Death Penalty Abolition Act

[Platypus]

It is proposed that:

1. The Death Penalty be made illegal in Atlasia;
2. That all current Death-row inmates are commuted to life imprisonment;
3. That the government recognises the fundamental violation of human rights presented by the death penalty.

(We need a bit of controversy after the abortion bill )


(Modified only for spelling improvements)

[StevenNick]

3. That the government recognises the fundamental violation of human rights presented by the death penalty.

How about "That the government recognizes the fundamental violation of human rights presented by murder, rape, and child molestation.

In fact, why don't we pass another bill extending the death penalty to all cases of violent sexual assault?

[Platypus]

Whilst nobody contends that crimes such as those you list are terrible, is it not sinking to their level to kill them? Not only would life imprisonment be extremely harsh on the criminals-who ants to spend their life in hell?-It is also recognised by almost the whole western world and a large chunk of the rest as being both a more humane and also more punishing sentence.

[Peak Harry]

I support this bill entirely.  Let horrible criminals rot in jail for years.

[StevenNick]

Whilst nobody contends that crimes such as those you list are terrible, is it not sinking to their level to kill them? Not only would life imprisonment be extremely harsh on the criminals-who ants to spend their life in hell?-It is also recognised by almost the whole western world and a large chunk of the rest as being both a more humane and also more punishing sentence.

Be careful when you speak of the 'almost the whole western world.'  The death penalty still enjoys the support of a majority of the people even in countries where it has been outlawed by the actions of judges and rogue politicians acting against the will of the people.  The idea that there is some kind of concensus against the death penalty in the world at large is fallacious.

Second, I fail to see how life in prison can be both more humane and more punishing.  Am I missing something?  I thought the reason life in prison was thought to be more human was because it was less punishing.  If it's not more punishing, then wouldn't death be the more humane punishment?  And besides, isn't punishing a criminal exactly the point?  Don't we want to punish the perpetrators of violent crimes for their actions?

But we must remember in this debate why we have the death penalty to begin with.  One is a matter of justice.  When a member of society commits an act so heinous as to violate every moral sensibility of the society at large, he or she must be punished, not as an act of vindictiveness, but as an act of justice.  The death penalty provides a closure to those crimes and incidents that haunt this earth--a closure that life in prison cannot replicate.

Another reason we civilized societies have turned to the death penalty when dealing with crimes of the gravest nature is our general, collective belief in God, a final arbitor of the actions of men.  The death penalty is, in a sense, an admission that all men are fallen; that no judge, no jury, and no society is capable of passing judgment on a soul.  Only the Supreme Being, the creator of the universe, and the Lord of men is capable of handing down such a judgment.  The death penalty is the act of yielding judgment to the only one who is capable of passing it.

[Schmitz in 1972]

I wholeheartedly support this measure, and with the third Boss Tweed abortion act only one vote away from a majority, it looks like Atlasia has finally started to become a sanctuary for the basic right to life.

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you - Matthew 5:44

We must do just this and forgive these sinners instead of condemning them.

[Reignman]

I will probably support this measure, but there must be a few obvious exceptions, such as mass-murdering terrorist masterminds.  I don't want Osama Bin Laden to go to jail for life.

P.S.  We'll do votes through polls right?

[JohnFKennedy]

P.S.  We'll do votes through polls right?

No, we have an elected Senate to vote on these things.

[ilikeverin]

2. That all current Death-row inmates are commuted to life impriisonment;

W/o parole, please

[??????????]

I oppose the abolition of the Death Penalty in all forms. I strongly have opposition to this.

[Josh/Devilman88]

i am torn on this act .. I mean I see that the bibles say to forgive your ememis. But I think life in jail is way to easy for them...

[??????????]

i am torn on this act .. I mean I see that the bibles say to forgive your ememis. But I think life in jail is way to easy for them...

The bible says capital punishment is acceptable if administered by the government as a punishment for crimes.

[Josh/Devilman88]

i am torn on this act .. I mean I see that the bibles say to forgive your ememis. But I think life in jail is way to easy for them...

The bible says capital punishment is acceptable if administered by the government as a punishment for crimes.

Where? I'm not saying you are wrong.. I just need to study up on this issues.

[KEmperor]

i am torn on this act .. I mean I see that the bibles say to forgive your ememis. But I think life in jail is way to easy for them...

Sigh....and now we get to the intelligent part of the debate, where we try to base our laws on what a bunch of men thousands of years ago might have meant....

[Reignman]

Hm...I notice an Ayn Rand quote...hehheh.

[Reignman]

P.S.  We'll do votes through polls right?

No, we have an elected Senate to vote on these things.

How does that work?

[??????????]

P.S.  We'll do votes through polls right?

No, we have an elected Senate to vote on these things.

How does that work?

Have you registered yet?

[KEmperor]

P.S.  We'll do votes through polls right?

No, we have an elected Senate to vote on these things.

How does that work?

We have a (somewhat) working government in place, elected by the registered voters of the forum.  Go to the Fantasy Elections board, and one of the stickys has links to all the important info.

[Josh/Devilman88]

i am torn on this act .. I mean I see that the bibles say to forgive your ememis. But I think life in jail is way to easy for them...

Sigh....and now we get to the intelligent part of the debate, where we try to base our laws on what a bunch of men thousands of years ago might have meant....

I'm not debating anyone. I am just trying to find out for myself. And just because I  believe in God don't mean I am intelligent,  and want to go by the bible.

[Schmitz in 1972]

i am torn on this act .. I mean I see that the bibles say to forgive your ememis. But I think life in jail is way to easy for them...

The bible says capital punishment is acceptable if administered by the government as a punishment for crimes.

Where? I'm not saying you are wrong.. I just need to study up on this issues.

I think he's referring to the laws contained in Leviticus and Deuteronomy in the old testament. However, in the new testament Christ renounces all of that. I maintain my stance that in the end the Bible does not condone death as punishment.

[??????????]

i am torn on this act .. I mean I see that the bibles say to forgive your ememis. But I think life in jail is way to easy for them...

The bible says capital punishment is acceptable if administered by the government as a punishment for crimes.

Where? I'm not saying you are wrong.. I just need to study up on this issues.

I think he's referring to the laws contained in Leviticus and Deuteronomy in the old testament. However, in the new testament Christ renounces all of that. I maintain my stance that in the end the Bible does not condone death as punishment.

Wrong. The New Testament speaks about the state having the right to drawl the sword as well.

[Josh/Devilman88]

i am torn on this act .. I mean I see that the bibles say to forgive your ememis. But I think life in jail is way to easy for them...

The bible says capital punishment is acceptable if administered by the government as a punishment for crimes.

Where? I'm not saying you are wrong.. I just need to study up on this issues.

I think he's referring to the laws contained in Leviticus and Deuteronomy in the old testament. However, in the new testament Christ renounces all of that. I maintain my stance that in the end the Bible does not condone death as punishment.

Ok, do you happen to know where it is in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. And where Christ goes against it in the New Testament?

[Josh/Devilman88]

i am torn on this act .. I mean I see that the bibles say to forgive your ememis. But I think life in jail is way to easy for them...

The bible says capital punishment is acceptable if administered by the government as a punishment for crimes.

Where? I'm not saying you are wrong.. I just need to study up on this issues.

I think he's referring to the laws contained in Leviticus and Deuteronomy in the old testament. However, in the new testament Christ renounces all of that. I maintain my stance that in the end the Bible does not condone death as punishment.

Wrong. The New Testament speaks about the state having the right to drawl the sword as well.

Where, if you know can you please give it to me?

[??????????]

Of course you won't buy it but here you go.

http://www.bible.ca/s-capital-punishment-commanded-in-bible.htm

[Peak Harry]

Whether or not the bible says it's ok is not the issue here--it's whether it's ok in Atlasia.  So let's get back to debating that.