The Church's Stance On Execution

[mikew262]

Concerning your statement on CP, is this written down somewhere or is it your opinion?

2267 Assuming that the guilty party’s identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.

This CCC paragraph would suggest that capital punishment is not intrinsically evil but could be employed in certain circumstances that in the U.S. should be rare. Capital punishment is not an intrinsic evil (meaning impossible to do under any circumstance at any time). Versus abortion, euthanasia and murder that are intrinsic evil and are immoral under any circumstance at any time.

Thanks!

 

[AndyF]

Della:

But, to expect perfection in this world is unrealistic and not necessary,

Is it utterly impossible for any being created in the image of God to attain perfection? Where better after God to attempt it than in dealing with humans.?

“Be perfect, as our Father in heaven is perfect.”

Andy

 

[AndyF]

2shelbys:

Ah, I see we’re in Phase II, specific cases.

I recall one US case mentioned, (I think the name was either Wallace or Walter, can’t remember, haven’t visited the Corrections board in a while), that the zeal to kill a person was so strong it clouded the care that the instruments of justice be used properly. He was on the gurney waiting for the drugs to be injected. So resigned and repentant he was that when the needle came out accidentally, he calmly called out to the attendant the problem. It was reinserted and he died of course.

The point is that if everyone is tuned in to everyone’s right to due process regardless of his state, and everyone is in the spirit of fraternal care, the attendant should have called time out and notified the proper official, as botched executions automatically repreave the sentence to life. But of course that doesn’t look good on resumes, better get that needle back in fast.

and I will not even go into the fact that over 85% of the convicted murderers who are released kill again WITHIN ONE YEAR of release or that roughly the same percentage of all murders are committed by repeat offenders.

These problems can be dealt with at it’s source. If they are a threat, then they are and should be locked up.

and what part of our government does follow Church teaching

So because we feel we can’t do anything about what the Government does, we consent to that failing being the means to justify indifference to how humans are treated? I don’t get it.

Andy

 

[2shelbys]

2shelbys:
The point is that if everyone is tuned in to everyone’s right to due process regardless of his state, and everyone is in the spirit of fraternal care, the attendant should have called time out and notified the proper official, as botched executions automatically repreave the sentence to life. But of course that doesn’t look good on resumes, better get that needle back in fast.

Their right to due process is completely exhausted long before they see the needle. I have never heard of botched executions requiring automatic commuting of the sentence to life. As far as I know, only a judge or politician with Pardon powers can do that.

These problems can be dealt with at it’s source. If they are a threat, then they are and should be locked up.

And if they remain a very real threat even after being locked up?

So because we feel we can’t do anything about what the Government does, we consent to that failing being the means to justify indifference to how humans are treated? I don’t get it.

The point is that expecting our government to follow the teachings of our church (even in handing out death sentences) is unrealistic.

Andy

 

[Ray_Scheel]

AndyF:

Today’s advances in security makes the current incarceration facilities adequately effective.

And the advances we’ve made in spaceflight are adequate for use to put permanent manned bases on the moon and Mars - but it doesn’t mean we can afford to do it yet. Actually implementing the security measures required to hit that standard would bankrupt most US states.

 

[2shelbys]

Ray_Scheel:

And the advances we’ve made in spaceflight are adequate for use to put permanent manned bases on the moon and Mars - but it doesn’t mean we can afford to do it yet. Actually implementing the security measures required to hit that standard would bankrupt most US states.

A very good and valid point.