Should child rapist be put to death?

[HT721]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,351351,00.html

 

Supreme Court to decide if the death penalty can be used on people convicted of raping children.

[cch5432]

No. I am not God, I do not decide who gets to die and who doesn't, especially if we can protect society in other manners. I do not believe that God would like for us humans to resort to the death penalty except when it is impossible to defend society otherwise.

[Eaglenation]

No. I am not God, I do not decide who gets to die and who doesn't, especially if we can protect society in other manners. I do not believe that God would like for us humans to resort to the death penalty except when it is impossible to defend society otherwise.

 

 

How ,then, do you protect that child of thoughts of that person still being alive on this planet? What if it were your child? I have a hard time with this..

[cch5432]

How ,then, do you protect that child of thoughts of that person still being alive on this planet? What if it were your child? I have a hard time with this..

I don't have any children, so it is hard for me to put myself in that position. But I can't justify putting someone to death if I know it is possible to protect society from them in another way, while at the same time allowing them time to repent, and in all likelihood saving money for the taxpayers.

 

What if a relative of your's raped a child? A brutal and gruesome comparison, but would you support them being put to death? But either way, I do not like this comparison (when you stated it, or when I did). I don't believe that decisions such as this should be based on appeals to our emotions, instead reason must be the deciding factor.

[Eaglenation]

I don't have any children, so it is hard for me to put myself in that position. But I can't justify putting someone to death if I know it is possible to protect society from them in another way, while at the same time allowing them time to repent, and in all likelihood saving money for the taxpayers.

 

What if a relative of your's raped a child? A brutal and gruesome comparison, but would you support them being put to death? But either way, I do not like this comparison (when you stated it, or when I did). I don't believe that decisions such as this should be based on appeals to our emotions, instead reason must be the deciding factor.

 

And allowing a person who steals a childs soul from them to continue to breath makes sense. Personally, I feel that is REASON enough on the deciding factor. Send him across the river Styx.......But we can agree to disagree..:thumb:

[Mr.Fundamental]

Paraphrasing here didn't Jesus say woe to anyone who hinders a child, it might be better for them to tie a millstone around their neck and be tossed into sea... anyone ever seen a millstone.

 

Jesus also said though forgive your brother if he sins against you as many times as it takes...

 

Interesting....

[Eaglenation]

Paraphrasing here didn't Jesus say woe to anyone who hinders a child, it might be better for them to tie a millstone around their neck and be tossed into sea... anyone ever seen a millstone.

 

Jesus also said though forgive your brother if he sins against you as many times as it takes...

 

Interesting....

 

Forgive, but not forget.........:flame:

[cch5432]

And allowing a person who steals a childs soul from them to continue to breath makes sense. Personally, I feel that is REASON enough on the deciding factor. Send him across the river Styx.......But we can agree to disagree..:thumb:

I am not being combative, and I respect your opinion as well. But Reason is objective (as opposed to our emotions), which is what I was getting at. So I don't think that the "what if it was your kid" argument is valid, because it is inherently subjective.

 

I can't think of some objective reason to put someone to death, when America has the resources to protect society from the criminal. I have no problem with solitary confinement 24/7 and life without parole, but, as a Christian, I can't justify me making the decision whether or not should be able to "continue to breath", unless there is no other physical way to protect humanity.

[Covercorner]

I've always heard that even the hard core, nasty murders can't stand child molesters. Bad things happen to them in prison if they are in the general population.

[BoondockSaint]

Should they? I don't think any man can really answer that question. Would it bother me if they were? No.

[Hearsay]

On a personal note, if someone raped one of my boys, he would be dead, and I would be on trial for homicide.

 

However, I don't think that the state should be executing for rape, even of a child. In almost all states, you don't have to have any evidence, physical, witnesses, or otherwise, to file a charge or get all the way to a jury on a sex charge. Nothing. The child makes the statement that it happened, and without any other proof whatsoever, of any kind, the case gets to a jury. This is my area of work, it happens every day. People get indicted because their ex is mad at them and gets a child to drop the "S" bomb; they get indicted by children who are old enough and smart enough to manipulate the system; they get indicted because of overzealous and incompetent social workers. No way, in the current legal environment, would I pass a law permitting the ultimate penalty on the types of proof it takes to file a case of this nature.

 

Also, we define child as under 16. A 19 year-old has sex with a 15 year-old and its rape. Execute him?

 

What about sex abuse? Do we slide the slippery slope and execute sex abusers and not merely rapists?

 

The death penalty guarantees the defendant will go to trial. Force children into the trauma of on-the-stand testimony in every case?

[HT721]

I'm ok with this, I may require a higher burden of proof before the death penalty can be used. For instances say multiple witnesses or DNA evidence. But I just have very little sympathy for these people. Also the law at question defines child as anyone 12 or under.

[94 Camel]

No. I am not God, I do not decide who gets to die and who doesn't, especially if we can protect society in other manners. I do not believe that God would like for us humans to resort to the death penalty except when it is impossible to defend society otherwise.

 

You do not have to be God. God made it very clear throughout the Bible that it is ritcheous for humans to put other humans to death for several offenses.

[cch5432]

You do not have to be God. God made it very clear throughout the Bible that it is ritcheous for humans to put other humans to death for several offenses.

That doesn't seem in line with Jesus' teaching of turning the other cheek, or forgiveness. I am of the line of thinking that the person who does such a crime will receive their punishment in the after-life, unless they repent.

[Habib]

I can't think of some objective reason to put someone to death, when America has the resources to protect society from the criminal. I have no problem with solitary confinement 24/7 and life without parole, but, as a Christian, I can't justify me making the decision whether or not should be able to "continue to breath", unless there is no other physical way to protect humanity.

 

I agree.