Capital Punishment 11

A detailed Summary of Capital Punishment 11

Capital Punishment has been an issue of arguments for centuries. This topic was even of more importance during the 1700's than the present, because the quantities of punished people were significantly larger than now. In that time it was easy for an individual to loose his life for a small crime. In this research paper we will examine the views of two different types of people on this subject. The first person is a reverend from 18th century London, and the other is an American doctor from the same period. In the arguments of both gentlemen we can find similarities that lead us to understand the sentiment toward the issue during the 17th century.

Revered E. Gillepsy begins his sermon with the definition of the meaning of being virtuous. He states that some one with good virtue will wish for world happiness. That person is to apply that wish through actions. These actions will be rewarded in both the present life as in the future one.

Another strong point that Rev. Gillepsy presents is that the laws of nations should be made according to religion. They should obey God instead of man. Even if the rules of man justify taking away lives, this does not mean that God agrees with such laws. He means that the feelings taught by religi

He says that it is believed that the Deity has a way of punishing murderers. The punishment is the horrors of a guilty conscience. His guilty conscience will lead to restoration of his wrong doings, " Let him live to suffer the reproaches of a guilty conscience, let him live, to make compensation to society for the injury he has done it, by robbing him of a citizen, let him live to maintain the family of the man he has murdered; let him live." Clearly we see the point that Rush send through, he strongly beliefs that there are other ways of pursuing justice to avoid the shedding of more blood.

Rush gives some arguments that lead one to believe that the laws of Moses were misinterpreted. Death punishment is contrary to reason. God wants man to love one another, not the opposite, killing a criminal cannot be accepted by God. The order and happiness of society is the will of God. Capital punishment destroys order and happiness of society; therefore, capital punishment destroys the will of God. There is proof that the laws of Moses were given to the ignorant and hard-hearted Jews; the divine legislator states, " I gave them status that were not good and judgements where by they should not live." Examples of this are the law of divorces and the law of retaliation.

Rev. Gillepsy also sees a great danger in carrying on with capital punishment. He claims that this behaviour disobeys the Deity. The Deity can punish us by forfeiting their protection. Our punishment would lead to numerous punishments being set loose upon us. We could visualise the presence of a thousand ghosts and apparitions, which exists in our mind. This punishment will not happen to the virtuous and innocent. The Deity inflicts the punishment by making our conscience our greatest torment instead of our greatest comfort.

Rush provides the reader with examples from the bible that argue the existence of capital punishment. The heavens do not punish Cain for killing his own brother by taking away his life. Also his father, Adam, does not inflict the punishment of death when he finds out his tragedy. Not even God acts as a judge nor executioner but he exiles him from society and fixes in his mind a 'dying worm.' God subject Cain to the need of labour; to make sure that his punishment lasts, God places a mark of prohibition upon him that prevents other people from killing him. "Whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." Another example from the bible is when the whore is about to be stoned to death, Jesus saves her from her. Also, when Peter attacks a servant of the high priest, Jesus quickly regretted that action and he healed the wounded man.

Benjamin Rush begins his document with several arguments against the existence of capital punishment. He

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Approximate Word count = 1862
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Politics