[ckca]

Pinging Dr. Kopp's (Polycarp's) ping list

[nickcarraway]

Didn't Archbishop Chaput address this?

[PISANO]

The EXECUTION of INNOCENTS is NOT morally equivalent to the EXECUTION of MURDERERS proven to be GUILTY. Anything said to the contrary is idiocy!

[Diamond]

Thank you for the ping.

I respectfully disagree with one point of the article that the death penalty should (now) be rare due to circumstances. The number of murders belies that proposition. I think that Genesis 9:6 still holds and that justice demands it. There is a difference between killing the innocent and killing the guilty. Nowadays though, it seems that the innocent are strangely condemned by the very same people who want the guilty to go free.

Cordially,

[Mark17]

Is the Death Penalty Morally Equal to Abortion?

No.

[camle]

the fact that this guy even asks the question illustrates his moral vapidity.

how can you equate the killing of the innocent with the killing of the guilty? Unless you don't beleive in guilt.

[SF Republican]

I have always thought it such a juxtaposition; one group crying it is okay to kill millions of babies but not a single murderer; on the other side it is okay to kill murderers but not babies?

[JustPlainJoe]

Can't these morons tell the difference between the punishment for a crime and the doing away with consequences of irresponsible behavior?

Come on now, for St. Pete's sake....

[biblewonk]

"We face a serious pastoral challenge, Some Catholic politicians defy church teaching in their policy advocacy and legislative votes, first and most fundamentally on the defense of unborn life, but also on the use of the death penalty, questions of war and peace, the role of marriage and family, the rights of parents to choose the best education for their children, the priority for the poor, and welcome for immigrants...."

They seem to be getting a lot of these wrong lately.

[HenryLeeII]

Well, first of all, abortion is performed on an innocent, unborn child, whereas the death penalty is applied against an adult with free will who has committed a heinous crime. Secondly, from what I've read on the subject, and admittedly I'm not an expert, but the commandment "Thou shall not kill" refers to murder, not any killing in general. Now, mortgaging an archdiocese's property in order to stay solvent and start paying restitution for various scandals and cover-ups may be a subject the church should spend some conference time discussing...

[Lucky2]

To take the life of a those guilty of heinous crimes is moral and just to society as a whole. To take the life of an innocent baby is murder and murder is immoral. This is written in the Bible. An eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth!

[atomic conspiracy]

"Is the Death Penalty Morally Equal to Abortions?"

It would be if we executed two million people a year for being an hindrance to our lifestyle and a drag on society:

"That nitwit cut me off in traffic, hang him! This guy is collecting unemployement, off with his head! That single mom is getting welfare for her 4 kids. To the oven with all of 'em!"

[tortoise]

I am against the death penalty, but not because I am against killing people that desperately need it. In short, the State can't be trusted with the power to kill its citizens, as eventually it WILL be used as a tool by some unsavory politician. On the other hand, I am a-okay with self-defense and the whole concept of justifiable homicide by private citizens. Just not government agents.

Or to put it another way, I would never agree to give the government a power that I wouldn't agree to give to Hillary Clinton. Hitler creatively applied many laws that had been put into place by previous administrations with the best of intentions because no one thought someone like Hitler would end up in power to abuse them. You never know what bizarre political circumstance the future holds; if future history was predictable, history wouldn't be as interesting as it is.

[.45MAN]

thanks for the ping. very good piece..

[sitetest]

Dear Polycarp Wherever You Are,

Good article.


sitetest

[Salvation]

Bumping this thread. Excellent.

[madprof98]

Note the similar line of reasoning on the part of leftish leaning "Catholics" on the topic of abortion.

[Gil4]

Bump (so I can enter the fray later)

[Indie]

Did I read the article? HEII no! The entire question is ludicrous.

[narses]

If you hear from the good Doc, wish him a Merry Christmas please.