Thread by @AMJalsevac

One thing you all have to understand about many Catholic opponents of the death penalty, of which I’m one; our opposition to state execution is not rooted in a misplaced sympathy for a person who’s committed horrendous crimes, but rather in an aversion to giving governments /2

the authority to kill a defenceless person (defenceless doesn’t mean innocent), and by way of citizenship to participate in this violent solution when life in prison is an option. Do nations which have legalized abortion have the moral authority to exact vengeance upon criminals?

To me, we must always choose life when this choice is still possible. It’s not about an evil person, or someone who’s committed depraved acts, DESERVING life - it’s about our refusal to demean ourselves by cooperating in the use of deadly violence to punish deadly violence.

I understand there are good, holy Catholics who disagree with me, and I’d never declare them as being heretical. I acknowledge there are times when lethal force is required to protect the innocent, hence I don’t view the death penalty as an intrinsic evil.

I do, however, view execution in the 21st c. as an unnecessary solution that debases us all. If a time comes when prisons become unavailable for keeping violent criminals locked up, and when we can 100% guarantee the guilt of an individual, I’ll revisit my view on this.