religion, crime and punishment Flashcards
Explain two similar religious beliefs about people who break the law.
Buddhism
Breaking the law produces bad kamma and so will have just consequences/punishment should consider the protection of society/retribution is against loving kindness (metta) and karuna (compassion)/reformation is important because it should ensure the offender does not reoffend/the five precepts encourage merciful treatment of offenders/making reparation helps the offender to improve kamma, etc.
Explain two similar religious beliefs about people who break the law.
Christianity
Law breakers should be forgiven and given a second chance but they need to be punished as well during which time they are helped to reform/‘A man reaps what he sows’ (Galatians)/Christians should work with people to discourage reoffending/although poverty cannot be used as an excuse for breaking the law reducing poverty and bad social conditions may prevent law breaking/law breakers should be encouraged and helped to repent leading to forgiveness/reparation can
help a person to repent, etc.
Explain two religious beliefs about the death penalty
Buddhism
Breaks first precept, 8-fold path, teachings on non-violence and compassion/killing builds bad kamma/some Buddhist countries permit it
as a deterrent, etc.
Explain two religious beliefs about the death penalty
Christianity
Removes possibility of repentance/only God can take life that he created/‘whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed’ (Genesis)/death penalty is a deterrent that helps to prevent other serious crime/some Christian countries use death penalty (eg some states in USA), etc.
Reformation is the best aim of punishment.’
Buddhism
Reformation best reflects the precepts and 8-fold path/it shows metta (loving kindness) and karuna compassion)/helps the offender to repair
their kamma/protecting society is important so punishment must do this/severe punishment can have damaging effects on the offender’s
mind and may result in reoffending to take revenge on those/society who punished them, etc
Reformation is the best aim of punishment.’
Christianity
Reformation is best because it helps offenders become law abiding citizens and gives them the potential of a better future/allows repentance through punishment and forgiveness/‘If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents forgive him.’ (Luke)/gives a second
chance/reparation can link with reformation and repentance so it is important/retribution is wrong/‘turn the other cheek’ (Matthew)/deterrence is good provided the needs of the offender are considered and that their punishment is just, etc.
