Death penalty for a non-murder

I'll flip that switch and I'll do it with a smile across my face.

Who are we to play God? Not even God plays God is this role?
[If you believe in God] How many times has God ever taken a life?
Did God step in to protect victims from John Wayne Gacy, Jim Jones or Ted Bundy? Did God step in to prevent or help Jon Benet Ramsey, or any of the thousands of other children who have abused, raped, molested or killed?
How many people have been struck down by the Hand of God for immoral or evil acts?
I was taught we have a free will - the right to chose between doing right and wrong. Good (backsliding, hypocritical) Catholic that I am; while you can do wrong your entire life, rape murder, lie, cheat and steal at the end of the day if you are truly sorry -- truly sorry -- for your actions you are forgiven.
God, at least the latest version (not the guy who flooded the earth, turned Lot's wife into a pillar of salt or destroyed cities), is a forgiving one. One who won't strike down the unjust or unworthy. Instead he gives them their own reality show.

Hammer, there is evil in this world that has proven to be unworthy of life. We don't rely on God to provide police and fire protection?
Why rely on him to stop murder muchless mass murder? If God won't step in, well, someone should.

The idea behind prison - in addition to punishment - is to reform or rehabilitate. If you sentence someone to life in prison without the possibility of parole what's the fucking point? If someone is sentenced to life in prison, with no chance of ever being set free - what is society saying: This person... this animal .. has been deemed unfit to live in human society.
I'm willing to take that one step further and vote to end their earthly existence. If you want to argue that's playing God fine. I don't see it as such. I see it as sending them on. If you believe in an afterlife that's what's being done.
A jury comprised of 12 of the most backward, slack-jawed, fucksticks that two shitbag lawyers can agree upon has deemed a monster unworthy of further human existence. Let's Fed-Ex their ass onto God and let him decided if this creature is fit for Heaven or Hell.

You may see a reformed man, a newfound Christian being strapped into the gurney about to meet his maker. But don't forget. Don't ever forget for a minute why that person is being placed in the gurney: For committing evils so atrocious and unspeakable that it warrants elimination from the human race.
Maybe there should be a disclaimer here: In Texas, definitions of atrocious and unspeakable acts may vary

As I said at the top:
I'll flip that switch. I'll do it with a wide smile across my face.

 

Ever read the Old Testament? Things like the Great Flood, Passover, the unparting of the Red Sea and Sodom and Gomorrah come to mind. However I don't think that He causes death to people anymore. All those I mentioned before were cases where people were doing bad stuff He specifically said not to do.

I don't think it's that God won't step in, I think it goes back to that whole free will now and punishment comes later thing. That's also the part that makes me unsure if He is ok with us stepping in and killing the people that do these things.

 

Actually past precedent only says that the DP is unconstitutional for the rape of an adult woman as being a disproportionate penalty to the crime. But when it comes to the rape or abuse of a child, the current situation remains an open question.

 

Nothing you just wrote makes me think any human being has the right to take another human’s life.

I think it’s lowering ourselves down to their level, and taking the easy, cowardly way out. I cannot justify in my mind thinking it’s my decision whether anyone has the right to live. That is playing God. That is a sin. Having a free will and the ability to end life doesn’t make it OK to kill anyone unless you are defending yourself or someone you love.

If we simply prevent these people from committing any more crimes and keep them locked up until they meet their maker, we are doing our job to protect our citizens. That’s our job, and judging them is God’s. Who knows? Maybe by showing some of these people compassion and the ability to learn what love is will give them a better opportunity to join the other good people in Heaven. And since they’re alive, have them make something that benefits society in some way. Killing someone should only be done when there is absolutely no other choice.

 

First of all, your opinions on the death penalty that are based on your personal beleif in a god and the concept of sin, while fine for you, is intolerant and presumptious to those of us with different belief systems. Any public idea that your is better or correct compared to anyone else's is an affrontary to the seperation of church and state. Your god may reserve judgement unto it's self, but a god that allows children to be raped isn't one I have confidence in to mete out justice.

Second, If you can absolutely guarentee that those locked up will stay there, forever. Never harm another person nor have creature comforts or enjoy a simple pleasure, I will make it my life's mission to end the death penalty. But I want a divine-like guarentee, before I change my mind. Until then, execute as many cold blooded killers, rapists and child abusers as possible.

 

I believe in a separation of church and state. But I don’t believe it’s our right to kill people. That’s not our decision to make.

I’m really not even a very spiritual person.

God allows free will. What you do with that is up to you. That doesn’t mean there won’t be bad people, and that doesn’t mean unspeakably horrible things will happen. But that doesn’t mean it’s our right to say who doesn’t get to live any more. Forfeiting your right to freedom and forfeiting your right to live are two different things.

I in no way want to sound condescending. I have a hard time arguing with people who can’t ever separate church and state, but I believe they are one in the same exclusively in matters of life and death.

 

I don't believe in a sentient supreme being and think those that do are simple minded, superstitous idol worshippers and that organzied religion is acreation of the pwoerful oligarchs designed to make the masses falsely feel good about themselves.

 

I do not belong to an organized religion, but I believe there's a reason we have a soul, and that it's not just science. I went to Catholic schools until college but was always taught to come to my own conclusions. There are a lot of good people of every faith, and there are a lot of good people who don't believe in God. I believe in a separation of church and state, but I believe in governing based on what is right, and I don't believe that any human's right to life should be decided by another human (with rare but valid exceptions).

But I don't believe those who disagree are bad people. Hell, maybe they're right. I hope not, but maybe. Thanks for the discussion.

 

People are good and evil independent of the existance of god or their belief in one.

Please guarentee that life without parole will absolutely work and the prisoner will not have a day of happiness, and there would be no reason for the death penalty

 

No death penalty ever.
Corrupt prosecutor, bad cops, made-up evidence, a shit-for-brains judge, umm let me think, I know I can some up with more reasons why people sentenced to death were actually innocent and released from prison.
I don't know the particulars, but we can all recount cases where because kids were involved, people didn't think rationally. Who knows? Maybe that happened here. If it did, you don't get a do-over and have the guy come back to life.

 

What percentage does that represent, though. Less than one?