A la Une

28-02-2010 -
Religion in favour of abolition

Skull-cap, scarf and priest’s white collar gathered at a round table to discuss the issue of religion in terms of the death penalty.

The death sentence is forbidden in Buddhism. Yet “it is still supported by many monks,” emphasizes Danthong Breen, the President of the Union for Civil Liberties in Thailand. According to Islam theologian, Siti Musdah Mulia: “Within Islam, there is a predominant place given to respect for human life”. For believers, man is God’s creation, and only He can decide the value of human life. These monotheist religions have a similar approach: religious teaching is incompatible with the death penalty, forgiveness wins out.
In terms of vengeance: “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind,” said Gandhi. It’s true that “if you read the Bible read literally it advocates the death penalty,” acknowledges Marc Raphaël Guedj, former Chief Rabbi of Geneva. Judaism prefers the interpretation of the Talmud. “An eye for an eye can be understood,” according to Marc Raphaël Guedj in terms of values, in terms of compensatory payment: a man who has lost his hand should be recompenses for the loss of his tool of work or the replacement of his hand”.