Sunday, 22 December 2013
conversaion of pope saul to paul
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_of_Paul_the_Apostle http://christianity.about.com/od/biblestorysummaries/a/Conversion-Of-Paul.htm http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+9
Tuesday, 17 December 2013
Religion and the death penalty-official statements
Christianity
Roman Catholic church
"Ending the death penalty would be one important step away from a culture of death and toward building a culture of life.”
A Culture of Life and the Penalty of Death
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2005
The Catholic bishops in the United States have been calling for an end to the use of the death penalty for more than twenty-five years. In 2005, they invited Catholics to join them in an on-going “Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty.” Please explore the opportunities to participate in this important effort to contribute toward building a culture of life.
The Catholic bishops in the United States have been calling for an end to the use of the death penalty for more than twenty-five years. In 2005, they invited Catholics to join them in an ongoing “Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty.” Please explore the opportunities to participate in this important effort to contribute toward building a culture of life.
The united Methodist church
We believe the death penalty denies the power of Christ to redeem, restore and transform all human beings. The United Methodist Church is deeply concerned about crime throughout the world and the value of any life taken by a murder or homicide. We believe all human life is sacred and created by God and therefore, we must see all human life as significant and valuable. When governments implement the death penalty , then the life of the convicted person is devalued and all possibility of change in that person's life ends. We believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and that the possibility of reconciliation with Christ comes through repentance. This gift of reconciliation is offered to all individuals without exception and gives all life new dignity and sacredness. For this reason, we oppose the death penalty (capital punishment) and urge its elimination from all criminal codes.
From The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church - 2004. Copyright 2004 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regards the question of whether and in what circumstances the state should impose capital punishment as a matter to be decided solely by the prescribed processes of civil law. We neither promote nor oppose capital punishment."
The assemblies of God
Capital Punishment" (accessed July 28, 2008) and written by the church's General Council, stated:
"opinions in the Assemblies of God on capital punishment is mixed. However, more people associated with the Assemblies of God probably favor capital punishment for certain types of crimes such as premeditated murder than those who would oppose capital punishment without reservation. This consensus grows out of a common interpretation that the Old Testament sanctions capital punishment, and nothing in the New Testament negates maximum punishment as society's means of dealing effectively with serious crimes...
There is room in the church for honest differences of opinion concerning the use of capital punishment. However, all believers should seek to apply biblical principles in reaching their conclusions..."
Buddhism
Buddhist Dhama education system
As capital punishment entails killing and therefore requires breaking the first Precept it is incompatible with Buddhist ethics and Buddhist social and legal philosophy. The Buddha described the judges of his own time as practicing wrong livelihood as they often handed down cruel or lethal punishments. Throughout history there have been devout Buddhist monarchs who have abolished capital punishment, often on the advice of monks, although such reforms have always been exceptional. Even today nearly all Buddhist countries maintain capital punishment although in some like Sri Lanka it is rarely used.
Judaism
The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America
Today, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America — the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization representing nearly 1,000 synagogues nationwide, announced its support for efforts to impose a nationwide moratorium on executions of death row inmates while a comprehensive review of how the death penalty is administered in America’s courts is undertaken.
In explaining last night’s decision by the Union’s senior officers and directors, the organization’s president, Mandell I. Ganchrow, and public policy director, Nathan Diament, issued the following statement: While traditional Judaism clearly contemplates and condones the death penalty as the ultimate sanction within a legitimate legal system, Judaism simultaneously insists that capital punishment be administered by a process that ensures accuracy as well as justice; our valuing of human life as infinite demands no less. In recent months, too many questions have been raised as to whether in America’s courts the demand for accuracy is being met. These questions must be answered and appropriate corrective measures must be put in place before we can proceed with additional executions in this country. Thus, the we support putting an execution moratorium in place and the creation of a commission to review America’s death penalty procedures and any reforms needed to ensure that our justice system lives up to that name.
The Rabbinical assembly
Whereas, the Torah teaches that all human beings are created in God's image;
Whereas, Jewish tradition upholds the sanctity of life;
Whereas, both in concept and practice Rabbinic leaders in many different historical periods have found capital punishment repugnant;
Whereas, no evidence has been marshalled to indicate with any persuasiveness that capital punishment serves as a deterrent to crime;
Whereas, legal studies have shown that as many as 300 people in this century have been wrongly convicted of capital crimes;
Therefore, be it resolved that The Rabbinical Assembly oppose the adoption of death penalty laws and urge their abolition in states that have already adopted them;
That the Rabbinical Assembly urge the enactment of laws that mandate that some capital crimes be punishable by life imprisonment without parole;
That the Rabbinical Assembly offer support and speak out on behalf of the victims of violent crime and their families;
That the Rabbinical Assembly encourage its members to send this resolution to their appropriate elected officials.
The Rabbinical Assembly
3080 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
Reform Judaism
Biblical law mandates the death penalty for 36 offenses. These include a broad range of crimes from murder to kidnapping, adultery to incest, certain forms of rape, idolatrous worship and public incitement to apostasy, from disrespecting parents to desecrating the Sabbath.
"the blood of the accused and his unborn offspring stain the perjurer forever."
The passage goes on to liken wrongful executions to Cain killing Abel, concluding that - it is for this reason that God created only one human in the beginning, a token that he who destroys one life, it is as though he had destroyed all humankind; whereas he who preserves one life, it is as though he preserved all humanity."
In another passage, the rabbis show distaste for executions. "Said one: The Sanhedrin (Supreme Court) that puts to death one person in seven years is termed tyrannical. Rabbi Eleazar Ben Azariah says, ‘One person in seventy years.’ Rabbi Tarffon and Rabbi Akiba say, ‘If we had been in the Sanhedrin, no one would have ever been put to death.’ Rabban Simeon Ben Gamaliel says, ‘They would have thereby increased the shedders of blood in Israel (Mishnah Makkot 1:10).'
Hinduism
An eye for an eye ends up making the whole world blind
Gandhi
There is no official Hindu line on capital punishment. However, Hinduism opposes killing, violence and revenge, in line with the principle of ahimsa (non-violence).
India still retains the death penalty, and the reasons for this are likely to be similar to be those suggested in the Buddhist section.
The debate on capital punishment in India was revived in 2004 by the case of Dhananjoy Chatterjee who had been sentenced for rape and murder.
At present more than 100 people are on death row in India, although the number of executions in that country is actually very low and the Indian Supreme Court has ruled that the death penalty should only be used in the rarest of rare cases.
Islamism
The Qur’an, in a 1983 translation by M.H. Shakir and hosted online by the University of Michigan (accessed July 25, 2008), contains the following two references to a death penalty:
Roman Catholic church
"Ending the death penalty would be one important step away from a culture of death and toward building a culture of life.”
A Culture of Life and the Penalty of Death
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2005
The Catholic bishops in the United States have been calling for an end to the use of the death penalty for more than twenty-five years. In 2005, they invited Catholics to join them in an on-going “Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty.” Please explore the opportunities to participate in this important effort to contribute toward building a culture of life.
The Catholic bishops in the United States have been calling for an end to the use of the death penalty for more than twenty-five years. In 2005, they invited Catholics to join them in an ongoing “Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty.” Please explore the opportunities to participate in this important effort to contribute toward building a culture of life.
The united Methodist church
We believe the death penalty denies the power of Christ to redeem, restore and transform all human beings. The United Methodist Church is deeply concerned about crime throughout the world and the value of any life taken by a murder or homicide. We believe all human life is sacred and created by God and therefore, we must see all human life as significant and valuable. When governments implement the death penalty , then the life of the convicted person is devalued and all possibility of change in that person's life ends. We believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and that the possibility of reconciliation with Christ comes through repentance. This gift of reconciliation is offered to all individuals without exception and gives all life new dignity and sacredness. For this reason, we oppose the death penalty (capital punishment) and urge its elimination from all criminal codes.
From The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church - 2004. Copyright 2004 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regards the question of whether and in what circumstances the state should impose capital punishment as a matter to be decided solely by the prescribed processes of civil law. We neither promote nor oppose capital punishment."
The assemblies of God
Capital Punishment" (accessed July 28, 2008) and written by the church's General Council, stated:
"opinions in the Assemblies of God on capital punishment is mixed. However, more people associated with the Assemblies of God probably favor capital punishment for certain types of crimes such as premeditated murder than those who would oppose capital punishment without reservation. This consensus grows out of a common interpretation that the Old Testament sanctions capital punishment, and nothing in the New Testament negates maximum punishment as society's means of dealing effectively with serious crimes...
There is room in the church for honest differences of opinion concerning the use of capital punishment. However, all believers should seek to apply biblical principles in reaching their conclusions..."
Buddhism
Buddhist Dhama education system
As capital punishment entails killing and therefore requires breaking the first Precept it is incompatible with Buddhist ethics and Buddhist social and legal philosophy. The Buddha described the judges of his own time as practicing wrong livelihood as they often handed down cruel or lethal punishments. Throughout history there have been devout Buddhist monarchs who have abolished capital punishment, often on the advice of monks, although such reforms have always been exceptional. Even today nearly all Buddhist countries maintain capital punishment although in some like Sri Lanka it is rarely used.
Judaism
The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America
Today, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America — the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization representing nearly 1,000 synagogues nationwide, announced its support for efforts to impose a nationwide moratorium on executions of death row inmates while a comprehensive review of how the death penalty is administered in America’s courts is undertaken.
In explaining last night’s decision by the Union’s senior officers and directors, the organization’s president, Mandell I. Ganchrow, and public policy director, Nathan Diament, issued the following statement: While traditional Judaism clearly contemplates and condones the death penalty as the ultimate sanction within a legitimate legal system, Judaism simultaneously insists that capital punishment be administered by a process that ensures accuracy as well as justice; our valuing of human life as infinite demands no less. In recent months, too many questions have been raised as to whether in America’s courts the demand for accuracy is being met. These questions must be answered and appropriate corrective measures must be put in place before we can proceed with additional executions in this country. Thus, the we support putting an execution moratorium in place and the creation of a commission to review America’s death penalty procedures and any reforms needed to ensure that our justice system lives up to that name.
The Rabbinical assembly
Whereas, the Torah teaches that all human beings are created in God's image;
Whereas, Jewish tradition upholds the sanctity of life;
Whereas, both in concept and practice Rabbinic leaders in many different historical periods have found capital punishment repugnant;
Whereas, no evidence has been marshalled to indicate with any persuasiveness that capital punishment serves as a deterrent to crime;
Whereas, legal studies have shown that as many as 300 people in this century have been wrongly convicted of capital crimes;
Therefore, be it resolved that The Rabbinical Assembly oppose the adoption of death penalty laws and urge their abolition in states that have already adopted them;
That the Rabbinical Assembly urge the enactment of laws that mandate that some capital crimes be punishable by life imprisonment without parole;
That the Rabbinical Assembly offer support and speak out on behalf of the victims of violent crime and their families;
That the Rabbinical Assembly encourage its members to send this resolution to their appropriate elected officials.
The Rabbinical Assembly
3080 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
Reform Judaism
Biblical law mandates the death penalty for 36 offenses. These include a broad range of crimes from murder to kidnapping, adultery to incest, certain forms of rape, idolatrous worship and public incitement to apostasy, from disrespecting parents to desecrating the Sabbath.
"the blood of the accused and his unborn offspring stain the perjurer forever."
The passage goes on to liken wrongful executions to Cain killing Abel, concluding that - it is for this reason that God created only one human in the beginning, a token that he who destroys one life, it is as though he had destroyed all humankind; whereas he who preserves one life, it is as though he preserved all humanity."
In another passage, the rabbis show distaste for executions. "Said one: The Sanhedrin (Supreme Court) that puts to death one person in seven years is termed tyrannical. Rabbi Eleazar Ben Azariah says, ‘One person in seventy years.’ Rabbi Tarffon and Rabbi Akiba say, ‘If we had been in the Sanhedrin, no one would have ever been put to death.’ Rabban Simeon Ben Gamaliel says, ‘They would have thereby increased the shedders of blood in Israel (Mishnah Makkot 1:10).'
Hinduism
An eye for an eye ends up making the whole world blind
Gandhi
There is no official Hindu line on capital punishment. However, Hinduism opposes killing, violence and revenge, in line with the principle of ahimsa (non-violence).
India still retains the death penalty, and the reasons for this are likely to be similar to be those suggested in the Buddhist section.
The debate on capital punishment in India was revived in 2004 by the case of Dhananjoy Chatterjee who had been sentenced for rape and murder.
At present more than 100 people are on death row in India, although the number of executions in that country is actually very low and the Indian Supreme Court has ruled that the death penalty should only be used in the rarest of rare cases.
"Hinduism is full of compassion and forgiveness. Leave aside human beings, we are supposed to be kind even to insects and animals. We are not supposed to kill a small insect. Therefore, taking the life of a human being is a very big issue for us. Our Hindu dharma is very clear that use of violence against anyone is not allowed. Any other type of punishment may be given, but we should not take anyone's life. Our scriptures and Vedas do not favor capital punishment. They advocate the principle of nonviolence."
Islamism
The Qur’an, in a 1983 translation by M.H. Shakir and hosted online by the University of Michigan (accessed July 25, 2008), contains the following two references to a death penalty:
Source: http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php%3Fdid%3D2249"[5.32]...whoever slays a soul, unless it be for manslaughter or for mischief in the land, it is as though he slew all men; and whoever keeps it alive, it is as though he kept alive all men; and certainly Our apostles came to them with clear arguments, but even after that many of them certainly act extravagantly in the land.
[6.151]...do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except for the requirements of justice; this He has enjoined you with that you may understand."
Monday, 16 December 2013
Sunday, 15 December 2013
How many countries in the world
A very frequent geographical question is "How many countries are in the world?" Different numbers pop up when one inquires or reads about the number of countries in the world. Each source you use often yields a different answer. Ultimately, the best answer is that there are 196 countries in the world.
source: http://geography.about.com/cs/countries/a/numbercountries.htm
source: http://geography.about.com/cs/countries/a/numbercountries.htm
Friday, 13 December 2013
Thursday, 12 December 2013
death penalty definition
Monday, 9 December 2013
Case studies
The case studies that I am going to focus on will be Timothy Evans, Ruth Ellis and Derek Bently. These case studies were highly controversial and can be easily applied to religious teachings.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)