Death Penalty article in 2+2 magazine

I'll start with a qiote from the magazine forum which I think, due to the nature of my response, is better suited to this forum.

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It's just a shame to see something so irrelevant included in the issue.

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Any opportunity to make a wrong right should be courageously taken.

David,

I simply think you do not go far enough. All death penalties should be eliminated from statutes in every country, not only the barbarian ones. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

I am sure every pro-lifer and every believer will be in agreement with this. The pro-lifers because, well, they are pro life, and the believers because I suspect they would not have the arrogance to abrogate god's judgement which will come at the time of his choosing (well, according to their beliefs as I understand them).

And that is where I disagree with you, there should be no exceptions, for certainty is not part of the human realm of experience (simple observation will confirm this), neither does it achieve anything really (it does not reduce crimes in those country that have it against those that don't).

I think you are thinking like a poker player, in terms of odds. Well, I, for one, will never play poker, or russian roulette, should my, or someone else, life be at stake.

By the way, thanks for your article and books, they help . [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] The same goes for all 2+2 authors.

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I am sure every pro-lifer and every believer will be in agreement with this. The pro-lifers because, well, they are pro life, and the believers because I suspect they would not have the arrogance to abrogate god's judgement which will come at the time of his choosing (well, according to their beliefs as I understand them).

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I think you under-(over?)-estimate believers. Catholics are against the death penalty, but most Protestant denominations I know of are for it.

[vulturesrow]

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I am sure every pro-lifer and every believer will be in agreement with this. The pro-lifers because, well, they are pro life, and the believers because I suspect they would not have the arrogance to abrogate god's judgement which will come at the time of his choosing (well, according to their beliefs as I understand them).

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I think you under-(over?)-estimate believers. Catholics are against the death penalty, but most Protestant denominations I know of are for it.

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Just to be clear, the teachings of the Catholic Church on the death penalty are no against it. Its something that the Church leaves to the individual.

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"The new evangelization calls for followers of Christ who are unconditionally pro-life: who will proclaim, celebrate and serve the Gospel of life in every situation. A sign of hope is the increasing recognition that the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil. Modern society has the means of protecting itself, without definitively denying criminals the chance to reform. I renew the appeal I made most recently at Christmas for a consensus to end the death penalty, which is both cruel and unnecessary."

--Pope John Paul II, January 27, 1999, St. Louis, Missouri

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The Pope was against the death penalty. Not sure about this new guy, though.

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I am sure every pro-lifer and every believer will be in agreement with this. The pro-lifers because, well, they are pro life, and the believers because I suspect they would not have the arrogance to abrogate god's judgement which will come at the time of his choosing (well, according to their beliefs as I understand them).

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I think you under-(over?)-estimate believers. Catholics are against the death penalty, but most Protestant denominations I know of are for it.

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Just to be clear, the teachings of the Catholic Church on the death penalty are no against it. Its something that the Church leaves to the individual.

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I was always taught in Catholic school that the Church is completely against the death penalty, unless that is the only way to prevent more deaths. But with today's modern prison systems, that is so rarely the case as to be negligible.

"pro-life" refers to a stance in abortion issues, not death penalty issues

[DougShrapnel]

David, was intrigued by the death penalty article. I only wish that you where able to give some actually numbers about the affects of leaving a criminal go free vs locking him up for some period of time. Killing an innocent man well, I think any insurance company can tell you what that is worth. I'm not sure if that is the number you'd want to use since it won't nearly be 200 horrible points. Getting a good estimate and showing how you arrived at those numbers, would strenghten your claim a grat deal.

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"pro-life" refers to a stance in abortion issues, not death penalty issues

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LOL

That is exactly what I was expecting/hoping for. Which give me a chance to point out the total inconsistency of the pro-life movement, and it's hijacking of the term it uses to describe itself, as a means of evoking an emotional response instead of reason to justify its meddling with the affairs of others.

Don't impose your concepts, pseudo-morality and ideas on others. By all means retraint from abortion for anyone in your group, but don't assume authority over the rest of the world.

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