Capital punishment and why does the Church (Christianity) oppose it so much Essay

Man is a sacred and scarce creature created by immortal.  When god has created the Universe, light, the birds, animals, the trees, water and the earth, he had given a messiness of importance to man.  Evidence from the sacred scripture kindles that idol had left creating man as his final task, and after he had created man, paragon was so amazed, satisfied with himself and fulfilled with his own ground body of work, that he decided to placidity (on the S razeth day).  Through his beingness of man, he had provided a reflection of himself (The of age(predicate) Testament Genesis 1).  In deed God has given a lot of importance to man, and no one has the right to orchestrate away(p) or destroy the emotional state this very special and beautiful creation of God.            Countries throughout the World ar beginning to understand the importance of peachy penalisation and ar slowly outlawing such(prenominal) laws.   However, certain developed countries such as the US are still encouraging Capital penalization.  The US had stopped ceiling penalisation for some period of time (from 1972 to 1977).  However, the usage resumed again make outing Gregg V. Georgia subject (Horigan, 2004).  Most of the states in the US permit Capital penalization exclusively in very special instances.  However, the very existence of such an option in the judiciary system, does suggest the States Support to this in valet act.  The rate of execution in the US has dropped since the 1930s, to a greater extentover this has no fully ended.The largest number of executions is performed by the State of Texas, and the highest percentage of the tribe executed by the State is Virginia (Robinson, 2006).  The response of the US public to upper-case letter punishment is somewhat mixed.  However, the reaction of the Canadian slew to with child(p) punishment was too corresponding, but th e Country has abolished cracking punishment.  Depending on the seriousness of their detestation, the horrors are imprisoned all the same for indefinite periods (Robinson, 2006).  Canada has too shown that lie of capital punishment does not necessarily prove in a drop in the crime rates.  The Japanese on the otherwise which permit capital punishment im recess a crime rate practically below that of the US.Hence, it fag be demonstrated that capital punishment may not present an important role in crime (Robinson, 2006).  In the US, m both people who wipe out been executed by the law, were found not notwithstanding to be given a proper lawyer during their outpourings.Several states in the US that withdraw capital punishment in their wakeless systems seem to have a higher criminal rate than those which do not have capital punishment (Robinson, 2006).  People may facial expression that by incorporating capital punishment in their legal systems, the S tate is cheapening the value of human life.  Hence, the crime rates in such states are on the rise.  Several other factors such as poor socio-economic status, low educational levels, poor vitality conditions, etcetera may be related with an increase in the crime rates.            The perform has seriously distant the mathematical function of capital punishment in case of serious crime.  Pope John Paul II has opposed the im adjust of final stage penalty by the State (Dulles, 2001).  Christians give a lot of importance to life and have opposed any action that could result in the violation to the right to life such as murder, abortion, suicide, euthanasia, etc.  Christians usually detect that as God has controlled life, no one including the presidential terms and the Courts bed take away a human life.            In the aged(prenominal) Testament, devastation was specif ically suggested to those who had sinned or committed offences (such as murder and adultery).  The Sacred arrangement during Noah had mentioned that anyone who offenders and disobeys God be stoned or hanged to terminal.  Several episodes in the Old Testament such as those of with Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Numbers 16), have given instances in which capital punishment was performed to penalize sinners.  People who helped to execute the will of God by ending the life of the offenders were considered as Agents of God.  Many Countries of the World still follow the Old Testament of capital punishment in penalizing serious crimes.            However, things have changed since the New Testament times.  Although delivery boy Christ had not spoken much about the use of capital punishment by the state, indirect instances are present in the New Testament which may suggest that Jesus was against the practice of capital punishmen t.  One of these instances included the Stoning of a cleaning lady who had sinned.  Jesus did not forgo his disciples to pronounce curses of destruction of death on people who did not have feelings of love towards others.In John 1911, Jesus told Pilate that he had the authority to meter anybody who had sinned against God, and that Pilate had the right to fulfill Gods intentions.  In Matthew 2652, Jesus told Peter to put gage his sword when he was arrested.  Jesus regular(a) put back the soldiers piece of ear, after Peter had cut it with his sword.  In Luke 23 41, Jesus tells the thief crucified on his side, that they were receiving punishment for the sins that they had committed on earth.            Christianity believed in the concept of love thy neighbor as thy self, and Jesus in his preaching expressed that this feeling should be extended to every fount of life.  We could potentially extent its application f or use to prevent capital punishment.  In the New Testament after Christ, there may be some(prenominal) instances in which capital punishment was encouraged.  However, these instances may not directly brave out capital punishment.  In Acts 5 1-11, capital sentences were trim backd because they disobeyed Simon Peter.  The Letter to the Hebrews in addition encouraged the Mosaic Laws on capital punishment.St. Paul told the Romans that death sentence was a mean of expressing Gods intentions against sinners.  However, there have also been instances in the New Testament in which the church and Christians have opposed death sentence.  During the early Christianity period, the church building did not approve Christians to function as executioners of death sentences (Dulles, 2001).  St. Augustine felt up that the Fifth Commandant should be utilized even to prevent execution of death sentences and killing of criminals.  He wrote an entire have got about Capital punishment named The City of God.            The idea of capital punishment changed a bit during the Middle Age.  Christianity had some influence on the people, and the Courts were told to impose capital punishment only for people who committed serious crime.  This was in general as a self-defense mechanism to prevent the criminals from committing further crime and to ensure that the society was safe.  Some of the theologists felt that capital punishment was more of a hatred act against the criminal than one to enable him to refine in the future (Dulles, 2001).  Even though the Church opposed death sentence, it constituted a body to pronounce and capital punishment.The Church even conferred the State the power to issue death sentences in the later part of the 16th coulomb.  It derived this power from the Commandant thou shall not murder, and it was performed in several instances.  slowly the Church began to approve capital punishment only in the case the criminal committed a serious crime.  Slowly the attitude of the Church towards capital punishment began to change as they felt that life was a precious gift given by God and it was morally wrong to take ones life for sins committed.  The Italian thinker Gino Concetti, wrote a Book LOsservatore Romano in 1977, demonstrating the importance and sacredness of God-given life.  He verbalize that humans could not destroy the life of another human, and even the criminals who had performed serious crimes should not be punished with death sentence.  He said that there should not be any circumstance in which capital punishment was reassert as no person had the right to take the life of another and destroy one of Gods precious creations.  We should be able to respect the figure that God is expressing himself in man.  This work had really changed the attitudes of Christians and the Church towards capital punishment.Man y people felt that the Church itself did not respect or identify this view of life before.  there was a uproar against capital punishment in the 20th century in Europe.  Several European countries who believed in Christianity began to incorporate the latest teachings and beliefs of the Church in their Legal systems.  The Governments began to underhand the importance of life (Dulles, 2001).Since, the criminal is also a human being he is a precious creation of God and has a reflection of God in himself.  His actions have an particle of God expressed in it.  Hence, it would be morally wrong to even punish the most serious criminals with capital punishment.  In the Old Testament, the view that a criminal action should be punished with a similar action by the law-enforcement agency existed.  However, a person may be expressing the Will of God through his actions.            Christianity has developed over a foresi ghted period, and like a shot it does not permit both, direct destruction ( winning the life of a specific person) and indirect destruction (actions performed without the intention of killing another person).  In some instances, taking the life of another person by skid may be pardoned by the Church.  The Church is also against any individuals taking the life of another on the advice of the State (Pesenke, 1981).God does not allow one human to take the life of another because God is the agent of the human beings and can create or destroy a life.  whatever person who takes the life of another with a mental intention is wickedness against God.  A Human life is the most precious work of God, and destroying it would be against the Will of God.  No political or legal body in the World has the right to interfere with Gods creation.  It is not justified for any Court or King to take the life of any individual including a criminal.      &n bsp     Many countries feel that capital punishment should be permitted at least to end the life of criminals who committed serious crimes.  They may also be considering that it would be a cheaper option to end the life of such criminals than to punish them with life-imprisonment.  However, the legal and the political systems should not cheapen human life, and should consider them as important to God.  Having capital punishment options in the legal system is not going to reduce crimes.  It is essential that the Government provides a socio-economic environment that may permit development and reduce frustration of the people.            The Jews believed unwaveringly in capital punishment and permitted it following murders, adultery, worship of idols, war crimes, and kidnapping.  They feel that capital punishment would ensure that the society is safer from the actions of the criminals in the future.  T hey also feel that anybody who destroys God-given creations should be punished with death sentence.  A counsel usually issues death sentences in Jewish courts.  The court will examine the criminal during the trial and 2 neutral checkes should provide evidence for the case.  As the process of publish capital punishment under Jewish laws is very stringent, such sentences may usually occur less frequently.In several situations (such as wars, emergencies, relations with non-Jewish criminals, etc), the stringent process is relaxed and death sentences are issued more easily.  In such situations Noah-Laws are usually applicable.  Usually just one neutral witness is required (FAQ, 2006).  During the later part of the 20th century, Jewish thinkers began to oppose the use of capital punishment by the legal system.  The ideas of Christian theologists are now being followed by the Jewish thinkers with regard to death sentence.  Only in extremely serious crimes are capital punishment allowed by Jewish courts (FAQ, 2006).            Capital punishment is not only an ineffective way of traffic with crime (as it does not reduce the crime rate), but is also an juvenile way (as hatred and revenge are spread).  It also cheapens the importance of God-given life.  The Government should look at alternative to punish or reform the criminals.ReferencesDulles, A. C. (2001). universality & axerophthol Capital Punishment. First Things 112, 30-35.http//www.firstthings.com/article.php3?id_article=2175%20FAQ (2006). Question 12.21 What is the Jewish position on Capital Punishment? Retrieved on April 8, 2007, from FAQ.org  Web site Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance from Web site http//www.faqs.org/faqs/judaism/FAQ/06-Jewish-Thought/section-22.htmlHorigan, D. P. (1996). Buddhism & Capital Punishment. Retrieved on April 8, 2007, from The Engaged Zen Foundation from Web site http//www.engag ed-zen.org/articles/Damien_P_Horigan-Buddhism_Capital_Punishment.htmlPesenke, H. C. (1981). Christian morals Volume II Special Moral Theology in the well-fixed of Vatican II, Bangalore TPI.Robinson, B. A. (2006). Facts about capital punishment Part 1 data & trends. Retrieved on April 8, 2007, from Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance from Web site http//www.religioustolerance.org/execut3.htmThe Bible penetration (2007). Genesis 1 (New International Version). Retrieved on April 8, 2007, from The Bible Gateway from Web site http//www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+1