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Maybe the death penalty is the deterrent many of us knew it was. And even if studies couldn’t prove it out, we all know that if traffic tickets cost a nickel they would be less of a deterrent and if they cost us 1 yr. in jail they would be more of a deterrent. So we know that greater punishments are deterrents; the question is whether they are proper.
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Great summary of the 1st Amendment
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Something I used to wonder about: Why does God permit false prophets?
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Five common misconceptions about Christians by Ms. Green – these come up a lot, especially when blogging. Bookmark this page.
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Who really cares? – a provocative piece highlighted by I, Pandora. As always, it is only charity if you are giving your own money away. Voting to take someone else’s $ to send to your favorite cause via taxes is something else altogether. Given the media stereotypes of cold, heartless conservatives I thought this was worth a look.
In his book, Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism, Professor Arthur C. Brooks reports that conservative families give about 30 percent more money to charity each year than liberal families, even though their income is about six percent less. Conservatives give more regardless of income bracket, even with lesser levels of education.
The bottom line is, the more religious people are, the more likely they are to give. And religious people do not limit their giving to religious organizations. In fact, religious people are more likely than secular people to give to non-religious charities such as the United Way.
Moreover, charity among religious conservatives is not limited to giving only money; they are much more likely to volunteer their time and participate in other informal acts of charity. For instance, religious conservatives are twice as likely as secular people to donate their blood.
Filed under: Weekly roundup
Fine roundup. Read the links and much Thanksgiving digestion has taken place. Still quite packed, however.
Regarding death penalty deterrence:
I think this is difficult to assertain even if it mattered. How can one say why a guy didn’t or wouldn’t kill, or how many even think they would get caught if they did. Most punks think they’ll always skate.
I tend to agree with Dennis Prager who expresses the notion that the DP is a punishment that, contrary to what some want to believe, is actually a sign of how much we value life. We value it so highly, that to take the life of another will mean forfeiting yours. I hope it’s a deterrent, and as Michael Medved says, if it saves any lives, it’s worth having in effect. But for me, the punishment aspect is the main thing.
Regarding the !st Amedment:
I can’t understand how things got this way, except that good men did nothing. That anyone would think the founders meant it as it is used today is a sure sign that they are ignorant of or disregard history.
Regarding Who Really Cares:
I haven’t read this book yet, but it’s been out for awhile. Medved interviewed the author who stated that across the board, in any category and any way you look at it, conservative Christians have shown themselves to be the most generous with their time and money. He seemed most adamant about it.
Thanks for the linky goodness Neil. And the rest of the roundup is excellent.
On the Death Penalty:
from the link: “I personally am opposed to the death penalty,” said H. Naci Mocan, an economist at Louisiana State University and an author of a study finding that each execution saves five lives. “But my research shows that there is a deterrent effect.”
Where is the logic in this? Is he saying he is more “for” additional murder being committed than “against” the death penalty?
Talk about twisted values.
[...] post by Neil This was written by . Posted on Friday, November 23, 2007, at 12:00 am. Filed under [...]
Hi Neil,
I really enjoyed the article about false prophets. We certainly have had our share of false prophets come around sharing their damning lies. It also made me think of Joel Osteen and his popularity. So many flock to the guy, because there is so little truth there.
What is frustrating is that there are those who work so hard to proclaim God’s word faithfully, and so few want to hear it today. Reminds me of Isaiah and his ministry.
Blessings
Thanks, Timothy. I forget the passage, but I know some of the prophets were told to preach even though few would listen. That had to be frustrating!
I’m glad you are out there faithfully preaching the word.
Where is the logic in this? Is he saying he is more “for” additional murder being committed than “against” the death penalty?
I think what he’s trying to get across is that since his own personal views when starting the research are at odds with the results of the research, you can’t accuse him of having biased the research to support his own views. In an age when Bulveism is pervasive in public discourse, it’s a good thing to point out.