Pope bans death penalty

Ethics, Morality, and Sin

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2ndRateMind
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Pope bans death penalty

Post #1

Post by 2ndRateMind »

Given that one of the themes of his pontificate is 'mercy', this is a consistent ruling. But is it a morally correct one?

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Re: Pope bans death penalty

Post #11

Post by 2ndRateMind »

bluethread wrote:
2ndRateMind wrote:
However, all these purposes can be achieved under an enlightened regime of incarceration, and I am inclined to the view that this is what Jesus, and God, would prefer from us.

Best wishes, 2RM.
How would "an enlightened regime of incarceration" provide restitution and assure rehabilitation of the mass murderer?
I am not saying it would, automatically. I am suggesting that, it some cases, it could. And if it could, then we should do what we can to redeem the miscreant, rather than simply kill them, and have done with the problem.

Best wishes, 2RM.

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Re: Pope bans death penalty

Post #12

Post by bluethread »

[Replying to post 11 by 2ndRateMind]

So, how could it. Let's play this out. For the sake of simplicity, let's presume a leftist approach, where Judges don't just interpret the law, but are permitted to change it to fit the situation, a la the notorious RBG. Hannibal Lector is standing in front of you Judge 2ndRateMind. How do you obtain restitution from him and reform him? Remember, in this scenario, the death penalty is never an option.

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Re: Pope bans death penalty

Post #13

Post by 2ndRateMind »

[Replying to post 12 by bluethread]

I don't intend to get side-tracked down hypotheticals. I just note that 'restorative justice' programs do work. Maybe not for everyone, all the time, but statistically they make a difference. And I have been told that all the angels in heaven sing out for joy when a sinner repents.

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Re: Pope bans death penalty

Post #14

Post by Tcg »

2ndRateMind wrote: [Replying to post 12 by bluethread]

I don't intend to get side-tracked down hypotheticals.
Good on you. Too many threads in this section of the forum get bogged down on hypotheticals that don't provide any answers that relate to the real world.

I just note that 'restorative justice' programs do work. Maybe not for everyone, all the time, but statistically they make a difference.
Yes. When dealing with questions as serious as this one, we must deal with what we know to help in most cases. No solution will ever deal with the outlier situations we sometimes face. If we address only the outlier cases, then we won't be addressing the vast majority of cases that apply.

And I have been told that all the angels in heaven sing out for joy when a sinner repents.
While we may not agree on the specifics of why it is a great thing when a human is reformed, kudos to you for basing your argument on your understanding of religion. All too many cast their faith aside to answer difficult moral questions.

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Re: Pope bans death penalty

Post #15

Post by 2ndRateMind »

Tcg wrote:
2ndRateMind wrote:
And I have been told that all the angels in heaven sing out for joy when a sinner repents.
While we may not agree on the specifics of why it is a great thing when a human is reformed, kudos to you for basing your argument on your understanding of religion. All too many cast their faith aside to answer difficult moral questions.
I'm sure we could agree if we tried hard enough! But thank you for your kind and supportive comments. It is somewhat satisfying when one's religion, one's conscience, the philosophical ethics, and the evidence all combine to confirm an attitude to a moral issue.

Best wishes, 2RM.

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Re: Pope bans death penalty

Post #16

Post by TSGracchus »

[Replying to post 1 by 2ndRateMind]

"National Academy of Sciences Reports Four Percent of Death Row Inmates are Innocent. In a study released today, the National Academy of Sciences reports that at least 4.1 percent of defendants sentenced to death in the United States are innocent." Apr 28, 2014
National Academy of Sciences Reports Four Percent of Death Row ...
https://www.innocenceproject.org/nation ... percent-of...

"Since 1973, 144 people on death row have been exonerated. As a percentage of all death sentences, that's just 1.6 percent. But if the innocence rate is 4.1 percent, more than twice the rate of exoneration, the study suggests what most people assumed but dreaded: An untold number of innocent people have been executed." Apr 28, 2014 --https://www.newsweek.com/one-25-execute ... ims-248889

1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged".
2 "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you".
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"
4 "How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?"
5 "You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

-- Matthew 7:1-5 NIV

If you condemn the guilty, how would you be judged for condemning the innocent? Inquiring minds want to know. Of course, I don't claim to be a Christian, so maybe Christians see it differently than I do.

:study:

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