Right for life - can you have it both ways?

Argue for and against Christianity

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
nobspeople
Prodigy
Posts: 3187
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2020 11:32 am
Has thanked: 1510 times
Been thanked: 824 times

Right for life - can you have it both ways?

Post #1

Post by nobspeople »

Typically, christians don't approve of abortion, citing the 'preciousness of life', among other things.
Do these same christians oppose the death penalty? Should they?

For discussion:
Is it hypocritical to oppose abortion but support the death penalty? Or, like all things christian, you simply ignore one aspect of this faith while holding on tight to another to support your POV?
Is the 'abortion vs. death penalty' thinking (abortion = bad death penalty = good) nothing more than a male dominated religion further suppressing women? Maybe this helps understand why god's considered male and not female?
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

User avatar
1213
Savant
Posts: 11353
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 11:06 am
Location: Finland
Has thanked: 313 times
Been thanked: 359 times

Re: Right for life - can you have it both ways?

Post #2

Post by 1213 »

nobspeople wrote: Tue Mar 22, 2022 11:45 am ...
Is it hypocritical to oppose abortion but support the death penalty?...
Only if the baby deserves death penalty. But, if the baby doesn't deserve death penalty, is it ok to sacrifice him anyway so that the parents would get a better life as a reward?

User avatar
Difflugia
Prodigy
Posts: 3017
Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2019 10:25 am
Location: Michigan
Has thanked: 3247 times
Been thanked: 1997 times

Re: Right for life - can you have it both ways?

Post #3

Post by Difflugia »

nobspeople wrote: Tue Mar 22, 2022 11:45 am Typically, christians don't approve of abortion, citing the 'preciousness of life', among other things.
Do these same christians oppose the death penalty? Should they?
The Catholic Church formally opposes both abortion and the death penalty.
My pronouns are he, him, and his.

User avatar
Miles
Savant
Posts: 5179
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:19 pm
Has thanked: 434 times
Been thanked: 1614 times

Re: Right for life - can you have it both ways?

Post #4

Post by Miles »

Difflugia wrote: Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:48 pm
nobspeople wrote: Tue Mar 22, 2022 11:45 am Typically, christians don't approve of abortion, citing the 'preciousness of life', among other things.
Do these same christians oppose the death penalty? Should they?
The Catholic Church formally opposes both abortion and the death penalty.
At Last!

It only took the church what, 1,987 years to accomplish. From around 33AD (Death of Christ and the founding of the Church) to 2020 (the year the Fratelli tutti encyclical of Pope Francis was presented), but better late . . . .

.

nobspeople
Prodigy
Posts: 3187
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2020 11:32 am
Has thanked: 1510 times
Been thanked: 824 times

Re: Right for life - can you have it both ways?

Post #5

Post by nobspeople »

Difflugia wrote: Tue Mar 22, 2022 12:48 pm
nobspeople wrote: Tue Mar 22, 2022 11:45 am Typically, christians don't approve of abortion, citing the 'preciousness of life', among other things.
Do these same christians oppose the death penalty? Should they?
The Catholic Church formally opposes both abortion and the death penalty.
That's great for them! Though I do wonder why they have such a lock on this and not child molesting priests, but that's another topic.

What about the other christian sects?
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

User avatar
The Tanager
Prodigy
Posts: 4979
Joined: Wed May 06, 2015 11:08 am
Has thanked: 45 times
Been thanked: 149 times

Re: Right for life - can you have it both ways?

Post #6

Post by The Tanager »

nobspeople wrote: Tue Mar 22, 2022 11:45 amFor discussion:
Is it hypocritical to oppose abortion but support the death penalty? Or, like all things christian, you simply ignore one aspect of this faith while holding on tight to another to support your POV?
Is the 'abortion vs. death penalty' thinking (abortion = bad death penalty = good) nothing more than a male dominated religion further suppressing women? Maybe this helps understand why god's considered male and not female?
I don't think it is necessarily hypocritical to oppose abortion and support the death penalty. Both are centered in the sanctity of life. Life is so valuable, that you ought not to take it. But if you decide to take it, then you are forfeiting your own right to life. This doesn't necessarily have anything to do with a male dominated religion suppressing women. Nor does it necessarily have anything to do with whether God is considered male or not.

nobspeople
Prodigy
Posts: 3187
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2020 11:32 am
Has thanked: 1510 times
Been thanked: 824 times

Re: Right for life - can you have it both ways?

Post #7

Post by nobspeople »

The Tanager wrote: Fri Apr 08, 2022 1:09 pm
nobspeople wrote: Tue Mar 22, 2022 11:45 amFor discussion:
Is it hypocritical to oppose abortion but support the death penalty? Or, like all things christian, you simply ignore one aspect of this faith while holding on tight to another to support your POV?
Is the 'abortion vs. death penalty' thinking (abortion = bad death penalty = good) nothing more than a male dominated religion further suppressing women? Maybe this helps understand why god's considered male and not female?
I don't think it is necessarily hypocritical to oppose abortion and support the death penalty. Both are centered in the sanctity of life. Life is so valuable, that you ought not to take it. But if you decide to take it, then you are forfeiting your own right to life. This doesn't necessarily have anything to do with a male dominated religion suppressing women. Nor does it necessarily have anything to do with whether God is considered male or not.
Seems to me, if one is into the 'sanctity of life', that means all (human at least) life, no matter what the person did or didn't do. Adding the caveat of 'well, life is so amazing that if you take it we will take yours = justice' is, to me, nonsensical.
But to each their own.
Frankly, there are too many people on this planet at present anyway, so a reduction wouldn't be a bad thing.
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

User avatar
William
Savant
Posts: 14003
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 8:11 pm
Location: Te Waipounamu
Has thanked: 906 times
Been thanked: 1629 times
Contact:

Re: Right for life - can you have it both ways?

Post #8

Post by William »

[Replying to nobspeople in post #1]
Is it hypocritical to oppose abortion but support the death penalty?
To be hypocritical, is to behave in a way that suggests one has higher standards or more noble beliefs than is the case.
So the answer would have to be 'no, it is not'.
Is the 'abortion vs. death penalty' thinking (abortion = bad death penalty = good) nothing more than a male dominated religion further suppressing women?
I would say that this is a question for psychology.

nobspeople
Prodigy
Posts: 3187
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2020 11:32 am
Has thanked: 1510 times
Been thanked: 824 times

Re: Right for life - can you have it both ways?

Post #9

Post by nobspeople »

[Replying to William in post #8]
To be hypocritical, is to behave in a way that suggests one has higher standards or more noble beliefs than is the case. So the answer would have to be 'no, it is not'.
Interesting definition of 'hypocrite', there. Where did you find it? The definition I'm accustomed to is "behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel".
So when one says 'all life is precious' (aka anti-abortion) then goes on to say 'killing a killer is fine' (death penalty) - or the like - seems, well, rather hypocritical at the very least.
I guess, of course, one can pick-n-choose what defections to accept and believe, what ones to change and what ones to make fit their own paradigm.
I would say that this is a question for psychology.
Perhaps. But does that mean one doesn't have an opinion?
Have a great, potentially godless, day!

User avatar
William
Savant
Posts: 14003
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 8:11 pm
Location: Te Waipounamu
Has thanked: 906 times
Been thanked: 1629 times
Contact:

Re: Right for life - can you have it both ways?

Post #10

Post by William »

[Replying to nobspeople in post #9]
Interesting definition of 'hypocrite', there. Where did you find it?
Online.
The definition I'm accustomed to is "behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel".
Okay - taking that definition, it expands the parameter and includes 'how one feels' in the process.
How one feels about what one believes re "the death of an innocent" being different re "the death of the guilty", then to answer the question you put forth;
Is it hypocritical to oppose abortion but support the death penalty?
....the answer would still have to be 'no, it is not'.

Post Reply