Sin and Forgiveness Flashcards
(90 cards)
What is a deterrence?
- punishments that put people off committing crime, ie. drink driving laws
- Designed to make the criminal think before committing the crime
What are the advantages of deterrence?
- Seen to be punitive/stigmatised so others are put off
- if the deterrent works, it stops the crime all together so there are no victims of crime.
- The other punishments ‘react’ to the crime itself.
What are the disadvantages of deterrence?
It might be impossible to put some people off committing crime – for example addicts, people who are unable to make rational decisions
What is retribution?
making the criminal pay for what they have done, ie. Prison/death penalty. The punishment fits the crime
What are the advantages of retribution?
- Fair and just – criminals get what they deserve
- it is consistent with Biblical teaching – ‘an eye for and eye’ – Rich Man and Lazarus (Rich Man ended up in hell and was punished for his sin
What are the disadvantages of retribution?
- ie the death penalty, if taking a life is wrong, then surely using it as a punishment is wrong
- often prison makes the criminal worse – recidivist rate is 70%, ie the person re-offends – life-cycle of crime/prison
What is rehabilitation ?
helping criminals reform through education, counselling and training = FORGIVENESS
What are the advantages of rehabilitation?
- Criminal less likely to commit crime again – become productive in society
- this response is consistent with Christian teaching – love neighbour and imago Dei - Jesus said to forgive 70 x 7
What are the disadvantages of rehabilitation?
- Courses in prison are not enough - Poverty/poor parenting and childhood trauma lead people to crime – so this needs to be addressed too
- Some people think this response is ‘soft’ on crime – and it doesn’t offer a sense of justice to the victims of crime
What is the central message of the gospel?
Forgiveness
Where is the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant in the Bible?
Matthew 18
What does it say in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant?
- Peter asks Jesus how many times he must forgive
- Jesus responded ‘not seven times but seventy-seven times..’
What does 7 represent in the Bible?
- 7 represents perfection in the Bible
- THIS MEANS that Jesus teaches there is NO LIMIT to forgiveness.
What does it say about forgiveness in Matthew 6?
Jesus also tells us that if we do not forgive we cannot expect to be forgiven
What does it say in the Lord’s Prayer about forgiveness?
we ask for forgiveness as we forgive others
What are examples of forgiveness in the Bible?
- Jesus forgave the cheating tax-collector, Zacchaeus,
- Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery
- Jesus forgave the guards who executed him
What do people believe about Christians and crimes?
That they are too soft on crime because they choose forgiveness
What does Christians believe about forgiveness?
- However, Christians believe forgiveness and punishment work together to ensure justice is done
- Justice does not mean revenge – it means restoring what is right
What do Christians believe about judgement?
- Jesus said to forgive
- God will punish wrong-doers in the next life on JUDGEMENT DAY – ie. Parable of the Rich Man
- The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
- Christians believe it is up to God to judge and forgive
- In this life Christians believe that punishment should be about REFORM/REHABILITATE
What is the Catholic views on Capital Punishment?
Traditionally the death penalty was ALLOWED but not ENCOURAGED
What does St Augustine write about capital punishment?
Letters to Macedonius
What does St Augustine write in the letters to Macedonius?
- letter 153 = said to seek other types of punishment, because once a person is dead there ‘is no space to reform’
- letter 134 = said to set free rather than avenge ‘by shedding blood.’
What book does Pope John Paul II write in about capital punishment?
Evangelium Vitae
What does PJPII write about in Evangellium vitae about capital punisment?
- it is to be avoided unless it is the only way to defend society – keep society safe - restore justice
- He said the death penalty should only be used in ‘cases of absolute necessity’
- He said that punishments should be bloodless wherever possible