Christians against the death penalty Leaflet : Christians against the death penalty Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture (ACAT) was set up in France in 1974.
Since 1982 it has extended its mandate to include abolition of the death penalty. Today the International Federation of ACATs, FIACAT, comprises thirty organisations worldwide. Each group tries to heighten the awareness of the Christian community in its country, and public opinion in general, about the death penalty. It does this by organising debates, setting up discussions in schools, offering a helping hand to those sentenced to death and by requesting pardons for those people from the authorities. The ACAT network also works with countries that are not in favour of abolishing the death penalty and encourages them to change their minds on the issue and then ratify the relevant international instruments. FIACAT is an active member of the World Coalition against the Death Penalty and works on a regional and international level towards greater adoption of legal instruments and further commitments by countries on the matter. International texts prohibiting the death penalty FIACAT is trying to persuade the Vatican authorities officially to condemn the death penalty on the basis that it infringes a person's right to life. FIACAT, founding member of the World Coalition against the Death Penalty and member of its Steering Committee. The Coalition, created in May 2002, aims to reinforce the international dimension of the fight against capital punishment, and to contribute everywhere it exists, to the reduction and, better still, to the definitive abolition of death sentences and executions. The Coalition was given the mission to facilitate the constitution and the development of national coalitions against the death penalty, to take actions such as lobbying in international organizations and countries, and to organize events of international significance. The Coalition has declared October 10th World Day against the Death Penalty. http://www.worldcoalition.org Against the death penalty : killing to show that killing is wrong ? The death penalty violates the most fundamental human right, that to life, as laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and is the ultimate form of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. The years that some detainees spend on death row can also constitute a kind of torture, universally prohibited by the 1984 Convention against Torture. Today, the general trend in the world is towards abolition. Argumentation against the death penalty January 2001 Against the death penalty : killing to show that killing is wrong ? The death penalty violates the most fundamental human right, that to life, as laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and is the ultimate form of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. The years that some detainees spend on death row can also constitute a kind of torture, universally prohibited by the 1984 Convention against Torture. Today, the general trend in the world is towards abolition. (...) Principal statements from the World Council of Churches concerning the death penalty January 2001 Principal statements from the World Council of Churches concerning the death penalty Statement on the death penalty, WCC Central Committee, March 1990 "Concerned about the increasing use of the death penalty in many parts of the world, Recognizing that all human beings created in God's image have inherent dignity and are of infinite worth, and that the taking of human life by the state is against the will of God, Recognizing that the institutionalized taking of human life (...) Position of the Catechism of the Catholic Church January 2001 Position of the Catechism of the Catholic Church 1997 edition No. 2267 : Assuming that the guilty party's identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor. If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people's safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to (...) The Holy See takes a stance against the death penalty January 2001 The Holy See takes a stance against the death penalty Pope John Paul II has repeatedly declared his opposition to capital punishment and called on 'urgent and tailored measures' to be found to 'ban the death penalty', which he considers 'cruel and unnecessary'. The text below sets out perfectly the Holy See's position on this matter. Intervention by H.E. Archbishop Renato Raffaele Martino, Apostolic Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, before the Third (...) Happy the man January 2001 Happy the man Happy the man who does not judge those who have been found guilty, who never rejoices that he has been clever enough not to get caught. Happy the man who hates neither the rapist nor the murderer, for he knows that no-one is born that way. Happy the man who knows the address of the town prison and who refuses to think that those inside should stay there and rot. Happy the man who thinks that the last muscle (...) In my name January 2001 In my name Who has the right to decide if a man should live or die ? Who can look into the depths of a man's conscience ? Guilty or innocent ? A monster ? An object of pity ? Violent with the violence that infects our societies. Violent with the violence that we want to use on him. Will his blood redeem our sins ? He will die in our name because the hideousness of his crime (are we sure he really did it ?) horrifies us and makes us look (...) Jesus is condemned to death January 2001 Jesus is condemned to death As for Jesus, after having him scourged, Pilate handed him over to be crucified. (Matthew 27, 26) A victim is required to satisfy the crowd's fury. A 'king' is required to control the political unrest. The victim's fate is decided by the toss of a coin to howls of abuse from the crowd. Jesus Barabbas (the 'son of his father') is set free. Jesus of Nazareth, who calls himself 'Son of the Father', is handed over to Pilate (...) Peace to all men January 2001 Peace to all men Peace to all men of ill will ! May all vengeance and all calls for punishment cease. Crime figures are soaring out of control, there are too many martyrs Lord, do not weigh their suffering on your scales of justice or record the torturers' terrible debt. Let all debts be settled in a different way. Credit the torturers, informers, traitors and all men of ill will with the courage and spiritual strength of others, their humility, dignity, their constant internal (...) Remember the men of ill will January 2001 Remember the men of ill will Lord, when you come in glory, do not remember only the men of good will ; remember also the men of ill will. But do not remember the cruelty, the ill-treatment and the violence they meted out. Remember the fruits we bore as a result of what they did. Remember the patience of some, the courage of others, the fellowship, humility, generosity of spirit and faithfulness which they brought forth in (...) Hear the cries which pierce the night January 2001 Hear the cries which pierce the night Why do you torture me ? Lord, open our hearts to the humiliated, bruised prisoner, the raw flesh which cries out so as not to deny his struggle for the truth. Why do you condemn me to death ? Lord, open our hearts to the prisoner whose guilt has long been expiated in the sinister corridors of death. Why do you target me ? Lord, open our hearts to the street-child, the orphan whose refuge is the (...) Protecting sparks of life January 2001 Protecting sparks of life Lord, you see those who have been condemned to death riddled with bullets or seated on the electric chair. Sometimes we kill innocent people We assassinate sons of men We destroy hope by refusing them justice and forgiveness You see them, Lord, those executioners who kill out of hatred, vengeance or because it is their job to kill Father, forgive them for they know not what they do Every time someone is condemned to (...) Death itself trembles January 2001 Death itself trembles They caught him in a forest And tied him to a tree He closed his eyes gently As though he were sleeping A cold wind gets up 'Death itself trembles' And in a colourless voice Tells of the blood which flows Kneeling opposite him They fired The bullets which lodged In a broken heart A cold wind gets up 'Death itself trembles' And in a colourless voice Tells of the blood which flows A dove came to (...) Do not be afraid ! January 2001 Do not be afraid ! Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, Do not be afraid of those who set traps, Do not be afraid of those who speak ill of you nor of those who carry swords Do not be afraid of those who twist everything so as not to allow justice to triumph. Be afraid only of being afraid, like those who lie to survive. Do not be afraid of those who threaten you with death or defamation. Do not be afraid of the powerful men passing (...) When dead children speak January 2001 When dead children speak I feel obliged to begin with the children. It is sometimes difficult to answer their questions. And even more difficult those put by dead children. I do not know who can answer them. I do not know who can claim the right to do so. The first dead child asks : 'They said I was dangerous and I dared to face up to them. So why did I end up with a bullet in my back ?' And the second child asks : 'They said they were firing in the (...) Prayer of faith and hope January 2001 Prayer of faith and hope Love has taken the liberty of flouting decorum and looked after the stranger. Love has taken the liberty of leaving the faithful sheep to seek the one which has strayed. Love has taken the liberty of waiting for the prodigal son, and inviting us to celebrate his return. Love has taken the liberty. Love erases the past. No-one dared cast the stone, and all eyes were lowered. Love erases the past, (...) Bible references January 2001 Bible references "What have you done ? Listen to the sound of your brother's blood, crying out to me from the ground." (Genesis 4, 10 - Cain and Abel) "You shall not kill." (Exodus 20, 13) Psalm 22 1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me ? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning ? 2. O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. 3. Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One ; you (...) Extracts from Bud Welch's story, published in ACAT Courrier January 2001 Extracts from Bud Welch's story, published in ACAT Courrier November 1999 "My only daughter, Julie, 23 years old and just out of Wisconsin University with a Spanish degree, had recently begun working as a translator for the Oklahoma City Social Services Department when she was killed on 19 April 1995. I had always been opposed to the death penalty, as had my parents and grandparents. And I would like to explain how my initial feelings of revenge and terrible rage turned into (...) Yahoo! Groups Links ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Home is just a click away. Make Yahoo! your home page now. http://us.click.yahoo.com/DHchtC/3FxNAA/yQLSAA/uTGrlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Post message: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] List owner : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/