tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13804788.post112104673347057111..comments2024-03-27T11:27:31.790-05:00Comments on A Catholic Life: The Catholic View on Capital PunishmentMatthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07929374709032473716noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13804788.post-1121392428712542512005-07-14T20:53:00.000-05:002005-07-14T20:53:00.000-05:00"But from a moral perspective, is it justfiable to..."But from a moral perspective, is it justfiable to provide one morsel of food to a mass murderer while there is a single hungry child on the streets of Manhattan or anywhere else."<BR/><BR/>My personal answer (not necessarily in accordance with the Magesterium) is that yes, we must provide for all of those before us whether they are more sinful or not. After all, we are all sinners.<BR/><BR/>"I can't help everyone, therefore, I must help those that God has placed before me" (Saint Augustine of Hippo)Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07929374709032473716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13804788.post-1121281888609305272005-07-13T14:11:00.000-05:002005-07-13T14:11:00.000-05:00Hi Jeff. Thanks for your response. The statements ...Hi Jeff. Thanks for your response. The statements from the usccb and the Vatican do not seem to leave any room for the application of the death penalty and indeed call for an outright ban. The question is to me whether "the goals of punishment can be acheived in other ways" in any meaningful sense. Is it right to feed, clothe, house and provide medical care indefinately for the likes of a McVeigh, a Bin Laden or a Dahmer while others who have commited no crimes are homeless, hungry and have limited or no access to medical care? I'm not making a link between spending in prisons and for the underpriviledged in the context of that expenditure making a difference in the plight of the poor. But from a moral perspective, is it justfiable to provide one morsel of food to a mass murderer while there is a single hungry child on the streets of Manhattan or anywhere else. <BR/><BR/>MikeDeacon Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06265354630850604997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13804788.post-1121266642917575782005-07-13T09:57:00.000-05:002005-07-13T09:57:00.000-05:00Thank you for both Mike and Jeffrey for participat...Thank you for both Mike and Jeffrey for participating here on my blog. I'll be sure to check out your blog, Jeffrey.Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07929374709032473716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13804788.post-1121226990945436812005-07-12T22:56:00.000-05:002005-07-12T22:56:00.000-05:00The Church has actually not changed its teaching o...The Church has actually not changed its teaching on the death penalty. This issue actually parallels the Church's teaching on war. It's not the ideal, but it is necessary in a fallen world in order to protect the innocent. <BR/><BR/>The constant teaching of the Church on capital punishment is that governmental authority has the power to protect society, effect conversion in the criminal, and gain retributive justice by putting dangerous criminals to death. <BR/><BR/>However, the power over life has to be exercised with great care (cf. Just War Theory). A society should not use the death penalty if the goals of punishment can be acheived in other ways (cf. last resort), or if retributive justice is sacrificed for revenge (cf. just cause). <BR/><BR/>The Church's current opposition to Capital Punishment is a prudential statement (not an infallible moral teaching) that most societies in today's world are able to acheive the goals of punishment without putting criminals to death, and should therefore do so. <BR/><BR/>I believe that the United States uses capital punishment for revenge rather than for retributive justice, which is another reason to oppose its use.<BR/><BR/>See my blog at http://faith-matters.blogspot.com. We Catholic bloggers need to support each other! God bless!Jeffreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08488576247003264355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13804788.post-1121225517962342592005-07-12T22:31:00.000-05:002005-07-12T22:31:00.000-05:00I posted this on the wrong thread so I am moving i...I posted this on the wrong thread so I am moving it here. Sorry about that<BR/><BR/>This is a difficult subject for me to reconcile. While the Church's position on abortion and contraception has always been the same teh current stand on capital punishment is a relatively recent development. I am not saying the teaching is wrong but how do we reconcile it with the Church's past history as regards this issue. <BR/>I also have to say I find it difficult to oppose the death penalty for certain crimes, especialy those involving children. Maybe it's a sin but I shed no tears over Timothy McVeigh. <BR/><BR/>MikeDeacon Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06265354630850604997noreply@blogger.com