Crime and Punishment

Question 1

What are reasons why people commit crime?

Answer 1

1. Poverty
2. Upbringing
3. Mental ilness
4. Addiction
5. Greed
6. Hate
7. Opposition to unjust law

Question 2

Christian attitudes to law breakers?

Answer 2

1. Offenders must be punishesd by law
2. They have human rights so must be treated humanely
3. Prisoner should be helped to be reformed
4. The parable of the sheep and the goats

Question 3

Buddhist attitudes to law breakers?

Answer 3

1. Criminal should be helped to reform over punishment
2. If people act unskilfully then they will have a consequence through karma
3. Angulimala - the Buddha did not punish him but accepted him to join the Monastic community

Question 4

Christian attitudes to hate crimes?

Answer 4

1. “Love your neighbour as yourself” - Parable of the good samaritan
2. “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath” Romans 12:19

Question 5

Buddhist attitudes to hate crimes?

Answer 5

1. Hatred is one of the three poisons.
2. Karuna - compassion
3. Metta - loving kindness
4. Eightfold path - right action and right speech

Question 6

Christian attitudes to murder?

Answer 6

1. “Thou shall not kill” Ten commandments

Question 7

Buddhist attitudes to murder?

Answer 7

1. “do not harm life” first precept
2. Ahimsa
3. Eightfoldpath - right action

Question 8

Christian attitudes to theft?

Answer 8

1. “Thou shall not steal” - Ten commandments

Question 9

Buddhist attitudes to theft?

Answer 9

1. “do not steal” - 2nd precept
2. Eightfold parth - right action

Question 10

What are the 4 aims of punishment?

Answer 10

1. Keep society safe
2. Retribution
3. Deterrence
4. Reformation

Question 11

Christian view on retribution?

Answer 11

1. “turn the other cheek” Matthew 5
2. “Do not repay anyone evil for evil” Romans 12
3. “an eye for an eye” - Exodus 21
4. “Who kills man shall be killed themsevles” - genesis 9:6

Question 12

Buddhist views on retribution?

Answer 12

1. Metta and Karuna
2. Hatred one of three poisons

Question 13

Christian views on death penalty?

Answer 13

Against:
1. The sanctity of life
2. “You shall not murder” - 10 commandments
3. turn the other cheek” Matthew 5
4. “Forgive them father, for they know not what they are doing” Luke 23

For:
1. “Who kills man, shall be killed themselves” - Genesis 9:6
2. “Eye for an eye” - Exodus 21

Question 14

Buddhist views on the death penalty?

Answer 14

1. “do not harm life” - first moral precept
2. Ahimsa
3. Three poisions
4. “An action, even if it brings benefit to oneself, cannot be considered a good action if it causes physical and mental pain to antother being” - the Buddha
5. “The more evil that comes from him, the more good will go from me” - the Buddha
6. Right action

Question 15

Christian views on forgiveness?

Answer 15

1. “Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing” - Luke 23
2. “Not seven times, but seventy-seven times”
3. “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us”