crime and punishment Flashcards
Christian attitude towards deterrent and
deterrence means corporal and captain punishments harsh jail sentences
some Christians might argue that is important to deterrent criminals from committing a crime because this may result in more scared innocent humans lives being saved.
Christian views on white crimes wrong
human life is sacred and ‘made in the image of God’
• Hurting a vulnerable person is like hurting God himself – ‘Whatever you do for the least of my brothers you are doing to me’
• Hate crimes are wrong because Jesus said, ‘love your enemies’ and ‘turn the other cheek’. Saint Paul said, ‘Do not overcome evil with evil; instead overcome evil with good’.
• In the Ten Commandments it says ’Do not kill’ and ‘Do not steal’
Buddhist views on why crime is wrong
Two of the Five moral precepts are ‘I abstain from taking life’ and I abstain from taking what is not freely given’.
• Crimes are rooted in the Three Poisons: hate greed and ignorance which are unskilful actions and lead to bad karma. We must overcome these if we are to achieve enlightenment.
• The Eightfold Path insists on ‘right action’.
christains view on retribution
retribution means the death penalty
says in the Old Testament ‘an eye for an eye’, so retribution is an acceptable reason for punishment. However, these views are unusual in most Christian circles because Jesus did not seem to support them. Christians are more likely to support reformation as a form of punishment.
