Thursday, March 17, 2022

Religion & The Death Penalty

Versions began 1997, updated 9/2023

Religion & The Death Penalty
Dudley Sharp, independent researcher, death penalty expert, former opponent, 832-439-2113, CV at bottom
 
Here are over 4000 pro death penalty factual, philosophical, biblical and theological references, which either
 
1) support the death penalty or which
2) refute the factual, biblical and/or theological objections to the death penalty.

NOTE: Proper Translation and Meaning
 
It is important to look at biblical commentators, regarding any biblical text.
 
This has 8-12 different commentaries, per text. Use them.
https://biblehub.com/commentaries/psalms/34-18.htm 

Religious
 
For 4,500 years (biblical timeline), the death penalty has had religious support, starting with Genesis 9:5-6. Anti-death penalty teachings did not occur, in major Christian denominations, until the 1950's, with the Roman Catholic Church not joining that chorus until 2018 - 4500 years after Genesis 9:6.
 
Did the bible or basic theology, suddenly change? Of course not, as reviewed, in detail.

US Catholic Dioceses and Archdioces have been receiving versions of these since 1997.
 
Through today and for more than 4500 years, there has been Noahic and Christian New Testament support for the death penalty, from Genesis to Revelation, from Jesus to St. Dismas, from the Holy Ghost (Ananias & Saphirra) to the greatest of Popes, Saints, Doctors and Fathers of the Church, church leadership, biblical and theological scholars, which, in breadth and depth, overwhelms any teachings to the contrary, particularly those wrongly dependent upon The Church not knowing of human dignity, until the 20the century, and upon the secular concerns, such as defense of society and the poor standards of criminal justice systems in protecting the innocent, such as within Evangelium Vitae and the 1997/2018 amendments to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 22667, as detailed:

NOTE: Go to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website and enter "death penalty" in their search box. Everything which pops up is defeated, within this review, Religion and the Death Penalty. It will take you awhile to research, fact check and vet, everything, but you will be way ahead of the Church, which has chosen to avoid that process, since 1995. 

If you have a specific issue, just let me know.

1)  The Catholic Church & The Death Penalty
12 (14) Factual Errors: 2018 CCC 2267 amendment
https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2022/02/7-factual-errors-2018-ccc-2267-amendment.html 

2) Saint/Pope John Paul II marks the beginning of the Catholic Church's disastrous anti-death penalty run, 1995 forward, intentionally, avoiding the most basic of reason, research, fact checking and vetting, as detailed, throughout.

Pope John Paul II: His death penalty errors 
https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2022/04/october-1997-pope-john-paul-ii-his.html 
 
3)  The Death Penalty: Mercy, Expiation, Redemption & Salvation
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-death-penalty-mercy-expiation.html

4)  Jesus and the Death Penalty
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2013/06/jesus-and-death-penalty.html

5) Catechism & State Protection:
The Gross Negligence of the Holy See
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2014/10/catechism-state-protection.html 

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insert
“Capital Punishment: What the Bible Says”, Dr. Lloyd R. Bailey, Abingdon Press, 1987. A definitive biblical review of the death penalty.  
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6)  30 Examples:
How Death Penalty Opponents Value Murderers 
More Than Their Innocent Victims

7)  Sister Helen Prejean:
Her Lies, Deceptions and/or Astounding Willful Ignorance? - A Compilation
https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2023/04/sister-helen-prejean-her-lies_15.html  

8) “The Purpose of Punishment (in the Catholic tradition)”, by R. Michael Dunningan, J.D., J.C.L., CHRISTIFIDELIS, Vol.21,No.4, sept 14, 2003 www.st-joseph-foundation.org/newsletter/lead.php?document=2003/21-4   

9) “God’s Justice and Ours” by Antonin Scalia, First Things, 5/2002 

10) See para 13, "Unnatural Lawyering", first, then start at the beginning:

By Man Shall His Blood Be Shed: A Catholic Defense of Capital Punishment
https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2017/12/by-man-shall-his-blood-be-shed-catholic.html 

11)  "The Death Penalty”, Chapter XXVI, 187. The death penalty, from the book Iota Unum, by Romano Amerio,  domid.blogspot.com/2007/05/amerio-on-capital-punishment.html titled “Amerio on capital punishment “, May 25, 2007    NOTE: Thoughtful deconstruction of current Roman Catholic teaching on capital punishment by a faithful Catholic Vatican insider. 

12) CATHOLICISM & CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, by Avery Cardinal Dulles, First Things, April 2001, 

13) Pro Life: The Death Penalty
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2013/01/pro-life-death-penalty.html

14) “Capital Punishment and Magisterial Authority”
"Fastiggi on Capital Punishment and the Change to the Catechism, 
Part I," Edward Feser, 8/26/2023,
Part 2, 8/30/2023

15) Forgotten Truths: “Is The Church Against Abortion and The Death Penalty”, by Luiz Sergio Solimeo, Crusade Magazine, p14-16, May/June 2007 

16) New Testament Death Penalty Support Overwhelming
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2014/01/new-testament-death-penalty-support.html

17) “Capital Punishment: A Catholic Perspective” at 
www.sspx.org/against_the_sound_bites/capital_punishment.htm   

18) The Death Penalty: Neither Hatred nor Revenge
https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2017/05/death-penalty-revenge.html 

19) Does Truth Matter? Sister Prejean, The Church & U of Notre Dame 
 https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2022/09/does-truth-matter-sr-prejean-church-and.html  
 
20) The Legitimacy of Capital Punishment,
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.,
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=6871&repos=1&subrepos=0&searchid=1486390 

21)  Forgiveness and Murder
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2012/10/forgiveness-and-murder-compiled-and.html

22) What Did Jesus Teach about Violence and Turning the Other Cheek? 
by: J. Daryl Charles, Timothy J. Demy, Crossway, May 16, 2014,
https://www.crossway.org/articles/what-did-jesus-teach-about-violence-and-turning-the-other-cheek/ 

23)  Catechism & The Death Penalty Problems: Section 2267: 
A Rational Deconstruction of Catholic Revisionism, 1995-2019
https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2015/03/catechism-death-penalty-problems.html   

24)  Four Catholic Journals Indulge in (anti-death penalty) Doctrinal Solipsism, Steven Long, THOMISTICA, March 5, 2015,
https://thomistica.squarespace.com/posts/2015/3/5/mutationist-views-of-doctrinal-development-and-the-death-penalty

25)  Three questions for Catholic opponents of capital punishment, 
Dr. Edward Feser, Catholic World Report, 9/15/2019,
https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2019/09/15/three-questions-for-catholic-opponents-of-capital-punishment/
 
26)  Magisterial Irresponsibility, First Things, 10/18
https://www.firstthings.com/article/2018/10/magisterial-irresponsibility
 
27) Archbishop Chaput: “Both Scripture and long Christian tradition acknowledge the legitimacy of capital punishment . . . " "The Church cannot repudiate (the death penalty) without repudiating her own identity." "Archbishop Chaput clarifies Church’s stance on death penalty", CNA, Catholic News Agency, Oct 18, 2005. Chaput was then archbishop of Denver, now of Philadelphia

28)  BISHOPS HIDE TRUTH FROM THEIR FLOCK: DEATH PENALTY 
https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2016/10/bishops-hide-truth-from-their-flock.html
 
29)  Catholic Bishops: So Wrong on Death Penalty
https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2016/09/catholic-bishops-so-wrong-on-death.html

30) Moral Hypocrisy: European Union & The US Death Penalty
https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/search?q=human+rights 


31) Judaism & the Death Penalty 2: Rabbi Shlomo Brody & Jonathan Silver https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2023/08/judaism-death-penalty-2-rabbi-shlomo.html

32)  Religion and the Death Penalty, (aka Rebuttal to Albert Camus)
By Walter Berns,The Weekly Standard, February 04, 2008,
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/jeffhood/thoughts-before-the-chamber-on-the-execution-of-scott-eizember/#disqus_thread 

33) “At the Death House Door” Can Rev. Carroll Pickett be trusted?
https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2021/07/can-rev-carroll-pickett-be-trusted-at.html

34)  The Woman Caught in Adultery, the Death Penalty & John 8:2-11
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-woman-caught-in-adultery-death.html

35)   The Death Penalty: Fair and Just
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2013/12/is-death-peanalty-fairjust.html
 
36)  Pre-Constantine Death Penalty Support
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2014/01/pre-constantine-death-penalty-support.html

37)  Judaism & the Death Penalty
https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2014/02/jews-israel-death-penalty.html

38) All Catholics May Support the Death Penalty

39)  Quakers & The Death Penalty
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2013/10/quakers-death-penalty.html

40) “The Death Penalty”, by Solange Strong Hertz at 
 
41) A Refutation of the ELCA Social Statement on the Death Penalty
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2012/10/a-refutation-of-elca-social-statement.html

42)  Is There a Biblical Requirement for Two Eyewitnesses for Criminal Prosecution? 
https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2013/06/is-there-biblical-requirement-for-two.html
 
43)  The Death Penalty: Justice & Saving More Innocents
https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-death-penalty-justice-saving-more.html
 
44)  The Death Row "Exonerated"/"Innocent" Frauds 
 71-83% Error Rate in Death Row "Innocent" Claims, Well Known Since 2000 

 
======
600+ pro death penalty quotes from murder victim's families &
3300+ from some of the greatest thinkers in history
http://prodpquotes.info/ 
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Additional research, w/sources, w/fact checking/vetting & critical thinking, as required of everyone.  
 
1) The Death Penalty: Justice & Saving More Innocents
and
Students, Academics & Journalists: Death Penalty Research
(7 pro-death penalty experts are included)
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Partial CV

Maybe future edits, below
 
“Catholic and other Christian References: Support for the Death Penalty”, at 
 
“MOST CATHOLICS OPPOSE CAPITAL PUNISHMENT?”, KARL KEATING’S E-LETTER, Catholic Answers, March 2, 2004  
 
“THOUGHTS ON THE BISHOPS’ MEETING: NOWADAYS, VOTERS IGNORE BISHOPS” , KARL KEATING’S E-LETTER, Catholic Answers,, Nov. 22, 2005 www.catholic.com/newsletters/kke_051122.asp    
  
 
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Tuesday, March 15, 2022

RENNY CUSHING DEAD WRONG: THE DEATH PENALTY

RENNY CUSHING DEAD WRONG: THE DEATH PENALTY
From: Dudley Sharp, independent researcher, death penalty expert, former opponent, 832-439-2113, CV at bottom
 
NOTE: Cushing was a long time New Hampshire State Representative and anti- death penalty activist, who successfully led the repeal of their death penalty law, in 2019, after decades of effort.
 
I fought Renny Cushing's anti-death penalty efforts, with these in mind, all of which Cushing knew of, from my opposing efforts in NH, as did the NH media.

What prompted this response was a re -publishing, in 2022, of Cushing's 2010 op/ed (1).

Cushing's two murders, within his family, were used, by him, as a moral high ground from which to assail the death penalty. I am very sorry for those murders, as with all.

Neither of the murderers was subject to the death penalty, which is, clearly, important. He should have told everyone, always, those murders were not death penalty eligible. He didn't, just as within this article (1).

The cruelty of Cushing's anti-death penalty efforts is that Cushing got a maximum sentence, life, with his father's murder, but Cushing's goal was to deny that same opportunity for other survivors, to deny them the maximum sentence in their capital death penalty eligible cases (2).

It is a, particularly, cruel way for a victim survivor to treat other victim survivors (2), when Cushing could have been gracious and thoughtful enough to say: "I respect your right to choose the most just sanction for your loved one's murder, even though I, personally, oppose the death penalty."

He would not.

Cushing fought against other survivors. 

Non-scientific polling, finds that 95-99% of those whose loved ones were murdered (3) in a capital, death penalty eligible murder, support the death penalty/execution, highly believable, when 81% of US voters supported, across all demographics (3), the execution of Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber/mass murderer and when 86% of Americans, "sometimes", support the death penalty (3).

Innocents are protected, better, in three ways (4), with the death penalty, than with life without parole: Enhanced due process, enhanced incapacitation and enhanced deterrence (4), therefore, death penalty abolition means more innocent deaths.

Cushing stated: "I do not believe the needs of crime victims, or their survivors are met by killing the killers."

Cushing decided that he knew, better, the needs of other survivors, more than they did. The hubris of it is, simply, astounding.

Then we have the sad "killing the killers", an amoral or immoral equating of murder and execution, innocent victims and their guilty murderers, an unfortunate anti- death penalty staple. 

Cushing said, within the NH House: “If we let those who murder turn us to murder, it gives over more power to those who do evil. We become what we say we abhor. I do not want the state of New Hampshire to do to the man who murdered my father what that man did to my family.” (5).

Cushing is stating that there is no difference between the murders of innocents and the execution of their guilty murderers. 

It's a classic anti-death penalty horror, equating actions, without any moral compass, the same as equating incarceration and kidnapping, fines and theft, community service and slavery, making love and rape, etc. 

It is, simply, sadly, amoral horror.

Cushing falsely stated: "I recognize and respect the diversity of opinions about capital punishment among survivors of murder victims."

Cushing found his belief to be superior to the belief of other survivors, to the extent that he would end their choice. That was his respect, which was no respect at all.

Cushing complained about "our broken capital-punishment system", but cared not about looking for solutions, even though he knew they were right in front of us all: Since 1976, Virginia has executed 113 murderers, within 7 years of appeals, on average. For decades, Cushing never tried to fix it, because the worse the better, for him.

Cushing states executions do not bring back our murdered loved ones, as if anyone thought that bit of idiocy, other than the normal bit of anti-death penalty nonsense. It shows more disrespect.

Somehow, Cushing avoided that many find the death penalty to be justice, which Cushing denies to others.

Another false argument by Cushing was this: "For any person, the worst murder is the murder of a family member. A system that purports to execute only those who commit heinous murders creates a hierarchy of victims."

Legally, ethically and morally, Cushing knew this was complete utter nonsense, lacking all reason and reality, as if all rapes and murders should have the exact same sentence, with zero considerations of circumstance, an obvious affront to the law and . . . simply, another ludicrous anti-death penalty talking point . . .  more disrespect.

Did Cushing, ever, try to pass a law which made every sanction equal, for each crime category? Of course not. It was just a talking point, with zero respect. He knew it had no reason nor reality. He used it, anyway.

Laura Briggs, the widow of murdered police officer Michael Briggs, pleaded with Cushing not to take the death penalty away from her husband's murderer.

Cushing celebrated doing just that.

I agree with Cushing's "that we must do better by victims of violent crime." I wish that he had. 

Postscript

As a rule, journalists avoided fact checking and critical thinking these issues or they, intentionally, left them out, as has become the norm with many journalists for many issues, as per (6).

 FN

1) originally published 2010

RE: ‘Why the death penalty should die’ Renny Cushing’s decades-long battle to abolish capital punishment, re  published March 10, 2022 NHBR Staff
https://www.nhbr.com/why-the-death-penalty-should-die/ 
 
2)  Anti Victim: Anti-Death Penalty Movement
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2014/04/anti-victim-anti-death-penalty-movement.html
 
3)  Poll: Death Penalty
https://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2019/12/poll-death-penalty.html 
 
 
 
The Death Row "Exonerated"/"Innocent" Frauds
 71-83% Error Rate in Death Row "Innocent" Claims, Well Known Since 2000 
 
5)  Remembering Renny Cushing, a Precious Friend,  By ARNIE ALPERT, InDepthNH.org, March 10, 2022,

6) Ongoing Project within
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