...The Catholic Church attitude towards the capital punishment has been changing throughout the history. The early Christians opposed to the death penalty as well as they opposed to the state. This attitude started changing when Christianity became an official religion. The Catholic Church as a power structure began utilizing all the repressive mechanisms inherent in a political formation. The clerical scholars started setting a theological basis to justify the murder. The inquisition became an instrument of the political suppression. Today, the Catholic Church changes the attitude to death penalty anew, retracing to early Christian positions. This paper analyzes the evolution of the Catholic thought on the issue of the death penalty. The early Christian Church opposed the death penalty, regarding it as the violation of the sixth commandment “thou shall not kill”. The teaching of Christ renounced the lex talionis tradition of the Old Testament which commanded to pay an equal price for a damage done (the principle known as “an eye for an eye”). The Old Testament distinctly orders to put to death a man who kills another man (Exod 21:12). On the contrary, at the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus preaches: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5:38-39). Apart from Christ's teaching, some books of the New Testament...
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...criminals for heinous crimes, in spite of the fact that arguments concerning the death penalty, its concepts of retribution, deterrence and just punishments have been disagreed upon. The question at hand is whether or not the death penalty is permissible and if so under what circumstances, which has long been a heated debate for centuries. The ethical issues surrounding the death penalty include the morality of this form of punishment and whether or not it is morally right to deprive a human being of life. This paper will discuss the background of the death penalty, its permissibility under the law and how the death penalty would be viewed by the ethical philosophies and various religions. The Death Penalty and its Permissibility Introduction of the Death Penalty The death penalty or capital punishment is the practice of executing someone as a form of punishment for a heinous or specific crime following a proper legal trial. The death penalty is usually a punishment sentenced for serious types of murders, in some countries treason, types of fraud, adultery and rape, which are capital crimes (Capital Punishment, 2013). The death penalty was introduced as early as the Eighteenth Century B.C. in the Code of King Hammaurabi of Babylon, who codified the death penalty for 25 different crimes. In the Seventh Century B.C. Athens the Draconian Code made the death the only form of punishment for all crimes. Fifth Century B.C. by the Romans in the Twelve Tablets, the death sentences were...
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...Final: Capital Punishment a just social problem SOC 203 Intro to Social Problems The debate of capital punishment will always generate passion, it is one of the most debated issues in the Criminal Justice system. The absence of capital punishment would prove a greater problem for the sake of society. Many opponents will argue the death penalty should be abolished, they fail to offer up any comparable alternatives for the crime for murder. It is a harsh punishment but, in all fairness, the punishment fits the crime. Capital punishment does what the name suggests: it punishes and it removes the notion that one can kill and get away with it. It serves as a deterrent for those contemplating murder and in the end, it brings justice. Capital punishment defends the sanctity of life and until we evolve to the place where murders are no longer a part of our society, we must punish this crime fairly. To know we have removed a murdering criminal from the street is a relief thankful to deterrence of violent crime, retribution, Christianity, and innocence. One argument for the death penalty is the fact that it deters crime. Those enticed by killing someone might think twice if they know their life will be taken as a consequence. Joanna Shepherd explores the history of capital punishment and explains that while many studies produced mixed results, modern economic studies reveal executions “significantly deter murders” (Shepherd). In addition, Wesley Lowe reports when the death penalty...
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...The Death Penalty Capital punishment is putting a condemned person to death. When one reads history of the world, it is seen that many people were sentenced to death because they raised a voice against the king. Ending a person’s life without giving him a chance to repent is not the best of the correctional methods. It might serve as deterrence for others but to what extent is that entirely true will be examined in the paper. The “cruel and unusual” clause in the eighth amendment states that “cruel and unusual punishment” such as torture or lingering death can not be inflicted on anyone as a form of execution. It is however permissible under the 8th Amendment to execute a convict by means of hanging, shooting, electrocution, and lethal gas. There is still confusion about what is actually constitutes “cruel and unusual punishment.” There have been several court cases of interest that have challenged and redefined this concept. In Louisiana ex. Rel. Francis v. Resweber, a convicted murderer was subject to a botched execution, and subsequently argued that a second attempt at execution would be a violation of the Eighth Amendment constituting cruel and unusual punishment. Previously the forms of execution were very painful. Many were beheaded while many were crucified. Crucifixion was the method used to execute Jesus according to Christianity. Such methods aimed at prolonging the pain before death. “Some may attempt to argue that there is scriptural authorization for the death penalty...
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...studies of Christian ethics, Islamic ethics, Hindu ethics and so on. Both religion and ethics serve a common need in our society. Societies are built on the plank of co-existence and mutuality. Ethics is the study of what "ought" to be. It is a theoretical study and is otherwise referred to as the study of morality. Moral is an important part in ethics. Ethics as a branch of “philosophy”, has three components (Feiser 2003): "meta-ethics" studies the sources and meaning of ethical terms; "normative ethics" does the more practical task of examining the moral standards that regulate right and wrong conduct; and "applied ethics" examines controversies such as abortion, infanticide, animal abuse, environmental concerns, homosexuality and capital punishment. To behave ethically is to behave in a manner consistent with what is right or moral. Ethics is simply the principles used by people that control their conduct. Religion is a system of thoughts, feelings, and approach that is shared by a group of members and that gives the members an object of devotion; a code of behavior by which individuals may judge the personal and social consequences of their actions, and a frame of reference by which individuals may relate to their group and their universe. There is a spectrum of views about how religion and ethics are related from the view that religion is the absolute bedrock of ethics to one that holds that ethics is based on humanistic assumptions justified mainly and sometimes only, by...
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...do the crime, then he should be indeed big enough to take the punishment that follows. “Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for a crime.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment) Basically Capital Punishment is the country’s major punishment, for what they consider to be the most major crimes. It is a subject of active disagreement and controversy in various countries and positions in the argument can vary with a single switch in political hierarchy. To count there are about fifty eight countries that still recognizes Capital Punishment. Surprisingly most of the European and Asian Countries are the ones prohibit the use of Capital Punishment. And oddly even though most of the world physical land masses rebukes Capital Punishment, most of the world’s population still resides in countries that still strongly agree with the use of Capital Punishment. But here in The Bahamas, our situation is quite a special one. We are a free independent country, our laws say that we recognizes the use of Capital Punishment in the country, it obvious that a country cries for it, but the dilemma is that it is not being carried out. But the question raised is why? What is the hold up, and how do the Bahamian people feel about the whole situation? Chapter 1 “Capital Punishment in the Bahamas; Gone but not forgotten” Capital Punishment in The Bahamas has been a practice long before the ages, from...
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...peace (Individual and World) Islam and Christianity The understanding of peace Christianity Concept of peace The New Testament understanding of the word ‘peace’ is living in an idyllic condition and communicating regularly with God, as epitomized by the Garden of Eden. Perfect peace was lost when Adam and Eve sinned (Genesis 3) but the coming of Christ restored the potential for peace. Therefore belief in Jesus enables humans inner peace in their lives and the looking forward to the day when Jesus will reign supreme on Earth. As Jesus states in John 16:33 peace is found in him. This is multifaceted. 1) His death was for human sin and allows humans and God to become one again. 2) His ministry is full of Jesus providing peace to those he came into contact with. Matthew 11:28-30, he offers peace to those that are troubled, in Mark 1:21-2:12 he casts out demons and forgives sins and in Hebrews 12:14 followers are encouraged to copy Jesus by making ‘every effort t live in peace with all men. 3) When Jesus returns will bring everlasting physical and spiritual peace on Earth for those who believe. The central theme of Jesus’ teachings is the Kingdom of Heaven. The kingdom of God is characterized by peace- there will be no hardships or grief or pain (Revelation). The righteous and faithful will be redeemed and will live in perpetual peace. Islam Concept of peace Peace can only be found in the submission to the will of God. Like in Christianity peace was lost through Adam and Eve’s disobedience...
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...of the harshest available punishment. Thus arises one of the great moral dilemmas of our time. Should taking the life of one who has taken the life of others be considered an available punishment? Is a murderer's life any less sacred than the victim's is? Can capital punishment, the death penalty, execution, legal murder, or whatever a society wishes to call it, be morally justifiable? The underlying question in this issue is if any kind of killing, regardless of reason, can be accepted. In this paper I will discuss if the modern American form of capital punishment can be morally justified Opponents of the death penalty have a distinct advantage when arguing their point over advocates. Their advantage is the fact that taking the life of another is immoral, and if you remove all outstanding circumstances capital punishment is nothing more than legalized murder. This argument alone is not strong enough, though, because of the many circumstances surrounding capital punishment, such as the fact that the convict being executed has more than likely taken someone else's life. The first justification for the claim that capital punishment is immoral is the idea that it creates a climate of violence. If a society punishes a murderer by murdering them what are we saying about violence? Our society teaches its children that violence does not solve anything, and yet our highest form of punishment is no different than the crime it punishes. Capital punishment also furthers the desensitizing...
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...There has been a socialist society as form of government since 1992. The Communist Party of Vietnam imposes an independent, equitable and civilized society. It works under the supervision of the only legislative house, the National Assembly. The CVP aims “to realize socialism and ultimately, communism (Socialist, par.7).” In 1980, Vietnam adapted to French Civil law in which Canada agrees on the same value: the accused party should be determined guilty or innocent by fair and impartial means. They should be assigned an appropriate punishment and be treated innocent until proven guilty. Vietnam is becoming the second largest clothing supplier to the United States as they’re becoming a major manufacturing centre. Some of their main exports include rice, coffee, and petroleum and fish, even though there is a “long running territorial dispute with China over parts of South China Sea” (Profile, sec. overview) where these two materials are densely found. They are also advancing in information technology, even though vast majority of the population still depends on agriculture....
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...penalty does not lie in the procedure itself, but rather in the process leading up to the execution (Gaylord and Galliher 102). Although taxpayer dollars are important to the capital punishment debate, the death penalty is predominantly a moral issue. Opponents believe it is inhumane to permanently prevent a murderer from committing the same crime again. But, had Douglas Vinter been sentenced to death, he would not have been released in 2005, and he would not have been able to murder his wife years later. Pro-death penalty supporters believe the painful emotional tolls on the victims’ families are just as evil as allowing the felon to commit another crime. The loss of a loved one leaves permanent scars on the families – many whom live with haunting memories of what could have been. The people who support the death penalty claim that sacrifices must be made in order to protect the greater public from the dangers of convicted criminals, but especially from the heartache they...
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...biblical thinking. They drew examples from the Bible, and looked for confirmation of their ideas for government in scripture. Biblical absolutes enshrined into law offered a consensus that meant freedom without chaos. As stated in the Declaration of Independence, there exists “unalienable rights” of men. Rights were unalienable because they were provided by God. This was important because in most societies up until that time, and even in some countries today, rights are only conferred by whomever is in power at the time. An important aspect of our system of government is that it is based on the Rule of Law. This concept is a direct descendant of Hebrew law and the Ten Commandments. Together with the concept of unalienable rights from God, these concepts helped ensure a way of life that respected the dignity of every individual. The combination of these biblical concepts is a foundation of our government that helps overcome political power of potential tyrants. The First Amendment of the US Constitution...
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...RELIGIOUS EDUCATION S.B.A #1 PREVIEW Table of Content Acknowledgement Introduction Aim of research Research Topic Method of Collection Summary of Findings Interpretation and Analysis of Data Conclusion Bibliography Acknowledgement The researcher would like to thank my teacher Miss Simmons for her help and guidance. Also my parents who supported me in doing this research, a special thanks to the lord almighty God Introduction The research will examine the festivals in Christianity. There are many different types of festivals in Christianity. However my focus is on the following festivals: 1. Christmas 2. Easter 3. Lent 4. Good Friday Aim of Research The researchers hope to find out: 1. The different festival in Christianity 2. The importance of these festival in Christianity Research Topic The Types of Festival in Christianity Method of Collection This research was done between the months of September through to December 2010. The instruments the researcher used to collect these data are: literature, pen, paper, and computer. The researcher used the Spanish town library to complete this data. CXC 28/G/SYLL 09 CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate CSEC® RELIGIOUS EDUCATION SYLLABUS Effective for examinations from May/June 2012 Published by the Caribbean Examinations Council © 2010, Caribbean Examinations Council ...
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...CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate CSEC® RELIGIOUS EDUCATION SYLLABUS Effective for examinations from May/June 2012 CXC 28/G/SYLL 09 Published by the Caribbean Examinations Council © 2010, Caribbean Examinations Council All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior permission of the author or publisher. Correspondence related to the syllabus should be addressed to: The Pro-Registrar Caribbean Examinations Council Caenwood Centre 37 Arnold Road, Kingston 5, Jamaica, W.I. Telephone: (876) 630-5200 Facsimile Number: (876) 967-4972 E-mail address: cxcwzo@cxc.org Website: www.cxc.org Copyright © 2009, by Caribbean Examinations Council The Garrison, St Michael BB14038, Barbados CXC 28/G/SYLL 09 Contents RATIONALE ................................................................................................................................... 1 AIMS ................................................................................................................................................ 1 CRITERIA FOR CONTENT SELECTION .................................................................................... 2 ORGANISATION OF THE SYLLABUS ....................................................................................... 2 APPROACHES TO TEACHING THE SYLLABUS .......
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...During this course on the history of Catholic Moral Theology, we have had to deal with the topic of what can and cannot change within the Catholic Church. This happened to be the title of the primary book that we used for this course. This book, by John T. Noonan, is entitled A Church That Can and Cannot Change: The Development of Catholic Moral Teaching. A theme which Noonan immediately focuses on throughout the book is one which touches many of us deeply, slavery. As a person who has studied both law and religion and who is now embarking on a study of moral theology & ethics, I was highly interested in reading what John T. Noonan a distinguished scholar -author and member of the U.S. Court of Appeals- had to say in such an arena. Having heard him lecture, I was interested to see how his viewpoint translated into this type of arena. I was not disappointed. Throughout our course we not only discussed how this work dealt with such a topic, but we also discussed our own viewpoints on this very topic. Within the following paper I will discuss the issue of slavery, in the form of a synthetic paper, and how not only how it has evolved, but also the various positions the church has had concerning such an issue. As a backdrop, I will also use what Noonan outlined in his book as well. Therefore, this paper will be in the form of a review of Noonan thoughts (which will utilize various points from my prior presentation on this topic)/synthetic paper on the issue of slavery...
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...ABSTRACT The most important general and theoretical horizons regarding bioethics refer to the foundation of ethical theories. We can talk about two main general categories in which we can place the ethical theories: teleological and deontological. From the first category we enumerate the Aristotelian perspective or the one developed by J. St. Mill, while the Kantian perspective is exemplary for deontological ethics. According to the teleological perspective, a form of human behavior is described as moral or non-moral according to the goals explicitly set. The mere achievement of these goals is a necessary and sufficient condition to qualify as moral people’s actions or deeds without taking into account the “intermediate stages” of the actions performed to achieve those goals. Deontology, as a general horizon of articulating the ethical theories, believes on the contrary that in every moment of our existence, every action or deed that we accomplish can be described as moral or non-moral according to the ethical principles underlying our behavior. The very important consequences arising from the two general theoretical horizons concern two different perspectives on “human nature”, or what we call the essence of the human being. Starting from this horizon we will have the consequentialist and deontological dimensions related to euthanasia. The bioethical dimension in which we will discuss the issue of euthanasia involves both dimensions or horizons. The arguments against...
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