Massachusetts bishops speak out against death penalty for alleged Boston Marathon bomber
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LongingSoul
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These statements with the power of the unified voice of the bishops, are becoming stronger and more specific. There is no doubt that their aim is to assure Catholics that they can trust in this development as the right way for humankind to go!
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gilliam
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As the case against admitted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev wraps up, the Catholic bishops of Massachusetts released a statement Monday reiterating the Church’s opposition to the death penalty.
“The defendant in this case has been neutralized and will never again have the ability to cause harm,” the statement reads. “Because of this, we, the Catholic Bishops of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, believe that society can do better than the death penalty.”
The bishops – representing the Archdiocese of Boston and the Dioceses of Fall River, Springfield, and Worcester – quote the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’s 2005 statement on the death penalty, which states, “no matter how heinous the crime, if society can protect itself without ending a human life, it should do so.”
cruxnow.com/church/2015/04/06/mass-bishops-no-death-penalty-in-boston-bombing-case/
“The defendant in this case has been neutralized and will never again have the ability to cause harm,” the statement reads. “Because of this, we, the Catholic Bishops of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, believe that society can do better than the death penalty.”
The bishops – representing the Archdiocese of Boston and the Dioceses of Fall River, Springfield, and Worcester – quote the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’s 2005 statement on the death penalty, which states, “no matter how heinous the crime, if society can protect itself without ending a human life, it should do so.”
cruxnow.com/church/2015/04/06/mass-bishops-no-death-penalty-in-boston-bombing-case/
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Neofight
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Amen, Brother Sean!
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KendraDZ1902
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I just feel like terrorists should die.
I also don’t understand why it isn’t OK to execute a terrorist, but we can go to war and kill them. :ehh:
I also don’t understand why it isn’t OK to execute a terrorist, but we can go to war and kill them. :ehh:
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DaveBj
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All due respect to the bishops, but he has been “neutralized” only for the moment. They cannot guarantee what he might do in the future.
In any case, it’s not up to them. It’s up to the jury and the judge, whom God had given the authority to pass and carry out judgment.
In any case, it’s not up to them. It’s up to the jury and the judge, whom God had given the authority to pass and carry out judgment.
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esieffe
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Prisoners like this go to supermax prisons and are sentenced with possibility of parole. He will truly be neutralized and like the shoe bomber who was sentenced to a supermax, he will never again see the sun.
If he ever “does” anything again, there won’t be anyone around to see it except one guard a few minutes a day. Death would be an act of kindness. I would much rather be executed than to slowly rot in a box and go insane.
If he ever “does” anything again, there won’t be anyone around to see it except one guard a few minutes a day. Death would be an act of kindness. I would much rather be executed than to slowly rot in a box and go insane.
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twoshoes
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All Souls are Gods, we are his creation. If a person commits murder and is executed for that murder he has no chance to ever become a servant of Gods. I found out late in life the Great Love of our Savior Jesus Christ. I am thankful God has given me a long life to get to know his unlimited Love.
Executing a terrorist is ending any chance he may have in returning to God. Most of all it cancels the Will of God. " Your Will Father not mine".
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Blue_Goose
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I agree that he has been ‘neutralized’ only for the moment. It is entirely possible that at some future date some group could capture one or more high value Americans and try to negotiate the release of Tsarnaev. That is only one of a number of scenarios that could play out.
If his was the act of a common criminal I might be more supportive of the Bishops’ position, But this is much more than a criminal act. This person, and his brother, in their minds, were committing an act of war against the United States and its citizens.
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7_Sorrows
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I agree he is “neutralized” for the moment. But he could possibly still do harm behind bars if he does not have a conversion of his heart and
continues to follow the same extremist ideology.
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esieffe
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I like and agree with most of the things you say, so dont take this personally ok?
The terrorists on the battle field are an open threat, death comes down to who the best shot is if you, their enemy are seen by them.
If he has been captured alive, and found guilty of murder in OUR country, he most likely will go to jail forever without the chance of parole. He will be in a supermax. Escape is not possible. He will not get out and is not a threat. He may even repent and convert. It is not right to kill when there is no threat, or need to kill. We kill only in self defense when there is no other way, and even then, your life will never be the same
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GaryTaylor
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Did he repent and apologize and show remorse?
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KendraDZ1902
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I’m not offended, at all.I like and agree with most of the things you say, so dont take this personally ok?
The terrorists on the battle field are an open threat, death comes down to who the best shot is if you, their enemy are seen by them.
If he has been captured alive, and found guilty of murder in OUR country, he most likely will go to jail forever without the chance of parole. He will be in a supermax. Escape is not possible. He will not get out and is not a threat. He may even repent and convert. It is not right to kill when there is no threat, or need to kill. We kill only in self defense when there is no other way, and even then, your life will never be the same
I guess I get that he will never get out and there should be no threat from him, but terrorism is terrifying. Not only did he kill people and severely injure others, he makes people afraid. Terrorists turn normal people into these people who are prejudice against Muslims. Who don’t want “those people” around them because of sheer fear. I think that is horrendous.
It’s like I understand, but I don’t. To me he did more than “just” blow some people up.
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Neofight
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Did you, or would you not, forgive him, even if he didn’t?
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GaryTaylor
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If the Bishop can get him off without showing remorse America will have to abolish the death penalty. Might be a minor miracle perhaps worthy of a trip to Mass.
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Miss_Felicity
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God Bless these bishops. We in such a cycle of killing and death and revenge. Thank God someone wants to make a dent in that cycle.
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DaveBj
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Will God forgive him he does not repent and ask for forgiveness?
The words of Jesus: “Except ye REPENT (= change your mind about what you’re doing/have done), ye shall all likewise perish.”
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7_Sorrows
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If he is in supermax will his correspondence be read?
Will he be able to make any kind of book or movie deal? I worry he can still be a danger in prison.
Will he be able to make any kind of book or movie deal? I worry he can still be a danger in prison.
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J_Peterson
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God has already forgiven all of our sins. Our job is to accept His forgiveness which of course is a very large part of repentance/conversion (admitting we are sinners in need of forgiveness). God did His part on the Cross, it’s up to us now.
I agree with the Bishops 100%. I’m really starting to believe that we will see the end of the death penalty in the U.S. in my lifetime. This is a beautiful homily from Good Friday on this subject:
datinggod.org/2015/04/03/good-friday-a-call-to-abolish-capital-punishment/
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GaryTaylor
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Dave, I think they are moving into the sentencing phase of the trial in Mass now. So we will see how the mitigating factors come into play. I have seen both his sister and mother on the news lately and they are still talking a radical narrative as from the start. I haven’t heard anything in relation from the defendant.
Right though, being defiant in court won’t help the outcome, it only will insure a maximum sentence.
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