I agree with you.
But doesn't corporal punishment also include the death penalty?
Is it really a deterrent to violent crime?
The Mosaic Law prescribed it. It is a an option today for the government. But it can be abused.
Arkansas tried to execute 8 men within a week. The reason for this was not about speedy justice being carried out. The reason was that one of the drugs they use was going to expire shortly before the executions. They didn't want to buy more for the executions!
The Catholics are against all killing of human beings. This includes abortion and the death penalty. One reason is, that there are some innocent men on death row and occassionally they are freed by new evidence. They argue why kill innocent people...there is no opportunity to review a case after they are dead.
I have supported the death penalty for years. But the argument by the Catholics is very persuasive.
What do you think?
I am for the death penalty, because we know that it is God's Will that if a man intentionally take the life of another their life is forfeit, which also applies in my view to those who take the lives of the unborn child (and I am not saying its okay to murder abortion doctors, because those who do violate God's will just as the abortion doctors do).
As far as the Catholic position goes, it is wrong, in my view, because that violates a pretty simple principle God has established, and I personally have great faith in our Justice system. Those sentenced to death have years in which a wrongful prosecution can be overturned. Usually it is a loophole murderers hope to find, rather than evidence of their innocence.
It is true that innocent men have been put to death, and that is a tragedy any time it occurs, but, the sad fact of a fallen world is that there are people who themselves hold places and positions of authority and abuse that authority, thus themselves violating God's will. That doesn't mean we stop trying to fulfill His will where we have an established principle, and, we know that those who abuse authority and criminally carry out executions for their own agenda...will have to answer to God for their deeds.
Saddam Hussein was a good example of the principle of governing authority being violated. He was dealt with. But, just as sometimes innocent men may be put to death, even so innocent Iraqi citizens died at the hands of the governing authority that failed in its mandate to deliver Justice and be an agent of God in the judgment of those who do evil. So I do not deny tragedies occur, and innocent men die, but, in large part those who sit on death row today have been found guilty of murder and that they have forfeited their lives is not our decision, that is God's decision, and He has made this known to us.
God bless.
