Comunità Di Sant'Egidio - News when judges have to preside over cases that conflict with their religious views. CourtAdministration on how to preside over a capital punishment case, meaning http://www.santegidio.org/pdm/news2002/13_02_02_d.htm
Extractions: Newsday USA: Controversy On Death PenaltyCan judges decide to never impose it? Judges and Capital Punishment U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia says that Catholic judges who follow their church's teaching that capital punishment is wrong should resign. Do you agree or disagree? I agree. If their religious beliefs are affecting their professional decisions, they can't function as a judge. I disagree. A judge need not leave his or her personal convictions at the courthouse door. Reacting to recent comments made by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, local judges said yesterday that moral opposition to the death penalty does not take precedence over a judge's first obligation to uphold the law. Scalia kicked off a national controversy when he commented on Jan. 25 at a Chicago seminar: "In my view, the choice for a judge who believes the death penalty to be immoral is resignation rather than simply ignoring duly enacted constitutional laws and sabotaging the death penalty. "He has, after all, taken an oath to apply those laws, and has been given no power to supplant them with his own rules." Scalia repeated similar views Monday at Georgetown University.
Comunità Di Sant'Egidio - News Yet the Pew center reported that people who oppose capital punishment most oftencite their kind of cause. We welcome the day when religious views are embraced http://www.santegidio.org/pdm/news/18_05_01_g.htm
Ajc.com | Opinion | Growing Civilized Means Ending Death Penalty driven by political or religious fantasies are not deterred by capital punishment.The payback argument is based on cultural and religious views on death and http://www.stopcapitalpunishment.org/coverage/95.html
Extractions: "Polls show that popular support for the death penalty has steadily dropped over the years . . . Eventually, public opinion will kill the death penalty." By ROWLAND NETHAWAY Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan may be a crook as well as a jerk, but he deserves praise for his last minute blanket pardon of all the convicted murderers on Illinois' death row. Scandal has stalked Ryan's political career. It's possible that Ryan, who has always talked a good game on the subject of law-and-order, may get indicted for his own unlawful behavior. Therefore, Ryan's motivation for his good-guy show of clemency for wrongfully prosecuted citizens is open for debate. In the near future Ryan may claim that he is being wrongfully prosecuted.
Extractions: CRUEL, BUT NOT UNUSUAL, JUDICIAL MISCHIEF Many Americans favor abolition of the death penalty: they offer four main reasons. First, they say it's unconstitutional . . . it violates the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of "cruel and unusual punishments." Second, it's been fairly well documented that courts make a lot of mistakes in capital punishment cases. Therefore, we shouldn't trust them with anything as final as a life or death decision. The third reason offered is based on the claim that capital punishment does not deter crime. So its use is nothing more than collective vengeance which degrades us all. Finally, many sincere and idealistic people oppose capital punishment because it violates their religious beliefs. The first argument is based on "law," the second and third on "social science." The fourth is based on religion. Let's review the four arguments one at a time. IT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL In 1791, when "We the People" ratified the Eighth Amendment, which forbids "cruel and unusual punishments," we also ratified the Fifth Amendment, which ordered that no person shall be "deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law." The Amendment treated "life" exactly the same way it treated "liberty" and "property," In 1791, every single state had mandatory death penalty statutes. All except Rhode Island punished ten or more crimes with death: the list typically included murder, treason, piracy, rape, arson, buggery (or sodomy), burglary, robbery, and, in some states, counterfeiting, horse-theft and slave-rebellion [Note 1].
Extractions: BOB ABERNETHY (anchor): The fate of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh has triggered a national debate over the death penalty in the religious communities. This week, more than 65 American religious leaders asked President Bush not to execute McVeigh and to impose a moratorium on all Federal executions. Leaders of the Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church USA, the United Church of Christ, Catholics Against Capital Punishment, the Quakers, and the Union of American Hebrew Congregations signed a letter stating the pain of McVeigh's victims, of their community, and of the nation "cannot be healed through the retribution of capital punishment or by vengeance." Last week, speaking for the U.S. Catholic Bishops, Cardinals Roger Mahony of Los Angeles and William Keeler of Baltimore reiterated the Catholic Church's longtime opposition to capital punishment, saying executing McVeigh will not bring healing or closure. Rather, the Cardinals said, "it will be just one more killing."
Religion & Ethics Newsweekly . For Teachers. Lesson Plans | PBS for or against capital punishment? What do you think about people citing versesfrom the Bible or from other religious texts to defend their views (or attack http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/teachers/lp_penalty2.html
Extractions: Scroll down to "Steps" and then download Viewers Guide 2002. Scroll to page 14, Religion and the Death Penalty by Michael Kress (p14-17), which provides a good overview of the various views on the death penalty within religious communities and statistics illustrating public opinion on the issue. Also includes some useful "Questions for Exploration," some of which are appropriate for this age group. [Terms to introduce to students: evangelical; religious denominations; abolition; exoneration; moratorium]
Religious Views Play Role In Shaping Political Agendas religious views play role in shaping political agendas. laity, such as welfare reform,gun control, immigration and especially capital punishment, Gunty said. http://www.rickross.com/reference/unif/Unif21.html
Extractions: By Dan Nowicki Mothers warn their children to stay out of arguments over politics or religion. Two recent incidents have Arizonans talking about both, raising the question of what role religion should play in public policy issues for elected officials. The Catholic Sun, a newspaper published by the Roman Catholic-Diocese of Phoenix, editorially admonished Rep. Ed Pastor, D-Ariz., for his continued support of abortion rights. The August 6 th editorial called on Pastor "to change his heart—and his voting record—on abortion" or else "disavow his Catholic faith." State Rep. Mark Anderson, R-Mesa, is catching flak for the opposite reason. Some critics are charging that he has been letting the political agenda of his religion's leader, the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, dictate his legislative activities at the state Capitol. Various documents obtained by The Tribune and first reported earlier this week indicate Anderson's and Moon's policy priorities frequently intersect.
John Carlson, Justice, Religion, And The Death Penalty views, a hefty onus falls upon them to substantiate why their religious beliefs affirmor, at least, do not conflict with their support for capital punishment. http://pewforum.org/deathpenalty/resources/reader/28.php3
Extractions: January 23, 2002 Those who doubt religion's relevance to the death penalty might wish to take stock of some salient features of public life today. A Pew poll taken last March found that forty-two percent of those who oppose the death penalty for convicted murderers cite religious belief as the greatest influence on their position, while among death penalty supporters only fifteen percent cite religious belief. For the two groups combined, nearly a quarter of the population (23%) saw religion as the chief determinant of their positions. Religious vernacular often unwittingly pervades capital punishment debates. Ten of twelve jurors chose life imprisonment over "martyrdom" for terrorists convicted in the 1998 embassy bombings. Many invoke "an eye for an eye" to demonstrate Biblical, if not intuitive, support for the death penalty. Even "practical" arguments about the death penalty do not defy theological reflection. The case for deterrence, for example, coupled with an understanding of just how corrupted the sinful human will can become, accounts for why evil intentions will not be deterred by even the gravest threats. Nor is the criminal justice system free from the noetic effects of sin; we know too well that it has been fraught with human failings, unavoidable at best, unconscionable at worst. These religious observations alone do not help us frame moral arguments. Nor do woolly slogans and vexing justifications. Take the plea that Jesus would never execute a prisoner. This is true, but Jesus was not a state official charged with preserving peace and dispensing justice. (And we know that "WWJD?" has never been the only resource of Christian ethics.) Others note that Jesus preached forgiveness, not vengeance. Right again, but the New Testament message of forgiveness should not be misconstrued as an appeal for "tolerance" or the forbearance of justice. Death penalty opponents are obliged to muster more compelling arguments to explain the relationship between their faith and their views.
Information Plus Reference Series On Current Topics abortion Abortion around the world Public attitudes toward abortion Somerecent religious views on abortion capital punishment Cruel and Unusual? http://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/general/infoplus.htm
Extractions: Information Plus Reference Series on Current Topics The Gale Group has acquired Information Plus from a Dallas-area publisher and will be publishing new editions. According to Gale, the Information Plus Reference Series compiles all the pertinent data, both current and historical, on a wide variety of contemporary social issues. Designed as ready-reference tools providing key data on social concerns, these books save researchers and students from the cumbersome task of locating the various data in pamphlets, legal journals, congressional reports, newspapers, and other sources. The series now covers 33 vital current issues, from abortion to national security. Each book in the series provides current and past statistics, court decisions, state and federal laws, tables and charts, results of public opinion polls, and more. Each volume averages from 112 to 200 pages, and includes indexing, complete source citations, as well as listings of names, addresses, telephone, and fax numbers for relevant organizations. Each volume will be completely revised and updated every two years. Abortion: an Eternal Social and Moral Issue
Views Of Growing Islamic Faith Enter Death Penalty Debate calling themselves Muslim, Islamic views are a growing part of the debate over executions.People who oppose capital punishment on religious grounds have long http://www.againstdp.org/muslim.html
Stand To Reason Commentaries -- Apologetics Commentaries on Apologetics Various transcriptions of commentaries from the radio broadcast 'Stand Category Society Religion and Spirituality Atheism Christian views See how your view of capital punishment says a lot about your viewof mankind. How we judge between religious world views. http://www.str.org/free/commentaries/apologetics/
Extractions: webmaster@str.org Commentaries on Apologetics Browse Related Reflections Transcriptions of commentaries by Gregory Koukl from the radio broadcast Stand to Reason Topic Categories Answering the Problem of Evil A Good Reason for Evil What is evil? Could it have a purpose? Here is a view of evil from an adult rather than a childish perspecitve. Augustine on Evil Is God the author of evil or its helpless victim? St. Augustine's answer has been the most intellectually credible and emotionally satisfying solution to this vexing problem. Bosnia, Rape and the Problem of Evil Greg responds to a letter to the editor in which the writer's pain causes him to ask the age-old question of why God allows evil to exist. Complaints or Contentment? Does God owe us a perfect world? Your answer to that question will determine your ability to be content in this life. Greg discusses how two different responses to the untimely death of a teenager reveals two contrasting views prevalent the Christian world today...and which of them more closely reflects the biblical perspective. Euthyphro's Dilemma Plato's challenge concerning the nature of goodness is still being heard today: Is an act right because God says it's so, or does God say it's so because it's right?
Capital Punishment Acquiring image from ProHosting Banner Exchange Acquiring from ProHosting BannerExchange capital punishment my views views of religious groups references http://thunder.prohosting.com/~niasain/religion/deathpenalty/
Abolish Capital Punishment - FCL Education Fund CA necessairly endorse all of their views, nor can we insure the accuracy of the content.).Pew Forum on religious Thinking and capital punishment; Death Penalty http://www.webcom.com/peace/PEACTREE/fcl/edufund/rp-capital-p.html
Extractions: FCL Research Page: Governor George Ryan commuted the death sentences for all of Illinois' death row inmates, after the state legislature failed to act on any of the recommendations contained in the report of the Illinois Commission on Capital Punishment. The commissioners had unanimously agreed that the machinery of death can never be perfected, but made over 80 suggestions that they thought would make implementation of the death penalty more just. The commission had been appointed after 13 innocent people were found on death row in that state, and the Governor decided to declare a moratorium on executions. The commission flatly states that no system can guarantee that innocent people will never be put to death. One of the specific recommendations of the commission is to restrict the death penalty to five catagories of homicide: murder of a peace officer or firefighter, murder at a correctional facility, murders of two or more people, murder by torture, and murder to impede a felony investigation or prosecution. The United States Supreme Court narrowed the application of the death penalty in two rulings last session, one holding that states could not execute people who are mentally retarded, and another holding that a jury, not a judge, must decide the operative facts leading to any death sentence. The California legislature failed to pass a measure on the issues of mental retardation. Senator Burton has re-introduced the measure as
Extractions: In Illinois, 12 people have been executed since the death penalty was reinstated in 1977 and 13 Death Row prisoners have been cleared and released. If he had been confronted with such evidence of problems in death penalty cases, Keating said, he would have done what Gov. George Ryan did: call a moratorium and try to get to the bottom of it. In support of the death penalty, Keating raised the example of Roger Dale Stafford, the first man executed in Oklahoma after Keating took office. Stafford killed a family of three, including an 8-year-old boy, during a highway robbery and then killed five teenagers during a restaurant robbery. Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber, killed 168 people, 19 of them children. For them, what other penalty would be just, Keating asked.
TAKING SIDES: Clashing Views On Controversial Issues In Religion of Contents TAKING SIDES Clashing views on Controversial comp., Moral Issues Philosophicaland religious Perspectives Michael Is capital punishment Wrong? http://www.dushkin.com/text-data/catalog/0072557796.mhtml?SECTION=TOC
WorldWide Religious News to budging public opinion away from supporting capital punishment, David Elliot Thereligious message will WWRN does not endorse or adhere to views or opinions http://www.wwrn.org/parse.php?idd=6713
ORLAPUBS P. R48: THOUGHT FOR THE DAY AND EVERY DAY Those who rightly want their children taught religious views can and organdonation,euthanasia, human cloning, abortion, divorce, capital punishment, and so on http://orlapubs.com/AR/R48.html
Extractions: 3) But if such contrary views are well-argued, are sincere, and don't harm others, I would defend others' right to hold those views. Some people are so intolerant of others' disagreeing with them that the only way they can bring themselves to tolerate such a situation is disingenuously to pretend, or even convince themselves, that others (e.g. those who say that Jesus is not true God) are "really saying the same thing as" themselveseven though they may tell us that they believe that Jesus is God! It is more tolerant and honorable to give others the right to disagree, since the only agreement that is worthwhile is that based on being genuinely convinced of this or that. Everyone should have freedom to propagate truth as one sees it, if it is not a vicious view designed to harm or inevitably harming others; and everyone should accord the same right to others. We should be able to say that we think others are wrong in disagreeing with our views and allow them to say that we are wrong in disagreeing with their views; that's the way truth works.
Capital Punishment: Guide To Library Resources punishmentPolitical aspects capital punishment-religious aspects capital relatingto capital punishment including race law enforcement views, innocence and http://www.msjc.cc.ca.us/sjclibrary/research/capitalpun.htm
Extractions: MT. SAN JACINTO COLLEGE LIBRARY - SAN JACINTO CAMPUS - LIBRARY PATHFINDERS; 1 CAPITAL PUNISHMENT: GUIDE TO LIBRARY RESOURCES "Death for whatever crime and all circumstances is truly an awesome punishment. The calculated killing of a human being by the state involves, by its very nature, a denial of the executed person's humanity… an executed person has indeed 'lost' the right to have rights." William Brennan Gregg v. Georgia SOCIAL PATHOLOGY. WELFARE. CRIMINOLOGY Criminal justice administration Capital punishment Arguments in favor of capital punishment Arguments against capital punishment Imprisonment LAW OF THE UNITED STATES (FEDERAL) Criminal law Capital punishment Day, Nancy. The Death Penalty for Teens: a Pro/Con Issue . Berkeley Heights, CA: Enslow Publishers, 2000. (Hot Pro/Con Issues) REF HV8699.U5.D3 2000 Examines the death penalty for juveniles from all points of view, including a history of the topic and how societies all over deal with the issue. Includes a bibliography and index. Death Penalty: Opposing Viewpoints / Paul A. Winters, ed. 3rd ed. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1997. (Opposing Viewpoints) REF HV8694.D385 1997
