Atheists, the death penalty and abortion...

[festive1]

I don't believe in the death penalty, but I do believe in a woman's right to choose to abort.

[ideologue08]

What's wrong with punishment? Why should a mass murderer or rapist get a second chance?

punishment is essentialy revenge, it is to inflict pain on the offender for reasons of revenge.

correctio is what a modern justice system should work on, it should work on determening the reason why crime happens and thereby institute measures which insure that they dont happen again.

You are pro-choice, can you explain why?

ask a rape victim and someone who may die during birth and ask yourself if you have the right to determine what women should do with their vaginas.

You haven't really explained what the problem with punishment is though. You've just defined it.

But again, I'm asking why murderers or rapists should be given a second chance?

I believe in abortion in cases of rape and if there is a danger to a woman's life.

[genkaus]

Right, let me get this straight; you believe it's a woman's body therefore her choice correct? But you're also saying that women shouldn't have the choice of aborting females. That's a blatant contradiction. You either give her the choice or you don't.

Except I never said that she shouldn't have the choice. I just said it was immoral and therefore should be counseled against. Any law preventing that choice would also be immoral no matter what greater good it promises to achieve.

What does "non-existence" mean exactly? What will you see/hear etc. is it going to be the same as before you were born?

Pretty much the same as before I was born. The question of seeing or hearing does not apply because I wouldn't exist.

[My imaginary friend is GOD]

The world is overpopulated. It is the number-one problem threatening the entire world because it is destroying the environment. I'm for the death penalty and I strongly support a woman's right to choose, and think she should choose abortion if she does not want a child.

[ideologue08]

Right, let me get this straight; you believe it's a woman's body therefore her choice correct? But you're also saying that women shouldn't have the choice of aborting females. That's a blatant contradiction. You either give her the choice or you don't.

Except I never said that she shouldn't have the choice. I just said it was immoral and therefore should be counseled against. Any law preventing that choice would also be immoral no matter what greater good it promises to achieve.

But how can you say it's immoral to have gender-selective abortions when you believe that there is nothing wrong with a woman aborting purely because it is her own body? I'm trying to reconcile the two viewpoints with the reasoning you gave but it's difficult.

[catfish]

I say we kill all little doggies and kitties. After all, they take up a huge amount of resources...
.

[ideologue08]

The world is overpopulated. It is the number-one problem threatening the entire world because it is destroying the environment. I'm for the death penalty and I strongly support a woman's right to choose, and think she should choose abortion if she does not want a child.

What if a woman gives birth but doesn't want the baby anymore, can she strangle it to death or not? Do you think it's moral to do that?

[Something completely different]

You haven't really explained what the problem with punishment is though. You've just defined it.

And the definition should be enought.
The laws of a country should stand above and provide sentences which are reached through objectivity and not be on the same level of reasoning as the criminal in court has.
By simply taking revenge through punishment a court doesnt fullfill this standerd.

Additionaly to that, a justice systems main focus should not be the sentencing of criminals but the protection of the population from criminals therefor crime prevention and assurance of protection for those not involved in crime.

by focusing on "punishment" one ignores that importent duty.

But again, I'm asking why murderers or rapists should be given a second chance?

rapists shouldnt. they should be locked up.

in the case of a murder it depend on the circumstances of the murder.

I believe in abortion in cases of rape and if there is a danger to a woman's life.

and what do people like you suggest to pregnant women who would fall into poverty by having a child?

[iameatingjam]

The world is overpopulated. It is the number-one problem threatening the entire world because it is destroying the environment. I'm for the death penalty and I strongly support a woman's right to choose, and think she should choose abortion if she does not want a child.

Here where I live (Canada), we have the opposite problem, not enough people are having babies so the population isn't growing and there's not enough young people to do the work.

[genkaus]

But how can you say it's immoral to have gender-selective abortions when you believe that there is nothing wrong with a woman aborting purely because it is her own body? I'm trying to reconcile the two viewpoints with the reasoning you gave but it's difficult.

I don't know how many ways I can say it in - its the gender-selection part that makes it immoral not the abortion part.

---

What if a woman gives birth but doesn't want the baby anymore, can she strangle it to death or not? Do you think it's moral to do that?

Nope. Once its out of her body its no longer her choice.