Capital Punishment?

Question

Why is capital punishment allowed in our world? Has our world as we know it gone down the toilet? Saddam Hussein was killed a few days ago by cappital punishment, he deserved it but killing another human being is wrong! Why do we do it and what r ur thoughts on the subject?

Answer 1

Capital punishment is most definetly wrong. I think that if we are going to punish someone for murder or what have you, let's actually PUNISH them. They die, and it's over with CP. But why not make them suffer - drag out their lives miserable in prison. The Bible says "thou shalt not murder" and we are not to take justice into our own hands. that's God's job.

Then again, we also live in a world where killing innocent, unborn babies is widely accepted. So what are we going to expect???

Answer 2

Well, in Saddam Hussein's case, it was both that he was a mass murdering brutal dictator who had filled countless mass graves, and that letting him live in a prison would have kept alive the hopes by his supporters that he might some day be freed by his cronies and return to power. Executing him was the only way to completely eliminate this possibility. In cases other than his, for instance a convicted murderer in the US, It's not just punishment, although that is the primary reason. It also insures that an extremely violent person cannot live to kill another inmate or a prison guard. It would be impossible to completely isolate a prisoner in solitary confinement for an entire lifetime, and a prisoner kept in those circumstances would only get more violent, putting at risk any guard, medical personnel, etc that he can get close to.
The only other acceptable solution in my mind would be to surgically render the murderer to a vegetative state, which would satisfy those who do not believe in capital punishment, but would cause outcries from other "human rights" organizations. If done in a way that could be reversed if the convict was later proved innocent, then maybe that would be OK, but I don't see any way to get the lawyers, prisoner rights whiners, and bleeding-heart libs to accept that solution. I'm curious what others think of that idea?

Answer 3

Capital punishment is always the wrong answer. How can we justify taking someone else's life in revenge? Too many innocent men and women have died in this way.
However, fewer countries now have it as a punishment - it used to be global but at least countries in the EU and some others have stopped it.
Saddam Hussein was without doubt an appalling and evil man - but even so I am not convinced that it was the right thing to do. Once you start down that path, where do you stop?

Answer 4

I think capital punishment should be brought back to England, there are too many people who kill others in this world then only get a slap on the wrist and told not to do it again, especially in England. The laws here protect the convicted and not the victims. The prison system here is also laughable, what with some aving playstations, teles and radios in their room, oh and a key to their "pad", this sounds like more of a holiday camp payed for by us the taxpayer.

Answer 5

It is the greatest sadness that Anger triumphs over reason.
Politicians are not Philosophers, if they were then they would surely see twenty years down the road instead of five years, when they are up for re-election.
It never ceases to amaze me that some American right wing Christians state the claim of the "Eye for an eye" as being Christian doctrine, although failing to realise their fundamental ignorance and inaccuracy, for Jesus stated " There are those who say an eye for an eye, yet I say it is better to turn the other cheek".
I believe that such blatant inaccuracies show that the American administration is not just out of touch with humanity, but also the true thread of Christianity.
I fear we live in very hypocritical times.
Concerning Iraq's government, a country steeped in bloodshed for the last thirty years, has no true understanding of justice since there is hardly anyone who can remember it in operation.

Answer 6

A) There are those human beings whose sickness of the soul leads them to commit acts of truly heinous type. We have no way to heal them. It therefore seems both prudent and kind to send them to the Great Physician in the hope that He can heal them.

B) Said individuals will, because we cannot heal them, remain soul sick and therefore a clear and present danger to others for all the days of their lifves. Better to render them permanently harmless.

C) For all others, capital punishment is merely revenge.

D) Examples of "A" and "C":

"A": Saddam Hussein, who got his rocks off being cruel and deadly.
"C" Timothy McVeigh, who hadn't a clue. He just wanted to be a big shot.

Answer 7

Do you believe in God? I think the worst punishment for a guilty person is to send them to God.

On the other hand, if a person isn't guilty, sending them to meet their Maker isn't necessarily a scary thing.

Regarding Mr Hussein, I'm glad he's dead. We don't have to fear that he'll escape and come back to power... which would always be a possiblity if he were still alive.

Answer 8

capital punishment is about taking out members of a society that have proven they cannot exist in the society without raping,maiming,killing,harming children,etc,its not murder,capital punishment is not premeditated,its not an act of senseless violence,it is a consequence of actions,meant to provide an end.

Answer 9

Sweety,

Captial punishment is an archaic institution, one thrived upon by despots and religious zealots.

Sounds a lot like the middle east to me.

As far as the death penalty issue and where I stand. No one, not you, myself, or any nation has the right to take another human life. Irregardless of an atrocity the one being killed may have done and especially in the case of an innocent and defenseless life.

Answer 10

Killing another person is wrong but in some societies it seems to be acceptable. Other cultures must believe in forgiveness but I haven't heard the concept talked about. It would make a good question on here I think.