Massachusetts bishops speak out against death penalty for alleged Boston Marathon bomber

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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.”
My question was not “will God”, but was, “will you”. Only God, not you, knows the heart of this man. You are not qualified to judge him for God.

However, you are called to forgive.

Failure to forgive, Christ tells us, will preclude you from receiving divine forgiveness.

So, by failing to forgive, you have made yourself as bad as you perceive this man to be.

Peace and all Good!
 
Here is the heart of the bishops’ statement:The Church has taught that the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity are “rare, if not practically nonexistent.” The Church’s teaching is further developing in recognition of the inherent dignity of all life as a gift from God. As Pope Francis has recently stated, “[The death penalty] is an offense against the inviolability of life and the dignity of the human person. When the death penalty is applied, it is not for a current act of oppression, but rather for an act committed in the past. It is also applied to persons whose current ability to cause harm is not current, as it has been neutralized – they are already deprived of their liberty.”
Let’s take it one piece at a time.
The Church has taught that the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity are “rare, if not practically nonexistent.
The determination of “necessity” here appears based solely on the consideration of physical protection, but is the good of society limited just to protecting ourselves? Pius XII rejected this perception. *Most of the modern theories of penal law explain penalty and justify it in the final analysis as a means of protection, that is, defense of the community against criminal undertakings… but those theories fail to consider the expiation of the crime committed, which penalizes the violation of the law as the prime function of penalty.
*
The Church’s teaching is further developing in recognition of the inherent dignity of all life as a gift from God.
Is the church just now recognizing the inherent dignity of life? Have they been wrong on this for 2000 years? In fact, there is no development of doctrine here.*It is manifestly impossible for Catholic doctrine on the death penalty to “develop” from an approbation based on revealed truth to a condemnation based on the teaching of the last Pope. And, if we are not discussing the immorality of capital punishment in itself, when all is said and done it is not a question of “development” of doctrine, but only the debatable application of a morally legitimate penalty. *(Christopher Ferrera)
As Pope Francis has recently stated, “[The death penalty] is an offense against the inviolability of life and the dignity of the human person.
Even today the church allows capital punishment is certain extreme circumstances. If Pope Francis’ comment is true then it would be an exception to the rule that we cannot do evil that good may come of it. Surely if something was “an offense against the inviolability of life and the dignity of the human person” it should be forbidden…but we know it isn’t in this case.
When the death penalty is applied, it is not for a current act of oppression, but rather for an act committed in the past.
This is surely the strangest objection of them all. Of course a penalty is applied for a past act; that is the nature of punishment. What is the primary objective of all punishment? The primary scope of the penalty is to redress the disorder caused by the offense. (CCC 2266)
We have truly gone down a rabbit hole when bishops have lost sight of the primary function of punishment: redressing the wrong already committed. Of course it is applied for a past act:
nothing else justifies punishment
. A person is punished because he deserves it for something he has already done, something in the past. People who oppose capital punishment may be pleased with the bishops’ stance, but the arguments they present in support of their position range from poor to atrocious.

Ender
 
I don’t see where the Catholic and USA Court teachings are mutually exclusive.

He “knows” what he did the only mitigating factor which is witnessed is his learned behavior thus influence by family, brother etc. He could save his own life by admitting he was wrong, he is not crazy, he “knew” what he was doing. If he continues on insisting for being a martyr for God then he has the “conscious” choice to do this. He is his own worst enemy in court.

Further the constitution and our law is not based on the “divinity of Jesus Christ” and His teaching exclusively.
 
My question was not “will God”, but was, “will you”. Only God, not you, knows the heart of this man. You are not qualified to judge him for God.

However, you are called to forgive.

Failure to forgive, Christ tells us, will preclude you from receiving divine forgiveness.

So, by failing to forgive, you have made yourself as bad as you perceive this man to be.

Peace and all Good!
Do you understand this case is indicative of Indiana and the proposal of national acceptance of Article 5? You cannot impose Catholic teaching on the states, its discrimination. What you can do is address the Constitution to acknowledge the “Divinity of Christ” otherwise we are talking Indiana and who has the right to interpret scripture which isn’t for the court to decide but for the people state to state. Just as with gay rights.

Its a fact we should respect the rights of Catholics as it would be discrimination. You are discriminating by imposing your belief on others. Its irrelevant that I’m Catholic and don’t believe in the death penalty anyway. 🤷
 
Do you understand this case is indicative of Indiana and the proposal of national acceptance of Article 5? You cannot impose Catholic teaching on the states, its discrimination. What you can do is address the Constitution to acknowledge the “Divinity of Christ” otherwise we are talking Indiana and who has the right to interpret scripture which isn’t for the court to decide but for the people state to state. Just as with gay rights.

Its a fact we should respect the rights of Catholics as it would be discrimination. You are discriminating by imposing your belief on others. Its irrelevant that I’m Catholic and don’t believe in the death penalty anyway. 🤷
Whoa…who said anything about imposing Catholic teaching on the state…the point of discussion here is not the state, but how Catholics in good faith can so easily justify capital punishment…especially as we prepare for Divine Mercy Sunday, is all I’m saying.

God said he does not take pleasure in the death of a sinner, but in their conversion. Speaking for myself, I did not come to honest conversion until well into my 50s. Another poster indicated mercy should not be offered anyone who does not repent and ask forgiveness…but what is a suitable time frame? I would submit to you, God has no time limit on his mercy. Whether we turn back to him today, or three decades from now, his mercy and grace is the same.

Taking the life of someone who has done wrong, simply put, in many cases can take away an opportunity for repentance and conversion. We are, therefore, playing God.

Peace and all good!
 
Whoa…who said anything about imposing Catholic teaching on the state…the point of discussion here is not the state, but how Catholics in good faith can so easily justify capital punishment…especially as we prepare for Divine Mercy Sunday, is all I’m saying.
Originally Posted by GaryTaylor View Post
Did he repent and apologize and show remorse?
You…“Did you, or would you not, forgive him, even if he didn’t?”
I was talking about the state law if thats OK, an the application of it and the defendants “conscious”,in which your question is about what I personally believe as a Catholic, sorry about any confusion, so we have two ideals, whats needed is the consensus of Catholics in comprehension of teaching. And then consensus of Christians in majority to change the law into a collective understanding by state. This needs to happen I think to be mutually exclusive to what the Court thinks. Its both, moral and legal and I was speaking legal and you were speaking a Catholic perspective in which what I am saying addressed that point and legally.
 
“The death penalty is an offense to the dignity of the human person” -
so murder is not? Murder takes the life of one or more people and their dignity as a human person was robbed from them in a violent way. For those of us who have lost a loved one because of murder know what an offense it is.
I know we are supposed teach forgiveness and being able to forgive is wonderful, but what is “just” punishment?
 
My question was not “will God”, but was, “will you”. Only God, not you, knows the heart of this man. You are not qualified to judge him for God.

However, you are called to forgive.

Failure to forgive, Christ tells us, will preclude you from receiving divine forgiveness.

So, by failing to forgive, you have made yourself as bad as you perceive this man to be.

Peace and all Good!
It is not up to me to forgive this man. He has committed a crime against society, but he has not sinned against me personally. So your last statement is so non-applicable to this situation as to appear ridiculous.

If God requires us to do for others (forgive them without their repenting and asking for forgiveness), what He does not do for us (and he does require us to repent and receive forgiveness), then He is unjust. But God is not unjust. Therefore, He does not require us to do for others what He does not do for us.

But all of this is irrelevant to the point at hand. God has prescribed the death penalty for those who murder innocent people, and he has put the authority for meting out that penalty in the hands of His ministers, the civil authorities, in this case the judge and jury, not you or I.
 
snip

Taking the life of someone who has done wrong, simply put, in many cases can take away an opportunity for repentance and conversion. We are, therefore, playing God.

Peace and all good!
Genesis chapter 9, Romans chapter 13.

We are not playing God. We are implementing the penalty that God Himself has mandated. Period.
 
"
I know we are supposed teach forgiveness and being able to forgive is wonderful, but what is “just” punishment?
“just” punishment, is the eternal punishment which can be carried out only by God. Man, while he can impose punishment, is never “just”.

Death, imposed by man, whether murder, abortion, euthanasia, or capital punishment, therefore is not “just”. Capital punishment may deliver a certain about of earthly satisfaction, but because God takes no pleasure in the death of sinners, it delivers no divine satisfaction.

When we argue “tit-for-tat” (the bad guy killed someone, so we are justified in killing him), we are attempting to usurp the role of God.

Peace and all good!
 
“just” punishment, is the eternal punishment which can be carried out only by God. Man, while he can impose punishment, is never “just”.

Death, imposed by man, whether murder, abortion, euthanasia, or capital punishment, therefore is not “just”. Capital punishment may deliver a certain about of earthly satisfaction, but because God takes no pleasure in the death of sinners, it delivers no divine satisfaction.

When we argue “tit-for-tat” (the bad guy killed someone, so we are justified in killing him), we are attempting to usurp the role of God.

Peace and all good!
Not according to Catholic teaching that would be reading sola scripture into explicit Catholic teaching to which I would refer you to Ender who has followed this point perhaps eternally. 🙂 At least to the point he has me convinced as I read it the same way. 😃

Did anyone tell you they love you today? I think you want to have a neofight. 😛
 
Death penalty isn’t new or just came into existence with the foundation of the USA. Catholic monarchs put people to death for crimes. What were bishops and popes saying then? Was it fine for back in the day, but isn’t now? Heck, being put to death now is less cruel than being beheaded with an ax, laying there waiting on the guillotine to wack your head off, or being electrocuted. Now it is just injections.
If it was fine then and bishops weren’t making public statements then, was the church wrong? I thought the church teaches the same Truth as 2000 years ago. Never changing.
 
Basically that the just must serve the unjust with concern of the greater good, And they admit reluctantly that to protect the greater good there may be a rare example of evil where it is just to protect ourselves from this evil. The Bishop knows this, he states that death is no longer needed to protect ourselves from this rare bird of evil, with examples as neofight suggested such as long term incarceration with a chance to change and repent, and especially at an early age and with mitigating circumstance.

In principle its sound, but neglects to the greater good when the evil grows and requires a collective effort to suppress in order to protect the greater good, than we are bound. Example would be just war. So there is much to consider.
 
“just” punishment, is the eternal punishment which can be carried out only by God. Man, while he can impose punishment, is never “just”.

Death, imposed by man, whether murder, abortion, euthanasia, or capital punishment, therefore is not “just”. Capital punishment may deliver a certain about of earthly satisfaction, but because God takes no pleasure in the death of sinners, it delivers no divine satisfaction.

When we argue “tit-for-tat” (the bad guy killed someone, so we are justified in killing him), we are attempting to usurp the role of God.

Peace and all good!
Genesis 9:6: Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.

It’s BECAUSE of man’s inherent dignity that retribution is required.
 
Genesis 9:6: Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.

It’s BECAUSE of man’s inherent dignity that retribution is required.
That is a good argument.
 
There is no reason to make Dzhokhar Tsarnaev a poster boy in a generalized war against the death penalty.

There are no doubt that there are cases of injustice in the carrying out of the death penalty. These cases invariably involve people that are unseen.
Bishops can chose the limelight and the Dzhokhar Tsarnaev case, but there are humbler paths that would be more authentic.
 
There is no reason to make Dzhokhar Tsarnaev a poster boy in a generalized war against the death penalty.

There are no doubt that there are cases of injustice in the carrying out of the death penalty. These cases invariably involve people that are unseen.
Bishops can chose the limelight and the Dzhokhar Tsarnaev case, but there are humbler paths that would be more authentic.
I honestly don’t know which I think is right here - execution or life in prison. I don’t feel 100% that the death penalty will accomplish anything. But I still think that if the state did decide for the death penalty I would respect the decision as lawful and just.

I just wish the Bishops would pound the pavement for ALL social issues like this. Think Indiana. 😉 It’s much more satisfying to be politically correct in your social justice, isn’t it?
 
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