty.com/DP.html#F.Christianity
5.19.10 / 12pm
Who are we to decide on life or death ? Is killing by the State a good example to our children to show that killing was wrong in the first place ? I am fortunate to come from a country where death penalty has been abolished long ago. As in all democratic countries around too.I would never want my country to kill in my name. We all know there are other ways to protect society and punish criminals than to kill them legally and think violence problems will be solved. What about innocents being executed ? Recently I attended a World Congress Against DP, I met a group of the most admirable people I never saw :Murders’ Victims Families for Reconciliation, they oppose DP and work to change the criminal justice system. For having talked to them I know that their powerful and remarkable action is their only way of getting “closure”, as you say. Not the killing of another human being. There were children at the Congress too, one of their parents was either on death row or had been murdered. Their pain was the same, they had the courage to speak against DP, no more violence. These kids were innocent and yet… what suffering they were enduring ! Groups like these are the ones I want to support because they show us the way. Legal revenge leads to an infernal cycle of violence.
5.21.10 / 10pm
Two wrongs don’t make a right.
Capital punishment does not belong in the 21st century. There is no reason why a nation should execute its own healthy people when they can still contribute their part to society – and if it is by prison labour only.
Furthermore, if you take a closer look society has failed on rather many of the offenders on death row at an early age – in a lot of cases, execution is as if society just eliminates the evidence of its failure.
5.21.10 / 10pm
Lexa:
Their life has great value. A sanction is only a sanction if you take away that which is valued.
5.22.10 / 8am
garbage of society doesnt deserve to be part of society anymore. if the garbage is not destroyed then it will spread its germs too other things. you take a life you give a life. its that simple. they may be physically healthy but their minds are twisted with evil. you cant help someone like this.
6.24.10 / 11pm
I disagree utterly with Dudley Sharpe. The Bible is a dangerous volume of writings and it deserves no more deference than any other such body of prose or verse.
The same goes for the opinions of people like Augustine, Thomas Aquinas or Pius XII
Crime has many causes, some of which may lie in the formation of the brain. The remedy for the crime of murder must surely involve a study of the causes.
I can sympathise with those who have suffered the loss of loved ones but I believe that forgiveness, if they can manage it, will heal forever while revenge will give satisfaction that lasts only for a while.
6.25.10 / 2am
Justin:
No biblical support is needed. The death penalty is a just and appropriate sanction.
The death penalty is justice, not revenge.
“The Death Penalty: Neither Hatred nor Revenge”
http://homicidesurvivors.com/2009/07/20/the-death-penalty-neither-hatred-nor-revenge.aspx
7.26.10 / 11pm
But in your previous extended comment, Dudley, you rely almost entirely on biblical references to justify the killing of prisoners deemed guilty of murder by human judges.
Also I can find nothing in your a.rticle “The Death Penalty – Neither Hatred nor Revenge” to justify such killing
7.16.10 / 8pm
God ordained the sanctity of human life,and wanton murder contests that sanctity.Capital Punishment implements Divine Law aswritten in The Almighty’s Books’and He Knows best.
7.26.10 / 11pm
I disagree on many counts, Omar
7.19.10 / 7am
just because some one kills dosent mean we shoud kill him
trust me there is no worst punishment then life in prison
if that person is exacuted were is the punishment hill be dead and wont suffer what he did
7.27.10 / 3am
Justin:
Just because biblical text supports the death penalty, doesn’t mean that it is necessary for the support of capital punsihment.
The essay “Neither Hatred nor Revenge” was never intneded to justify capital punishment, but to correct the error that the death penalty was either hatred or revenge. I thought that was very clear.
7.27.10 / 3am
russell:
No need to trust you on this.
Some death penalty opponents argue against death penalty deterrence, stating that it’s a harsher penalty to be locked up without any possibility of getting out.
Reality paints a very different picture.
What percentage of capital murderers seek a plea bargain to a death sentence? Zero or close to it. They prefer long term imprisonment.
What percentage of convicted capital murderers argue for execution in the penalty phase of their capital trial? Zero or close to it. They prefer long term imprisonment.
What percentage of death row inmates waive their appeals and speed up the execution process? Nearly zero. They prefer long term imprisonment.
This is not, even remotely, in dispute.
What of that more rational group, the potential murderers who choose not to murder, is it likely that they, like most of us, fear death more than life?
Life is preferred over death. Death is feared more than life.
XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <pre> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
83 Comments
Jump to comment form | comment rss [?] | trackback uri [?]