Death Penalty is an old issue. But here's my short take. This is a repost..
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo called for the Abolition of the Death Penalty. Whether she was driven by her personal conviction in doing that or simply just to get the favor of the CBCP and other religious groups that have continually played significant roles in our political arena, I don’t care at all. What matters to me is her decision. I am strongly against Death Penalty. If this kind of penalty is to be imposed there is a very real risk that the innocent will be executed. It is more humane to let the guilty go free than to punish an innocent man.
On the biblical side, I also find support for my belief. In the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, God was willing to spare the wicked cities if there were ten innocent people within them. Death penalty is a cruel repudiation of the scriptural teaching that favors the innocent. How about the spiritual message on forgiving the person who sinned you forty times seven or the message against revenge, or the famous 10 commandments which includes the mandate: “THOU SHALL NOT KILL!” I am not so versed with the bible, but I very well know of these.
Why blot a criminal out of the catalogue of the living? Killing a criminal exhibits revenge- the blood vengeance of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. If we kill a murderer to punish him, aren’t we also committing the same crime we are trying to punish? Certainly! Talking of Justice- does the taking of human life advance justice? Are we upholding morality and do we raise the value of life by legalized murder?
Despite the recent Maguindanao Massacre my view on death penalty hasn't changed. Oh yes, I'd like to see the criminals suffer, but if I let this burning anger and hate consume me, I am no less than a criminal too who wishes the death of another!
FYI:President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo called for the Abolition of the Death Penalty. Whether she was driven by her personal conviction in doing that or simply just to get the favor of the CBCP and other religious groups that have continually played significant roles in our political arena, I don’t care at all. What matters to me is her decision. I am strongly against Death Penalty. If this kind of penalty is to be imposed there is a very real risk that the innocent will be executed. It is more humane to let the guilty go free than to punish an innocent man.
On the biblical side, I also find support for my belief. In the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, God was willing to spare the wicked cities if there were ten innocent people within them. Death penalty is a cruel repudiation of the scriptural teaching that favors the innocent. How about the spiritual message on forgiving the person who sinned you forty times seven or the message against revenge, or the famous 10 commandments which includes the mandate: “THOU SHALL NOT KILL!” I am not so versed with the bible, but I very well know of these.
Why blot a criminal out of the catalogue of the living? Killing a criminal exhibits revenge- the blood vengeance of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. If we kill a murderer to punish him, aren’t we also committing the same crime we are trying to punish? Certainly! Talking of Justice- does the taking of human life advance justice? Are we upholding morality and do we raise the value of life by legalized murder?
Despite the recent Maguindanao Massacre my view on death penalty hasn't changed. Oh yes, I'd like to see the criminals suffer, but if I let this burning anger and hate consume me, I am no less than a criminal too who wishes the death of another!
Representative Bienvenido Abante called on his colleagues in the House of Representatives to begin discussions on pending proposals for the return of the death penalty following the Maguindanao Massacre.
What's your take?
What's your take?