Subject:
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Re: Abortion, consistent with the LP stance? (Re: From Harry Browne
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Mon, 13 Nov 2000 23:12:49 GMT
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Viewed:
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897 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Christopher L. Weeks writes:
> In lugnet.off-topic.debate, James Simpson writes:
> > That is not something that I can answer quickly.
>
> I can respect that.
>
> > I feel very strongly that certain crimes do indeed warrant death, but
> > I am willing to reconsider the
> > part that mercy should play in a criminal justice system.
>
> I don't know the tenets of your religion very well, having never agreed with
> them. But is it your job to mete out that kind of justice according to
> Christianity? I thought Christ admonished you to turn the other cheek and let
> God deal with that kind of Justice.
That is indeed a principle tenent of the faith. I won't lie to you that I have
questions as to how the balance of mercy/judgment must be applied by the state
(whatever political state it might be). I think that the criminal justice
system has a responsibility to be consistent...I think that the governed enter
into a social contract with the government in which there is an implicit
understanding the we relinquish to the state our "right" to have crimes against
us redressed. We defer judgment, so to speak, to the body of government. It
may be a person's perogative to forgive an assault, for instance, but is it in
the best interests of society (even one's neighbors) to allow criminals to go
unpunished? I'd rather hold someone accountable to violence done to me, so
that, at the very least, the criminal won't commit the same act against someone
else. That seems a legitimate way to love my neighbor. Again, consistency...a
justice system must be consistent to be just. You may very well be right that
it is wrong to administer the death penalty. Philosophically, I have my
questions about that, but I'm certainly open to becoming anti-death penalty, for
lack of a better phrase.
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