[Aquinasfan]

You're not the only one. I'm also pro-life from both ends of the spectrum.

Are you opposed to war as well?

My point is that the first duty of the State is to defend the lives of its citizens, and both war and capital punishment can serve this end.

Now, the previous pope stated that in nations where it is possible to imprison murderers for life, without risk to society, then the death penalty is not necessary. This point is arguable, depending on various circumstances. But importantly, the pope did not reject the State's right to impose capital punishment in principle.

Please do not draw moral equivalence between abortion and the death penalty.

[JamesP81]

Are you opposed to war as well?

Not as such. I understand that war is necessary, but I believe in a moral sense God views warfare in a different fashion than either abortion or the death penalty.

Please do not draw moral equivalence between abortion and the death penalty.

Certainly not. However, I don't think it's within God's plan for us to strap someone down to a table, run him full of poison, and call it justice. It's not justice; it's vengeance. Justice requires that the guilty be made to understand the wrongness of their actions, receive punishment, and be given an opportunity to learn from their mistakes. Killing someone does not allow this. It's punishment only and does not include the other elements.

Interestingly, you'll not see me opposing putting Saddam Hussein or Osama Bin Laden to death, however. While Hussein's trial is a criminal matter in Iraq, it is a national security matter to us. It's an extension of the war in general and falls under my heading of 'warfare'.

In short, I think the Pope is wrong on this one. Nothing against him, I think he's great (when he gave that speech about the dictatorship of moral relativism I knew he was going to be good, at least speaking as a protestant) but I think he's called this one wrong.