how can people be pro-life and pro-death penalty?

Question

if you play the religion card and say that its immoral to kill someone innocent, wouldnt that be blasphemy? i mean by saying 1 person can live and 1 person can die, arnt you playing god? plz answer

on the other hand, though, how can you be pro-choice and anti-death penalty?

an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth makes everyone blind and toothless.

Answer 1

Actually the Catholic Bishops have their own campaign to end the death penalty. But, many people support the death penalty because they are concerned that brutal criminals will be released into their communities but are beginning to pay attention to the way the death penalty system actually functions.

You don't have to condone brutal crimes or want the criminals who commit them to avoid a harsh punishment to ask whether the death penalty prevents or even reduces crime and whether it risks killing innocent people.

Risks of executing innocent people-
124 people on death rows have been released with proof that they were wrongfully convicted. DNA is available in less than 10% of all homicides and isn’t a guarantee we won’t execute innocent people.

The death penalty doesn't prevent others from committing murder. No reputable study shows the death penalty to be a deterrent. To be a deterrent a punishment must be sure and swift. The death penalty is neither. Homicide rates are higher in states and regions that have it than in states that don’t.

We have a good alternative. Life without parole is now on the books in 48 states. It means what it says. It is sure and swift and rarely appealed. Life without parole is less expensive than the death penalty.

The death penalty costs much more than life in prison, mostly because of the legal process which is supposed to prevent executions of innocent people.

The death penalty isn't reserved for the worst crimes, but for defendants with the worst lawyers. It doesn't apply to people with money. When is the last time a wealthy person was on death row, let alone executed?

The death penalty doesn't necessarily help families of murder victims. Murder victim family members across the country argue that the drawn-out death penalty process is painful for them and that life without parole is an appropriate alternative.

Problems with speeding up the process. Over 50 of the innocent people released from death row had already served over a decade. If the process is speeded up we are sure to execute an innocent person.

Answer 2

I am pro-life and do not support the death penalty. Having said that doesn't mean I don't FEEL some people should die, I just don't believe we (humans) have the right to impose that kind of sentence.
If we had a better system, like Life in prison actually meaning life in prison then I think most of society would feel safer and the death penalty wouldn't even be an issue. The way the system works if we really don't want them back on the streets we pretty much have to kill them. Sad but true.

Answer 3

Your argument holds true ONLY if the reason for being pro life is simply the sanctity of human life, ALL human life, regardless of its nature (pure, innocent, etc.).

I am pro choice and anti death penalty because I believe that the system designed to implement the death penalty is fundamentally flawed, biased and inherently unfair. I am pro choice because I believe that an unwanted child is better off not being brought into a world where it is not wanted and will likely be ill cared for. I am a pragmatist. It has nothing to do with the sanctity of life.

Answer 4

Pro-life and pro-death penalty means you believe that innocents should not be killed, but that sometimes the state must take a life to protect itself; and that an unborn child is a person, and is deserving of the same protections as an adult.

Pro-choice and anti-death penalty means you don't believe that any person should be killed, and that you don't consider an unborn child to be a person.

Pro-choice and pro-death penalty means you believe that innocents should not be killed, but that sometimes the state must take a life to protect itself, and also that an unborn child is not a person.

Pro-life and anti-death penalty means that you believe that an unborn child is a person, and that no person should be killed.

Answer 5

I truly believe that there is no "correct" answer to your question. I won't even try to answer the abortion part of your question, as that only complicates the death penalty more.

Anti's say:
Do not execute a murderer as life is precious.
How can you say killing is wrong by killing the killer.

Pro's will say:
Exececute a killer, because life is precious.
Killing the killer is the only punishment that matches the crime.


I have the my own opinion that fits myself best and will debate it to no end, but that does not mean I can not see the other sides point.

Then when you add the abortion issue to the equation, it allows for 4 distinct answers, for which no one can say are wrong (with certainty).

Answer 6

I think each one has to be delt with on a case by case
basis. Not with a blanket statement like I'm pro-life or anti-death penalty.

Answer 7

Interesting question. I think you've caught the politicians yet in another contradiction. It probably means that they are only pro-life to get elected.

if one is pro-choice but anti-death penalty, that's not as hypocritical because it is still debatable whether a fetus is a person.

Answer 8

I'm the flip side of the coin. I am anti death penalty and pro abortion, for the following reasons:

1- Anti Death Penalty: There are hundreds of cases of wrongful convictions and a lifetime of solitary confinement seems a worse punishment to me than ending their misery.

2- Pro Choice- A womans right to chose and the fact that I do not feel that life begins at conception.

These are my reasonings...I can not speak for anyone elses.

Answer 9

No-we are not playing God-he has said in his word: an eye for an eye meaning if you kill someone then you should be killed! That is justified in his eyes. An innocent baby does not deserve to be killed/murdered for no reason at all and he says suffer the little children to come unto me. A baby is pure and innocent in Gods eyes-quit trying to find "blasphemy" in the Bible-you are wasting your time and will never be successful!

Answer 10

...because one is an innocent life, and the other is punishment for a horrific crime.

Personally, I'm against both - not because I think the death penalty is unwarranted, but because a sentence of death automatically invokes appeals, and special treatment. It's just cheaper to lock them up for life. Society is protected either way.