Is corporal punishment wrong?

Question

What is your opinion?
Religious arguements always seem to be self contradicting on this point. In Christianity look at Exodus 21:22 (eye for an eye) vs Matthew 5:38 (turn the other cheek) for example.
Does a society condoning the murder of any one indiviual make all its people murderers?
Is there any defence of corporal punishment that can't also be used to defend genocide (Our society says this person deserves to die = Our society says these people deserve to die) ?

Some confusion below. Corporal punishment here is meant as any kind of pain inflicted to the victims body including death (capital punishment).

Answer 1

I'm against because innocent people get judged guilty and are killed. And anyway some crimes are so horrific that death is too soft a punishment.

Answer 2

First of all, you need to get your terms straight. Corporal punishment is spanking your child. Capital punishment is the execution of murders.

Second, there is not biblical conflict. Exodus 21:22 sets for the to principle that the punishment should fit the crime and is about societies punishment for criminals. Matthew 5:38 is about the individual's relationship with God and mankind. If you can't see the difference, I don't have time to explain it to you.

Punishing a criminal is not the same as murdering. If you can't see the moral distinction, that my arguments will be lost on you.

Answer 3

Although I think corporal punishment has a place in domestic society, I am against capital punishment in cases where a case had to be proven by the government. For example, a child murderer caught "red-handed" or a person who kills four police officers openly because he doesn't like cops. Those cases are good ones for capital punishment. However, where a case must be proven with the skilled use of science and witnesses, I think not, as skills can be misapplied and science and witnesses change their opinion from time to time about the same subject.

As for the biblical "spare the rod", it was never intended to be a quote for spanking kids. I spank, but not because of the bible.

Answer 4

Corporal punishment destroys the human spirit like breaking a horse. I think your question is asking about Capital punishment. I am an atheist and alot better at understanding the bible than most christians. In regards to murder.... The ten commandments were not negotiable as your god's word is not negotiable. To think "Thou shalt not kill" is negotiable when a human thinks it is a just reason to kill is insulting a god. Why do christians find the commandments so hard to understand? They are simple enough. Thou shalt not kill means not to kill. It doesn't say for example: I can kill if the person is a killer or because George Bush says it is o.k. Love thy neighbor as thyself. Would you execute yourself? The bible is all contradiction because it is the word of man not a god.

Answer 5

Countries which are signatories to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment are comitted to introducing (if they have not done so already) legislation banning corporal punishment in its many forms. Unfortunately I think that things have been carried too far. I remember my mother saying that she'd never had it so good discipline wise as when she was teaching in a school where the head teacher had a cane. He very seldom had occasion to use it, but it was well known that he would be prepared to do so, and standards of behaviour were impeccable. Not so nowadays! Who would want to teach? Parents are afraid to smack their children for fear of being reported and children run amok as a result. I think that subject to certain safeguards, with a complete prohibition on the infliction of actual bodily harm, a certain degree of corporal punishment is quite consistent with an ethical society. The Book of Proverbs is wholeheartedly in favour of corporal punishment, mentioning it several times. The best known example is Proverbs 13:24: "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him."

Answer 6

The thing in the Bible is that people only choose to point out the bits they agree with and the parts that support their argument.
The Bible clearly says that the teachings of Jesus supersede all previous laws and commandments. But despite this if someone likes a part of the old testament more they will ignore the teachings of Jesus and take up the old view instead.

I think the crimes of a society are the crimes of all who live in that society without protest. Those who do nothing are as responsible as the executioner.
"The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises maintain their neutrality” - Dante

Answer 7

Don't give us the religious business. Corporal punishment should be used for quite a number of crimes. Would rapists or child molesters repeat their offences after having been given a good few lashings? I think not. Would these kids who steal from or mug (and nowadays think nothing of murdering) people willy nilly not be ever so slightly put off the idea if they thought that a dozen or more lashes from a leather belt would be the outcome if caught (for which there is now every chance thanks to so many CCTV cameras everywhere)? So YES: C.P. please and sod the P.C.!

Answer 8

I believe you should be punished for your crimes.

If you murder someone why do you think you should be allowed to carry on breathing?

Myra Hindley and Ian Brady should have been hung. There was no question of their guilt, the evidence was overwhelming. Ian Huntley was another one, and Rose West.

In cases like that they should be put to death. It won't bring back the person they murdered, but it may provide some closure for the victims family and friends who have to live with the pain of losing their loved one for the rest of their lives.

Answer 9

No, that's what is wrong with society today. Kids are never punished for anything they do so they continue the same behavior into adulthood.

Answer 10

yes and no
a person who commits premeditated murder deserves the death sentence especially a serial killer

no when the death they took was an accident maybe not