Crime & punishment

Good intention = when you plan to do something for the good of someone (eg intending to help your friend revise)

Evil intention = when you plan to do something harmful (eg intending to cause pain to someone)

Can it ever be good to cause suffering?

YES - a sports coach might set a painful training session with a good intention - to help you improve. In other words, it depends on the context. (CONTEXTUALIST view)

YES - someone might argue that if you are a criminal, then it is good that you are made to suffer (with a punishment).

NO - all suffering is bad - so it should be avoided. (ABSOLUTIST view)

Utilitarians believe that only the consequences of your actions matter - intentions are irrelevant.

Opposition to an unjust law - if the law prevents Christian principles, it might be right to break the law. JESUS STOOD UP FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE PERSECEUTED and EVERYONE IS EQUAL (ST PAUL) - EVERYONE IS MADE IN GOD'S IMAGE

Examples:

1. Rosa Parks bus protest - against racist laws in USA.

2. The Suffragettes vs sexist laws in UK.

Retribution

Punishment is for getting pay back. So, for example, if someone murders someone, they should be sentenced to the death penalty.

Support: Old Testament: 'An eye for an eye' - This is not a common Christian view. Jesus' teachings on forgiveness are more important that the Old Testament teachings.

Against: Jesus's teachings on forgiveness, eg 'Turn the other cheek'.

Deterrence

Punishment is to put people off committing crimes so that society becomes safer. So if you are likely to get the death penalty for murder, the idea is that you will be put off murdering them. Harsh punishments are supposed to deter people from crimes. This is meant to make society safer.

Support: harsh punishments will motivate people to not commit them.

Against: in the USA, in states which have the death penalty, murder rates are not lower - so the threat of death penalty does not motivate people.

Reformation

Punishment is not so important - the most important thing is to reform criminals, so they do not commit crimes again, therefore making society safer.

Support: no-one is an evil person, but we some times do evil things (eg crimes). It is important to help people be good. Everyone deserves a second chance - Jesus' teachings on forgiveness. Only God can judge us. Jesus stopped a women being stoned to death for adultery.

Corporal punishment - CHRISTIANITY AND ANOTHER RELIGIOUS VIEW NEEDED - could be a question 3

**Remember - the main religious tradition in the UK is Christianity.**

Physical punishment (that does NOT kill the criminal) - eg beating, amputations. The UK does NOT use corporal punishment.

Buddhism

• Cruel punishments breaks the principle of ahimsa (= do not cause suffering).

• Corporal punishment breaks the First Moral Precept (= do not harm or kill living things).

• Cruel punishments are not compassionate, and they cause negative kamma.

• The Buddha taught ‘an action cannot be considered if it brings physical and mental pain to another human being’.

Conservative Christianity

• Some conservative Christians might accept it on the basis of Old Testament teaching such as: ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’.

• They might think corporal punishment has a deterrent value. Providing it is not unduly harsh, such punishment might actually benefit the offender in the long term.

Liberal Christians

• Most Christians think that harsh treatment of others is shows a lack of love.

• It is not forgiving

• Jesus’ teaching "those who live by the sword die by the sword" highlights its negative consequences (ie violence breeds violence).

**Contrasting views (1): Christianity & Islam**

• Most Christians are against corporal punishment because Jesus taught that forgiveness is more important than 'an eye for an eye'. As he taught, we should turn the other cheek and not respond with violence when someone does something wrong.

• Most Muslims are in favour of corporal punishment for some crimes, as in Shari'ah law it says that amputation is a suitable punishment for stealing. This is because the Qur'an states that cutting off a hand is an appropriate punishment for stealing.

**Contrasting views (2): Christianity & Buddhism**

• Some conservative Christians are in favour of corporal punishment because it helps protect society due to it deterring (motivating) criminals from doing more crimes. For example, if you knew you would be beaten if you stole something, this would put you off stealing.

• Buddhists are against corporal punishment because it causes suffering, and this is to be avoided because causing suffering creates negative kamma.

Forgiveness - CHRISTIANITY AND BUDDHIST VIEWS NEEDED - could be a question 3

Buddhism

Forgiveness is important in Buddhism.

• The person who forgives practises loving-kindness and compassion, which builds up good kamma.

• Hatred is one of the Three Poisons and makes liberation from samsara impossible.

• The Buddha taught: ‘Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else, but you are the one that gets burned’.

Christianity

• In the Lord’s Prayer, Christians say ‘Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us’. This shows forgiveness is important.

• When Peter asked Jesus whether it was sufficient to forgive someone seven times, Jesus replied, ‘Not seven times but seventy times seven’; there should be no limits to forgiveness.

• Some Christians think that forgiveness can only be offered to those who are sorry for what they have done. Without repentance, forgiveness is meaningless. Jesus said, ‘If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him’.

**Contrasting views**

• Buddhists think forgiveness should always be given because if we do not forgive we gain negative kamma, and continue the cycle of suffering, in which case we cannot achieve enlightenment. This is becasue we develop hate (one of the three poisons) if we do not forgive.

• Some Christians think that forgiveness can only be given if the criminal truly says sorry/repents. Jesus taught this, and it matches Christian belief that God only forgives us if we repent of our sins..

Death penalty - CHRISTIANITY AND BUDDHIST VIEWS NEEDED - could be a question 3

Buddhism

• Most Buddhists opposes the death penalty because it shows neither loving kindness nor compassion towards the offender.

• They believe in giving the offender the opportunity for reformation.

• The Dhammadpada states: ‘All living things fear being put to death. Putting oneself in the place of the other, let no one kill nor cause another to kill’.

• Some mainly Buddhist countries use the death penalty as a way of protecting their citizens. The negative kamma is outweighed by the security given to many people who might otherwise have been his/her victims. This could be seen as showing loving-kindness (metta) to the country’s citizens.

Christianity

• Some conservative Christians think it is the only just penalty for some acts of murder. They interpret ‘an eye for an eye, a life for a life’ as sanctioning strict retribution. It means that the family of the victim will feel able to move on.

Many denominations, eg the Anglican Church, oppose it as contrary to New Testament teaching to leave vengeance to God. Jesus rejected the ‘eye for an eye’ law with the words: If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the left also.

**Contrasting views**

• Buddhists are against capital punishment because it causes suffering, and this is to be avoided because it prevents achieving enlightenment.

• Some conservative Christians are in favour of capital punishment because it helps protect society due to it deterring other criminals from committing crimes, and they believe the most important reason for punishment is to keep society safe.