Capital Punishment?

[daisybean]

I know this has been discussed before.... but what are everyone's views on capital punishment? The reason I'm wondering is because I used to be against it, because spending the rest of your life in jail seemed like more of a punishment for these people. I also didn't really believe in the whole "eye for an eye" arguement. Because killing the criminal would not make the crime go away.

However, since the executions of Tim McVeigh and the impending trial of the two snipers, my views are changing a little. I was glad that McVeigh got the death sentence, even though I knew that his death would only bring little solace to the victim's families. With the two snipers I found myself thinking "Fry the bastards!!!"

Okay, now I know we can have a rational discussion about this. So no bickering or name calling, please (I know I'm taking all the fun out of it ).

 

[Rono]

I am against the deat-penalty because :

1- I believe in god but i am not god so i can`t kill a person for any reason ( Judgement day will come )
2- There are enough not guilty people put to death. So if this is the case and there is a chance that inocent people putt to death,...
3- Death penalty is like abortion, just remove unwanted life from the face of the world. I think this is failiure of society and and only good for ease the feelings of revenge.

Read you,...

 

[Sparkysgrrrl]

Against it all the way

 

[BAW]

For most of my life, I was pro-death penalty. I started to change my views on it a few years ago when DNA started clearing innocent people who had spent 10, 20 and 30 years behind bars. Those people were able to walk out of prison and at least try to get on with their lives, but what if someone is exectuted and then proven innocent? Its too late. My thinking was, until the system improves, the death penalty should not be an option.

But, I have to admit that in the last year, my thinking has started to change back to pro-death penalty, at least for horrendous criminals like the snipers.

I'm still torn by the man playing God issue but when you take that many lives, I guess paying the ultimate price is justified.

 

[nbcrusader]

God provides forgiveness from sin. Man provides consequences for sin. In the context of a system of justice, the death penalty is a valid form of consequence if so chosen by society. God?s Word acknowledges this and does not forbid it.

May we live at peace so that we never need a death penalty.

 

[RavenStar]

I'm for the death penalty. I dont see why tax payers money should keep child rapists, murderers alive when you can just cut off their head and use their organs and the money that is saved by not having to pay to keep them alive for a better cause.

 

[adamswildhoney]

Against it all the way

me too, but i think that we need to find way not have us (taxpayers) paying to keep them in jail.

 

[Dreadsox]

Please do not equate the death penalty with abortion.

Death Penalty is an administration of justice after a trial by peers. Quite different when you think about it.

I am for the death penalty especially in cases where there is no NEED for DNA evidence. DNA has absolutely nothing to do with the sniper crime.

As for crimes where DNA may clear someone, lets use it.

Peace to all.

 

[diamond]

Please do not equate the death penalty with abortion.

Death Penalty is an administration of justice after a trial by peers. Quite different when you think about it.

I am for the death penalty especially in cases where there is no NEED for DNA evidence. DNA has absolutely nothing to do with the sniper crime.

As for crimes where DNA may clear someone, lets use it.



Peace to all.

Good post Dread-

Never understood the death penality/abortion connection..
1 party is found guilty of crimes..
1 party is innocent..

Whats up w that?

DB9

 

[kobayashi]

As for crimes where DNA may clear someone, lets use it.

Peace to all.

i may be misunderstanding this...but you're saying if someone might get off because of DNA evidence...we should kill them before that happens?

 

[Sparkysgrrrl]

The death penalty is more expensive than life in prison

http://www.amnestyusa.org/abolish/cost.html

 

[RavenStar]

I dont see how chopping off their heads and using the organs to save lives can be more expensive than life in prison. Even if it did cost more. Atleast if oyu kill them you can use them for something good.

 

[nbcrusader]

The death penalty is more expensive than life in prison

http://www.amnestyusa.org/abolish/cost.html

This is a distortion based on the cost of over-priced lawyers and excessive, multiple appeals, which have since been refined.

 

[Bonofire]

Only in EXTREME cases- and the snipers are an extreme case. Any time you have people driving around looking for places to kill people and killing innocent people doing everyday things until no one feels safe, when lives of children are threatened, sorry, these people are a waste of the air they take to breathe and the money it would take to feed them for the rest of their lives. They cold bloodedly calculated their strikes, it was no heat of the moment mistake like some murders. They took the lives of those 10 people and ruined the lives of the injured and all the victims' families. A statement has to be made that there is a deterrant to such crimes. You're going to DIE- not sit in jail the rest of your lives, eating good food, exercizing, watching TV and playing internet and sports,which many prisoners do. Some prisoners also escape or help plot other crimes from within prison walls. Very evil and dangerous people like the snipers and McVeigh deserve the death penalty.

 

[Sparkysgrrrl]

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/costs2.html

http://www.deathpenalty.org/facts/other/ineffective.shtml

The cost also differs state to state, there's tons of info, I'm tired of being to radical left wing spokesperson for the night, I hand the job over to someone else

*falls asleep

 

[RavenStar]

So sparkysgrrrl, you are saying that child rapists have a right to live?

 

[Sparkysgrrrl]

Yea they have a right to live.
And be thrown into the general population of prisoners who will rightly take care of him.

 

[RavenStar]

but why should they have a right to live?

 

[melon]

God?s Word acknowledges this and does not forbid it.

"An eye for an eye..."

I have always found it intriguing how much violence we can justify in the Bible, and, yet, those who try and find "love" are picking and choosing. Whatever happened to "turn the other cheek" and "let he who is without sin cast the first stone"? "God's Word" does not permit the death penalty, unless, I guess, you choose to read the OT, which, seemingly, hates and kills everyone.

Melon

 

[melon]

but why should they have a right to live?

A philosophical question:

Why do we have a right to live?

Melon

 

[RavenStar]

why should we not have the right to live? It's not like I plan on killing anyone or molesting children. I might actually benefit society.

 

[nbcrusader]

"An eye for an eye..."

I have always found it intriguing how much violence we can justify in the Bible, and, yet, those who try and find "love" are picking and choosing. Whatever happened to "turn the other cheek" and "let he who is without sin cast the first stone"? "God's Word" does not permit the death penalty, unless, I guess, you choose to read the OT, which, seemingly, hates and kills everyone.

Melon

Both principles we are discussing are supported by Scripture in many places. Finding love is not picking and choosing by any means. On a personal basis, loving God and loving our neighbors are our first two priorities. That is not in dispute.

A criminal can receive forgiveness from God and the victim and still receive punishment from the established government (including a death penalty).

The OT and NT are both fully God's Word. The message from Genesis through Revelation is consistent (though true understanding can only come from the Holy Spirit).

Peace brother.

 

[ultraviolet7]

Absolutely against.
> I?m not God to decide whether somebody should live or not
> Some people who may later be proven innocent may be executed
> Lifetime deprivation of freedom is enough or worse punishment in my view

The use of taxpayers money to maintain convicts is indeed a point to consider. Maybe some planning should be devised to have convicts do some work or give some service to the community to put that money into some good use. I can't think of anything in particular now since I haven't really analysed it in depth, but there must certainly be something they can do.

 

[cell]

i dont know. i wouldnt know if i can be pro-death or against it. thats a hard question to answer. everyone makes good points in here. i guess it depends how extreme the crime committed. and to me, the cost of executing someone for their crimes wouldnt really matter to me. its justice.

 

[Dreadsox]

i may be misunderstanding this...but you're saying if someone might get off because of DNA evidence...we should kill them before that happens?

I have reread my post three times. I think it was fairly clear that my intent was to say DNA has nothing to do with the sniper, and that in cases where DNA can be used it should be.

 

[Dreadsox]

"An eye for an eye..."

I have always found it intriguing how much violence we can justify in the Bible, and, yet, those who try and find "love" are picking and choosing. Whatever happened to "turn the other cheek" and "let he who is without sin cast the first stone"? "God's Word" does not permit the death penalty, unless, I guess, you choose to read the OT, which, seemingly, hates and kills everyone.

Melon

So God's word is not present in the Old Testament?

 

[Dreadsox]

"An eye for an eye..."

I have always found it intriguing how much violence we can justify in the Bible, and, yet, those who try and find "love" are picking and choosing. Whatever happened to "turn the other cheek" and "let he who is without sin cast the first stone"? "God's Word" does not permit the death penalty, unless, I guess, you choose to read the OT, which, seemingly, hates and kills everyone.

Melon

Please, show me an example in the New Testament where Christ stood up in defense of people who have killed or murdered others?

Yes he stopped the prostitue from being stoned to death, but again, look at the crime, she did not kill anyone.

It is kind of hard to turn the other cheek when you are dead. Who speaks for those people?

 

[hiphop]

why should we not have the right to live? It's not like I plan on killing anyone or molesting children. I might actually benefit society.

This only turns the philosophical quest around. So you think that someone who benefits society, has a right to live, whereas a person who doesn?t benefit society ( - - and commits horrendous crimes) also doesn?t have the right to live?

I don?t want to speak on behalf of the bible or how I interprete it. I just think that many people who are guilty, die. Many more people who are innocent also die. Can I, or society, give back life to them? No. So the society I live in should not be too easy with taking life.

 

[Rono]

So sparkysgrrrl, you are saying that child rapists have a right to live?

The rapist that is raped or abused by others in their childhood ?
Those people have psychical problems ( most of the time )

 

[Dreadsox]

The rapist that is raped or abused by others in their childhood ?
Those people have psychical problems ( most of the time )

So this means should anything horrific happen to you in your childhood, you should be excused from exercising moral judgement?

There are plenty of people in the world who are abused mentally and physically who somehow manage to be outstanding citizens of the community without causing harm to their fellow man.

One problem with the society in which we live in is we have become enablers. Anyone who has been dealt a bad hand at the card table has an excuse for this that or the other thing. They should not be held accountable for whatever wrong they do in the world.

If you want to lesson the number of people who wind up on death row, start with accountability for ones actions at a young age. This starts at home. So many brilliant minds wasted because mom and/or dad are more concerned with making excuses than accountability for behaviors.

And fathers stop leaving the education of your children up to your child's mother. I can count on one hand the number of fathers I have seen at a parent conference in almost eight years of teaching. Get involved in your child's life, more than just showing up for their athletic events. It does not take much. And if you are divorced, take the time to give more than you can to be involved with your kid........I have met one divorced father in the same time span. Show that you are accountable for your actions as well. The biggest action you have undertaken in your life is to create that child.

Maybe then, there will be less people on death row.


Peace to all......Sorry for rambling.