SECTION 2 JUDAISM- TOPIC 2.2.8 THE DEATH PENALTY

Question 1

Death penalty –

Answer 1

death as the punishment for a crime

Question 2

Jewish attitudes and teachings about capital
punishment

Answer 2

DO ACCEPT
-The Torah says that capital punishment should be used for certain offences.
-The Torah says that capital punishment should be used for certain offences.

DO NOT ACCEPT
-They feel that since capital punishment does not reduce crimes and since there is a possibility of the wrong person being convicted and then executed, capital punishment is not justice and the Tenakh
commands Jews always to seek justice.

Question 3

Humanist attitudes to capital punishment

Answer 3

-No court system can be sure that the correct verdict is always given
-Many murderers do not expect to be caught and so do not think about the punishment
-Human life is the most important thing there is, so no one has the right to take

SOME SAY IT IS RIGHT BECAUSE:
-act as a deterrent and there will be fewer murders.
-value of human life can only be shown by giving those who take human life the worst possible punishment, which is the death penalty.