I think when we humans came across the idea of death penalty, it was only intended for heinous crimes!! Meaning, massacres and such.

Originally Posted by Kyoko Otonashi

I am personally really against the death penalty. Part of it is my religion and that the 10 commandments say, "Though shalt not kill" and i view the death penalty as killing or murdering someone. I also see it as a "do as i say, not as i do" teaching method.

Secondly, it's not really always a deterrent. Just think about it and look at the murders that have happened (i'm not talking about huge serial killer headlines, which is like 1 out of 100 murders). Most of the people that murder were in a crime of passion and "wow, death penalty!" doesn't cross through their minds. People don't refrain from killing each other because of the law, they refrain from killing each other because most people hold the value that it's morally wrong!

About the 10 commandments part, try to look it up in the internet. We've debated on this and I was shocked to know that the actual translation is "Thou shall not murder." You might be a little confused.
As we all know, the decalogue was first written in Hebrew. And the exact translation is not "kill", but "murder". Meaning, if we kill a person only for the reason of defense, it's not against the commandment. But when we kill because of grudge or something of the sort, it's a crime and therefore, against the commandment. Here's where you are wrong. Death Penalty is not against the 6th commandment.

I think capital punishment is logical.

If someone commits a truly horrible crime, then society really hates them, some people even fear them. The logical solution is to exact vengeance by making them no longer a threat. Erego, kill them.

I think it's a sensible solution too. Some people really deserve death. But not in all cases.

I actually don't think it matters. Capital punishment is far more humane, but life imprisonment, assuming it actually is life imprisonment (no parole, no prison breaks, etc) does the job of punishing them as well.

I don't know. I think life imprisonment does the best job of dealing with criminals. The only reason I would advocate the death penalty is because it's really unfair to put some prisoners in a prison.

Like, on OZ. Tobias Beecher was a lawyer, got absolutely smashed and went joyriding. He ended up crashing into a little girl on her bike and really killing her. Then they send him to OZ where Vern Schillinger (in for beating a drug dealer to death and he also happens to be the leader of the local chapter of the aryan brotherhood) makes Tobias into his "bitch." He rapes him, tatoos a swastika onto his butt and also just generally degrades him. And all he can do is go to the warden who can offer to put him in protective custody. For a week or two at a time. Which of course would earn him even worse treatment when he got out.

I think it would have been more merciful, and more appropriate, to just execute him.

Why should I pay taxes to keep someone alive that went of a killing spree? Why should I be forced to pay for his food, his clothes, his quarters? If I lost someone to murder, I would want the killer dead, not sitting there in jail. I know jail life isn't a bed of roses but if you've killed or raped a number of people, I really think spending life in jail isn't enough. Especially since people are being put on parole.

@ Servant: I think it was said somewhere that an execution costs tax payers more than to keep the prisoner alive. I'm not sure how that math works, so maybe not, but I did hear that.

Also, as far as vengeance goes, murder is severely short sighted. It's far more of a punishment to take away someone's freedom forever, reduce them to the level of a child, take away any right to choose, expose them to horrible conditions, make them live every day with the possibility that they will die, or be victim to any number of crimes, whithout any ability to do anything about it.

So much worse than killing them.
In comparison, capital punishment wouldn't satisfy my wrath.

There have been cases where it was later proven that someone on death row was wrongfully accused. And who knows how many other mistakes have been made in the judicial system?!?

And for this reason I believe the death penalty is wrong and that the double jeopardy law is dumb. If someone commits a crime, is tried for it, proven not guilty by the jury, but later writes a novel about it stating that he really is guilty... he should be tried again. ::cough, cough::OJSimpson::cough, cough::

The only downside to having so many people serving life sentences is that the money that keeps them there is out of tax payers pockets, but I think it's necessary. It allows the criminal to think about what they have done and also allows them the time to find religion.

Death Penalty, interesting topic, I could debate for hours on end about this. Let me begin my argument to say that throughout this I am believing that the intent of the killer was to kill, without a fact. So when responding dont mention "But what if it was an accident?" because I will not respond, that is a completely new set of ideas. So for now, the person killed with the intent to kill.

1.) My tax dollars are going to keeping a man who will never see the day of light again in prison. Makes no sense at all. He will get a roof over his head, three square meals a day, and even recreation time in most cases. Sounds almost like a resort to me except with other criminals. that brings me to the point also that when a killer has a death sentence...and commits a murder in prison what happens? He gets another life sentence? wow, so instead of 100 years he has 200 years in prison. He was not going to get out before and now he definantly wont. So this seems to almost be a license to kill. Because the most that will happen is he is put into confinement for a few months or a year or so.

2.) In prison he will think about what he did, causing him grief and thus more punishment. Doubtful. If someone killed with the intent to kill, normally (note the special circumstances.) they will not regret what they had done and thus will never give it a second thought. As for the special circumstances if say the person killed on accident or in self defense, death penalty normally isnt a punishment option.

3.)The bible says its wrong! BUZZZZ, incorrect. I am a Christians so dont think I am some atheist or something. But never think that is says anywhere in the bible that capital punishment is wrong. Infact it happened all the time during those times. People would be killed for doing crimes as serious as working on the day of the sabbath. (Sunday day for Christians, Saturday I belive for Jews.).

4.) What about the commandment that says "Thou shall not kill"? Actually, when directly translated it comes to, "Thou shall not commit murder". And in the old testament what was the punishment for commit a sin such as this? Death, if your unsure of this read back in Exodus when Moses received the commandments from God on Zion.

5.) Innocent people may be killed! Yes, this may happen, but the chances are very low. but doesnt this happen in the justice system as a whole? Arent people sent to jail on accident? This just goes back to the justice system in America being out of whack.

what i dont get is here in the UK we have a guy that has pleaded guilty to taking part in the london boming. now you would thing that this would be a perfect time to use the death penalty but nope instead what are they going to do?

oh just let him get out sooner.. in 22 months infact. i mean come on ffs, isnt this a little easy on a guy that helped ruin and end loads of peoples lives?

surly situations like this could be used in such a way. when the person has acted agains the land, the crown and the people. its treason let aalone terorism!

do what they did in the olden days hang the twat! then it will get the message across that its really not a good idea to do it, instead of going easy on the guy....

OK, this is what I think we should do... But your going to think me a morbid freak, nope it would work. Public hangings, a painful way to die. Public remember, where everybody can see you. Then your head gets shoved on a pike around the hanging stand. Within a year or two you'd see the crime rate plummet. But since that will never happen.. Yep kill the bloody bastard really nice and mean. That'll make you think twice before doing something.

Right! Here we go. Personally I believe life is the best way to take people, if they tweaked a few things. Personally being life in jail really isn't that bad in America at least. We have nice prisons, free wonderful health care, decent grub, plenty of things to do. It really isn't all to shabby. It also pulls in lots, and lots of tax dollars to fund prisons all over the nation. Sure we spend useless tax dollars are so many things but why add one more? Truly prisons cost lots of money, construction, security (who could be sent out getting more criminals), staff, food, medical care, restoration, etc. Which means that there are lots of well trained people there to, who should be doing something more productive.

I'm for the Death Penalty because of that. And if anybody, anybody says its cruel it is OK? Yeah, its supposed to be cruel. Payback for the families and from the US to the guy who deserves it. He killed, raped somebody, etc. The guy deserves to die because of what he did. If you don't nobody has to pay for what they've done, and that isn't a way to run everything.

Bleh..

Originally Posted by unloved_prinzes

About the 10 commandments part, try to look it up in the internet. We've debated on this and I was shocked to know that the actual translation is "Thou shall not murder." You might be a little confused.
As we all know, the decalogue was first written in Hebrew. And the exact translation is not "kill", but "murder". Meaning, if we kill a person only for the reason of defense, it's not against the commandment. But when we kill because of grudge or something of the sort, it's a crime and therefore, against the commandment. Here's where you are wrong. Death Penalty is not against the 6th commandment.

I said "killing or murdering" in my first post. I'm extremely aware of what the original translation is. It also depends on what you view the death penalty as. I view killing or murder to be the unwanted end of someone's life. And i don't agree with it. I don't feel that we humans have the right to take away someone's life, even if they have committed a heinous crime. When my aunt was murdered i asked that the killer serve life in prison. Being as it was in Spain he's serving time in prison. I prefer they just get them off the streets and out of my way. But being Catholic i believe that God will deal with them in his own way after they are dead. I value human life and i don't justify murder or killing in any form or fashion of humans (of animals yes because they serve as food for us, but we shouldn't kill out of sport). I'm against abortion because i'm pro-life for myself (though i don't quite feel i should tell a mother what she can do with her body before the third trimester yet) and i think it's hypocritical of a christian to say, "I'm pro-life! I value human life!" and support the death penalty. I don't feel that humans have the right to pass judgement to the point of death. Retribution is not in my nature, and i don't think it solves anything. Killing a killer makes just as much sense as hitting a kid for hitting someone "do as i say, not as i do".

Also, the death penalty has killed the wrong person before. a man once donated his bone marrow to a guy. The guy that received the donation murdered someone, and when they did a DNA test they captured the guy who had donated his bone marrow. Because of a good deed he was sentenced to death, widowing his wife and 2 children. A few years later they realized their mistake that he had done nothing wrong. That ONE case sets my beliefs in stone that the death penalty is not a good thing in any way. People don't kill because it's against the law, they don't kill because they feel it's immoral! Those that kill are caught up in the moment or screwed up in the head and aren't going to think about the consequences of the death penalty

Kyoko Otonashi:

I understand all the wrongs that can happen. Still more rights then wrong come of it right? Also the Bible states this:

Numbers 35:16
If a man strikes someone with an iron object so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.

Numbers 35:17
Or if anyone has a stone in his hand that could kill, and he strikes someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.

Numbers 35:18
Or if anyone has a wooden object in his hand that could kill, and he hits someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.

Numbers 35:19
The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death.

Numbers 35:21
or if in hostility he hits him with his fist so that he dies, that person shall be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

Numbers 35:25
The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send him back to the city of refuge to which he fled. He must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

Numbers 35:27
and the avenger of blood finds him outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder.

Numbers 35:30
" 'Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.

Verses from the bible contradict each other left and right. The 10 commandments are the simplest of morals which is what i live by. The rest of the bible is up for interpretation and sifting through to try and find actual word of god vs. common morals slipped in. I might be Catholic, but in my church we were taught to use that lovely gray matter in our heads that God created ;)

And i don't see how the death penalty makes good. Locking them up removes them from society just as well as locking them up. And it's also not necessarily cost effective to kill them, either...since it often costs the same. I don't understand how killing someone for killing someone solves anything. Shouldn't the executioner be put to death, then?

• It should be legalized... Seriously passing their days doing nothing and then just occupy a space?! They should die. I'm talking about the ones who kill. Because those ones shouldn't even have a day to think about on what they did. And the ones who rape to!
  
  They then get away to escape from jail.. And it's not fair...

Originally Posted by Livia

• It should be legalized... Seriously passing their days doing nothing and then just occupy a space?! They should die. I'm talking about the ones who kill. Because those ones shouldn't even have a day to think about on what they did. And the ones who rape to!
  
  They then get away to escape from jail.. And it's not fair...

Rapists will never be given the death penalty. Death far exceeds an equal punishment to rape.

Kyoko: Not if you look at them right. They easily contradict each other, but I've actually read through the entire Bible within a month, and done like that and re-thinking it makes perfect since.

Yes God does say use your brain. He also says that the Bible is the full truth. And that you should obey those rules, thus giving the death penalty is going by his rules. If you do not then I am sorry, you are going against God.

Locking them up takes space, resources, and there is always the possibility of him getting out. The problem is that people do get out, whether if their verdict is changed, or they somehow escape. If you kill them its the easy way out, but they don't clog space and take away form people who could be doing something better then sit around and live a nice life. Trust me, I've been to some prisons in America, and read over their building graphs, and they aren't that bad. You can have friends, books, decent grub, everything. Sure you can't go anywhere but it really isn't super, super bad once you'd except it. It costs a lot of money to hold a prison, its money wasted when you could just kill them.

Also God says to merciful, and if killing them is mercy why not do so?

Furthermore, why not hang them? Its painful, but its also mercy to if you look at it. It is mercy that you are showing what will happen to others if they do what they did.

Also (wow I can't think of another word then also) when the death penalty was around less murders happened then now that they don't have the death penalty as much.

Originally Posted by admonished nonsense

Kyoko: Not if you look at them right. They easily contradict each other, but I've actually read through the entire Bible within a month, and done like that and re-thinking it makes perfect since.

Yes God does say use your brain. He also says that the Bible is the full truth. And that you should obey those rules, thus giving the death penalty is going by his rules. If you do not then I am sorry, you are going against God.

Locking them up takes space, resources, and there is always the possibility of him getting out. The problem is that people do get out, whether if their verdict is changed, or they somehow escape. If you kill them its the easy way out, but they don't clog space and take away form people who could be doing something better then sit around and live a nice life. Trust me, I've been to some prisons in America, and read over their building graphs, and they aren't that bad. You can have friends, books, decent grub, everything. Sure you can't go anywhere but it really isn't super, super bad once you'd except it. It costs a lot of money to hold a prison, its money wasted when you could just kill them.

Also God says to merciful, and if killing them is mercy why not do so?

Furthermore, why not hang them? Its painful, but its also mercy to if you look at it. It is mercy that you are showing what will happen to others if they do what they did.

Also (wow I can't think of another word then also) when the death penalty was around less murders happened then now that they don't have the death penalty as much.

God says, IN THE BIBLE that the bible is absolute truth. You cannot prove a document's validity using only itself. I use my personal relationship with God as a guide. Killing is the unwanted end of a life. I don't care whether it is lawful or not.

Secondly, look at Texas vs states without the death penalty. There really isn't a raise in murder in states without the death penalty.

Honestly, I think the person should choose, I say this because there are high suicide rates in jails and most of the people who kill them selves are are people with life time sentences.

I don't think their should be a death penalty. Mainly because it takes a long time for that person to make their way to actually being executed. They keep appealing, and stalling for time. It's useless to have one. Life in prison, with no way of getting out seems fair enough. They could even become a better person in the process.

God says, IN THE BIBLE that the bible is absolute truth. You cannot prove a document's validity using only itself. I use my personal relationship with God as a guide. Killing is the unwanted end of a life. I don't care whether it is lawful or not.

Secondly, look at Texas vs states without the death penalty. There really isn't a raise in murder in states without the death penalty.

If your saying the Bible is a document thats kinda wrong in my view. It can be viewed as one, for history purposes which is a good thing. Yet it is a Holy book of God. I was kinda confused XD. Mornings..

Anyway also your personal relationship with God is your guide. If it goes against the Bible something it wrong. It always turns out bad, I have a good example. I'm Episcopalian, or was, not sure if we've left the Episcopal church yet. Our Bishop, who's a women yes, but I'm not be sexist at all. She's a horrible, horrible women. She says she had a revelation, along with half the Church have decided God has told them several things. One, God, Jesus, isn't the only way to heaven, she says that other religions are just as good as the others. As long as you follow them all with your hole heart. She says that being gay (a rather large thing going around the Anglican church) isn't against the Bible. Gay marriages, Bishops, clergy are alright. And great. So I'm just saying if you go out of the way what the Bible says it will probably turn out bad..

As I said I was kinda confused, so if this is totally off track sorry.

Now you don't have to like it. I don't either. Its God law and I'm going to obey it myself. Whether I like it or not.

I was wrong, my bad. It really doesn't have a difference. Because only eleven people have been executed in the last twenty years. Oops.

Public hangings, all over the world even have kept down crime. Even mixing in with their population, police forces, etc. I just need to do the math and get it right. Gah.. Hate math.

I think this:
1) we are nobody to decide on anyone's life, we havent got that right and we should never take it no matter how horrible and painful the crime the prisoner commited
2) In the very old days in civilized places,criminals were put apart and condemt to live away from the city or village alone on his own..as a way to show him or her that he or she was not suitable to live among a society as a punishment.
3) Dying would be too easy dont you think? imagine your daughter has been raped and killed ...do you really think by dying it can be solved? no...the best thing for them is to get rotten in jail for life.

Originally Posted by Trinitydoll

I think this:
1) we are nobody to decide on anyone's life, we havent got that right and we should never take it no matter how horrible and painful the crime the prisoner commited
2) In the very old days in civilized places,criminals were put apart and condemt to live away from the city or village alone on his own..as a way to show him or her that he or she was not suitable to live among a society as a punishment.
3) Dying would be too easy dont you think? imagine your daughter has been raped and killed ...do you really think by dying it can be solved? no...the best thing for them is to get rotten in jail for life.

We are nobody to decide another's life? Then who is? The criminals are going to be the only ones to do so?

In the very old days people where banished for different reasons then murdering. The murderers became hanged, and heads lobbed off more often then being banished. Being banished was often for doing something against the church, light treason, or to much arguing against the ruler. Murder usually ended up with death. In the 'good old days' also many a time the banished where killed anyway. By traveling highway men, etc.

Once more the trouble with todays jails is they are nice. If it was a crappy place, where you would barely survive for the rest of your life I'd totally agree right now. The problem is jails are so nice you get hope, and with the modern prisons the suicide rate has gone down.

Jail suicide rates are down 64 percent nationwide, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics. Theres hope, for getting out, finding God, either way theres hope. If they find God I am happy for them, but one must reap what he sows. Getting a cozy life in jail where you can not have to worry about the world beyond doesn't seem like punishment..

to tell the truth i think that if its a cases like rapists murderers and child molester, you know the type of crime that really messes up people lifes, i think that these should atleast be life sentances.

and when i say life i mean live. because it really pisses me off when i read about people that have kill, or assisted people that have coursed mass killing, get a reduced sentance and are out on the streets in no time.

even if they do admit it i dont think they should get a reduction. so what if they know what they have done was bad, they knew it was before hand, its not going to change the fact they have done it.

Originally Posted by admonished nonsense

If your saying the Bible is a document thats kinda wrong in my view. It can be viewed as one, for history purposes which is a good thing. Yet it is a Holy book of God. I was kinda confused XD. Mornings..

Anyway also your personal relationship with God is your guide. If it goes against the Bible something it wrong. It always turns out bad, I have a good example. I'm Episcopalian, or was, not sure if we've left the Episcopal church yet. Our Bishop, who's a women yes, but I'm not be sexist at all. She's a horrible, horrible women. She says she had a revelation, along with half the Church have decided God has told them several things. One, God, Jesus, isn't the only way to heaven, she says that other religions are just as good as the others. As long as you follow them all with your hole heart. She says that being gay (a rather large thing going around the Anglican church) isn't against the Bible. Gay marriages, Bishops, clergy are alright. And great. So I'm just saying if you go out of the way what the Bible says it will probably turn out bad..

As I said I was kinda confused, so if this is totally off track sorry.

Now you don't have to like it. I don't either. Its God law and I'm going to obey it myself. Whether I like it or not.

I was wrong, my bad. It really doesn't have a difference. Because only eleven people have been executed in the last twenty years. Oops.

Public hangings, all over the world even have kept down crime. Even mixing in with their population, police forces, etc. I just need to do the math and get it right. Gah.. Hate math.

There've been many cases of bible moral being outdated and ignored. Slavery and women rights for one. So are we wrong to ignore those? Your beliefs can, in part, go against the bible.

The bible is a holy book and a history book (to some degree) but it still cannot be proven as 100% truth, as it was written by men, and men are prone to sin, and was later revised and edited.

Death penalty should be abolished would you like to face it ? Most likely not because right now you might say Yea I would less suffering mine as well die faster. Wrong its easier said than done you are narrow-minded to think that its easy to say that and actually do it but guess what its not happening to you so its easy for you to say that.

Well if your a goof person you'll choose death penalty if your bad you'll choose Life imprisonment because its better to die than living in Prison but in Bibble its say "You Shall Not Kill" but if you kill him you'll get a sin so my question is
What will you do help the criminal not to suffer and get a sin because of killing him?? or just let him suffer in Jaill and don't get a SIN..so for me i don't like to see people suffer really but in getting myself suffer because of helping someone not to suffer is really a bad thing to happen,well why do sometimes when you help it gives you bad thing while if you do bad thing it give you benefits??But as far as I know if your Good youll get reward?.I think the reward is that if you die..well if you die (If your good) youll get a happy life in Kingdom Of God..