Do atheist belive in capital punishment

[Ryantology]

As I said on an earlier thread, I was born and raised in a secular household; I've only ever seen religion from the outside. Seen from the outside religion just looks silly.

I'm British. Britain abolished the death penalty some years before I was born. I've only ever seen the death penalty from the outside. Seen from the outside the death penalty just looks barbaric.

I was raised in Virginia, which is the runner-up to Texas in executions most years. My viewpoint on the matter has evolved, but it's no less barbaric from the inside.

Might as well get rid of the justice system too, if we're going to get into extremes.

We're talking about revenge killing in the disguise of justice. That's as extreme as it gets.

[LostLocke]

Do I, as an atheist believe in capital punishment?

Yes, I do believe it exists....

[Mr Greene]

Gah! Half remembered article from a couple of years ago... Googling it suggests majority of studies show no significant difference.
However what I remember of the article's argument suggested that executions "normalised killing" (state leading by example) which led to an increased murder rate in states where the death penalty is carried out.

[Bad Wolf]

Might as well execute any violent criminal, then.

There is a big difference between a violent crime and murder.

[Raeven]

Why even put them in prison then? They might be innocent. You wouldn't want to lock up an innocent person would you?

I see you have no capacity to reason whatsoever. You're invested in your position and ill-equipped to argue in favor of it. I shan't waste further time.

[Ryantology]

Might as well execute any violent criminal, then.

There is a big difference between a violent crime and murder.

Not always. Plenty of people who mess other people up so much that they might as well be dead. Plenty of people who kill while only intending to rough them up. A person who finds physical assault acceptable stands close to a fine line across from a person who finds killing acceptable.

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Why even put them in prison then? They might be innocent. You wouldn't want to lock up an innocent person would you?

Absolutely not, but imprisonment, unlike capital punishment, can be rectified if it is applied mistakenly.

[Chad32]

That really depends on how long they've been in jail.

[Ryantology]

Yai i'm alive! But what about all the money spent to keep a person in prison for the rest of their life? I assume thats what you want to do rather then release them? Imagine how much money could be saved!

Killing a human being just to save a few bucks is repulsive to me. We spend far more to imprison non-violent offenders.

I don't think the death penalty is revenge, its justice and balance. A serial killer who has killed loads of people doesn't deserve death, thats too easy. I would prefer that he spend life in jail and suffer and possibly feel some remorse but its just not practical any more. I'm always the functionalist!

"An eye for an eye" is justice for barbarians.

[Cato]

Capital punishment?

Only if Giordano Bruno lights the match.

[Ryantology]

That really depends on how long they've been in jail.

Which is why a government which imprisons an innocent person for a long time should make every effort to either help that person reintegrate to society or provide for that person for the remainder of their lives.