Theme E - Religion, crime and punishment

Question 1

Beliefs about punishment

• Corporal punishment
• Death penalty (capital punishment)
• Forgiveness, compassion and understanding
• Prison
• Community service

Answer 1

• Punishment allows for retribution - justice and revenge.
• Punishment allows for deterrence - individuals in society won’t commit crimes when they see ppl being punished for them.
• Punishment allows for reformation - individuals’ lives can be improved when they learn from their mistakes through punishment.
• FORGIVENESS ‘‘Forgive one another as God in Christ forgave you’’
• Demonstrate compassion - just as God, described in the Qu’ran is ‘‘Kind and Merciful’’

^^though we do not necessarily have to agree.

People may argue there are also other forms of punishment eg community service and prison sentencing.

Question 2

Can it ever be good to cause suffering?

• Islam (for and against)
• Christian (for and against) - mention moral vs natural evil and how evil is neccessary

Answer 2

FOR - ‘‘Allah wishes to lighten you burden’’
FOR - ‘‘Do the most loving thing’’

AGAINST - ‘‘Do onto others as you wish them to do onto you’’
AGAINST - ‘‘This is my path leading straight so follow it’’

Question 3

Reasons for crime:

how may christians and muslims feel about people who commit these crimes/break the law?

Answer 3

REASONS;

* poverty and upbringing
* mental illness and addiction
* greed and hate
* opposition to an unjust law.

• Christians and Muslims may feel:
• Compassion: though may not agree because God is also compassionate.
• Understanding: bc we are flawed humans and we sin due to Original Sin.
• Forgiveness: - Just as God forgives us.

OR

• Anger - because crime causes suffering and God hates oppression

'’I am the Lord your God who freed you out of Egypt the Land of Slavery’’.

'’Kind and Merciful’’

'’Do onto others as you wish them to do onto you’’

'’Forgive one an other as God in Christ forgave you’’

Question 4

Views about different types of crime, including hate crimes, theft and murder.

Answer 4

FOR - ‘‘Let your will be done on Earth’’
FOR - ‘‘Allah wishes to lighten your burden’’ - apply to crimes such as theft.
AGAINST - ‘‘Thou shall not steal’’
AGAINST - ‘‘We made each of you from a single man and a single woman’’

Question 5

Aims of punishment:

Answer 5

• retribution
• deterrence
• reformation.

Question 6

Ethical and religious arguments related to the death penalty.

Answer 6

FOR:

• Christian - ‘‘An eye for an eye’’
• Muslims - ‘‘We will not let the rewards of those who do good deeds go to waste’’ and those who do bad deeds should be punished, on Earth and in the afterlife, Akhirah ‘‘they will dwell amid scorching wind and scalding fire’’

AGAINST:
Christian - ‘‘Thou shall not kill’’
Muslim - We should forgive like Allah who is ‘‘Kind and Merciful’’ forgives.

Always link to purpose of punishment eg
- Retribution
- Deterrence
- Reformation
- Sancity of life.

Question 7

Corporal punishment:

Answer 7

Death penalty

Question 8

Capital punishment:

Answer 8

Physical pain inflicting punishment.