I can understand Eugene's point, but let me try this response: We spend a lot of time arguing about the extent to which explicitly theological notions should be allowed to play a part in political decisionmaking. There are many secular arguments both for and against capital punishment. But it seems to me that the "possibility-of-redemption" argument ultimately sounds, for many people, in a religious sensibilty. Does that mean that it is illegitimate to base one's opposition to capital punishment on it (or, for that matter, a literal, albeit debatable, reading of "Thou Shalt Not Kill"), or, conversely, that it is illegitimate to base one's support for capital punishment on a biblical notion of "eye-for-an-eye" retribution?
sandy -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Volokh, Eugene Sent: Monday, December 12, 2005 11:23 PM To: Law & Religion issues for Law Academics Subject: RE: Can a murderer ever be redeemed? Folks: This is an interesting question, but it seems to me that on this list we ought to discuss it only to the extent that it touches on the law of government and religion. (What religious people should think about death penalty law wouldn't, I think, quite qualify.) Eugene _______________________________________________ To post, send message to Religionlaw@lists.ucla.edu To subscribe, unsubscribe, change options, or get password, see http://lists.ucla.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/religionlaw Please note that messages sent to this large list cannot be viewed as private. Anyone can subscribe to the list and read messages that are posted; people can read the Web archives; and list members can (rightly or wrongly) forward the messages to others. _______________________________________________ To post, send message to Religionlaw@lists.ucla.edu To subscribe, unsubscribe, change options, or get password, see http://lists.ucla.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/religionlaw Please note that messages sent to this large list cannot be viewed as private. Anyone can subscribe to the list and read messages that are posted; people can read the Web archives; and list members can (rightly or wrongly) forward the messages to others.
