Capital Punishment -- Il-Piena Kapitali

Capital Punishment

 

During the past few weeks, we've had notable cases in which some people were given the death penalty, or were waiting to be put to death, due to serious acts they had been found guilty of committing.

 

There were the cases of Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, Australian citizens that were found guilty in Indonesia of importing a large quantity of drugs into the country.  These two were executed with others by firing squad around two weeks back.

 

Last week, a Boston jury condemned Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to death by lethal injection, found guilty of exploding a bomb during a running marathon at the same city in April 2013.  This sentence hasn't yet been carried out.

 

Residents of Malta and Australia probably are aware that these countries don't have the death penalty, today.  Malta removed death as a punishment for murder in 1971 and for other military acts in the year 2000.1  Malta has also ratified Protocol 13 of the European Convention for Human Rights which prohibits capital punishment.

 

The Australian Federal Senate abolished capital punishment a few years ago, in 2010.2

 

Although capital punishment was common around the world, by the end of 2013 the majority of countries around the world had either abolished it by law (100 countries) or had stopped carrying it out (51).  Naturally, a country retaining this sentence in its legislation and  voluntarily refraining from using it, can always change its mind, which has happened spectacularly in the case of Chan and Sukumaran in Indonesia.

 

Other countries abolished this sentence for criminal acts only (7) and the rest (40) are actively pursuing it.  The latter include the United States, China, Japan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia amongst others.3

 

Although the fifth commandment is quite clear: 'Thou shalt not kill', the Catholic Church does not exclude capital punishment, similarly to not excluding the use of force in legitimate defence of a person or state, even if this force results in death.  Nevertheless, it says that 'if non-violent means are sufficient to safeguard human life from those who threaten it and to keep public order and personal security, authority should limit itself to these means ...'.4

 

I think this position is perfectly reasonable.  The consequence of following this reasoning is that lethal force is only permitted where there's a thread to human life and there being no non-violent alternative.  One can see that this principle is also applicable to war situations.

 

In practice therefore, if a person found guilty is caught and held, there is no further need of the death penalty.

 

To give an examplem in the case of Chan and Sukumaran, before their execution these two persons were being held in a secure facility and were a threat to no one any longer.  With this reasoning, their execution was not necessary.  Their case was even more extraordinary as it was revealed that the two individuals had become models of good behaviour for other inmates.

 

The same reasoning holds for Tsarnaev.

 

Those in favour of capital punishment, generally says that this has a deterrence effect for criminal acts such as murder.  There is a debate on this in the field of criminology, with those in favour quoting a study by Ehrlich that found a deterrence effect.5

 

Those against say that these studies are without merit and also note the fear that the accused might be found guilty in error, something which happens more commonly than one might think.  From 1973 to date, in the United States alone there were 153 people who were exonerated after being on death row.6  Another study has concluded that 4% of those sentenced to death are innocent.7

 

We often hear that those who commit serious acts like murder never think that they will get caught, or consider what kind of penalty they would have if caught.  There are also many cases of murder which occur in moments of passion or anger, or by those under the influence of drugs or alcohol.8  What kind of deterrence can be expected for these circumstances?

 

I want to make clear that in no way am I attempting to lesson the gravity of acts that are committed.  The trafficking of large quantities of drugs, murder with macabre circumstances, disgusting atrocities and similar matters are extremely serious, non-justifiable and should have serious consequences.

 

Nevertheless, my hope is that the offender, at some point, maybe, comes to a stage where he or she realises the damage done, comes to a sincere contrition and results in making reparation or other positive acts in the society in which he or she is living.  Only this contrition can restore his/her humanity, that lost with the act that had been committed, a humanity that we show the offender when allowing him/her the opportunity to come to this realisation.

 

Capital punishment removes this opportunity.

 

 

 

Il-Piena Kapitali

 

Matul dan l-aħħar ġimgħat, kellna każijiet ċelebri fejn persuni ġew ikkundannati għall-mewt, jew kienu qed jistennew li jingħataw il-mewt, minħabba atti gravi li ġew misjuba ħatja li għamlu.

 

Kien hemm il-każijiet ta' Myuran Sukumaran u Andrew Chan, ċittadini Awstraljani li nstabu ħatja fl-Indoneżja li impurtaw kwantità kbira ta' drogi lejn il-pajjiż.  L-eżekuzzjoni ta' dawn it-tnejn, flimkien ma' oħrajn, saret permezz ta' tiri ta' armi tan-nar madwar ħmistax ilu.

 

Il-ġimgħa l-oħra, ġurija f'Boston ikkundannat lil Dzhokhar Tsarnaev għall-mewt b'injezzjoni letali, misjub ħati li sploda bomba waqt maratona tal-ġiri fl-istess belt f'April tal-2013.  Din is-sentenza għadha trid isseħħ.

 

Min jgħix f'Malta u l-Awstralja aktarx jaf li dawn il-pajjiżi m'għandhomx il-piena kapitali, illum.  F'Malta, tneħħiet bħala piena għall-qtil fil-1971 u għal atti militari fis-sena 2000.1  Malta rratifikat ukoll il-protokoll numru tlettax tal-Konvenzjoni Ewropea għad-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem li jipprojbixxi l-piena kapitali.

 

Is-Senat Federali Awstraljan abolixxa l-piena kapitali ftit snin ilu, fl-2010.2

 

Għalkemm il-piena kapitali kienet komuni madwar id-dinja, sal-aħħar tal-2013 il-biċċa l-kbira tal-pajjiżi madwar id-dinja kienu jew abolixxewha bil-liġi (100 pajjiż) jew inkella waqfu milli jeżegwixxuha (51).  Naturalment pajjiż jekk għad baqagħlu din is-sentenza fil-liġijiet tiegħu u voluntarjament m'għadux jużaha, jista' faċilment jerġa jibdielu, bħal ma ġara spettakolarment fil-każ ta' Chan u Sukumaran fl-Indoneżja.

 

Pajjiżi oħrajn abolixxew il-piena għal atti kriminali biss (7) u l-bqija (40) huma attivi fl-esekuzzjoni tal-piena.  Dawn tal-aħħar jinkludu l-Istati Uniti, iċ-Ċina, il-Ġappun, l-Eġittu u s-Sawdi Arabja fost l-oħrajn.3

 

Għalkemm il-ħames kmandament huwa pjuttost ċar u tond: 'La toqtolx', il-Knisja Kattolika ma teskludix il-piena kapitali, bħal ma teskludix l-użu tal-forza f'difiża leġittima tal-persuna jew tal-istat, anke forza li twassal għall-mewt.  Madankollu tgħid li 'jekk il-mezzi mhux vjolenti jkunu biżżejjed biex jiġu mħarsa l-ħajjiet tal-bnedmin kontra min iheddidhom u biex jinżamm l-ordni pubbliku u s-sigurtà tal-persuni, l-awtorità għandha tillimita ruħha għal dawn il-mezzi ...'.4

 

Jien nara din il-pożizzjoni bħala perfettament raġonevoli.  Il-konsegwenza tkun li l-forza letali hi biss permessa fejn hemm it-theddida fuq il-ħajja tal-bniedem, u ma jkunx hemm alternattiva mhux vjolenti.  Wieħed jista' jara wkoll li dan il-prinċipju huwa wkoll applikabbli għal sitwazzjonijiet ta' gwerra.

 

Fil-prattika allura, jekk bniedem misjub ħati huwa maqbud u miżmum, ma jibqax il-ħtieġa tal-piena tal-mewt.

 

Biex nagħtu eżempju, fil-każ ta' Chan u Sukumaran, dawn it-tnejn qabel l-eżekuzzjoni tagħhom kienu qed jinżammu f'faċilità ta' siġurtà u ma kinux ta' theddida għal ħadd iktar.   B'dan ir-raġunar, l-eżekuzzjoni tagħhom ma kinetx neċessarja.  Il-każ tagħhom kien iktar straordinarju għax jingħad li dawn iż-żewġ individwi saru eżempji ta' mġieba tajba fil-ħabs għall-priġunieri oħra.

 

L-istess raġunament fil-fatt jgħodd għal Tsarnaev.

 

Min huwa favur il-piena tal-mewt, ġeneralment jgħid li din għandha effett ta' deterrenza għal atti kriminali bħall-qtil.  Hemm dibattitu sħiħ fil-kamp tal-krimonoloġija, b'min hu favur jikkwota studji ta' Ehrlich li sab effett ta' deterrenza.5

 

Min hu kontra jgħid li dawn l-istudji ma fihomx kredtu u wkoll jinnota l-biża' li akkużat jista' jinstab ħati bi żball, xi ħaġa li tiġri iktar milli wieħed jaħseb.  Mill-1973 sallum, fl-Istati Uniti biss kien hemm 153 persuna li kienu eżonerati wara li ngħataw is-sentenza tal-mewt.6  Studju ieħor ikkonkluda li 4% ta' dawk sentenzjati għall-mewt huma innoċenti.7

 

Spiss naqraw li min jagħmel atti gravi bħall-qtil qatt ma jaħseb li se jinqabad, jew jikkunsidra x'tip ta' piena jkollu jekk jinqabad.  Jiġri wkoll li ħafna qtil isir f'mument ta' passjoni jew rabja, jew minn min hu taħt l-influenza ta' drogi jew alkoħol.8  X'tip ta' deterrenza jista' jkun hemm għal dawn?

 

Irrid nagħmilha ċara li bl-ebda mod ma rrid inċekken mill-gravità tal-atti li jkunu saru.  It-traffikar ta' ammonti kbar ta' drogi, il-qtil kultant b'mod makabru, atroċitajiet moqżieża u ħwejjeġ simili huma serjissimi, mhux ġustifikabbli u għandu jkun hemm konsegwenzi serji għalihom.

 

Madankollu, it-tama tiegħi hi li l-offensur, xi darba, forsi, ikun jista' jasal biex jifhem il-ħsara li jkun għamel, tiġih indiema sinċiera u twasslu jagħmel atti riparattivi u/jew pożittivi fis-soċjeta li jkun qed jgħix fiha.  Din l-indiema biss tista' troddlu lura l-umanità tiegħu li tintilef bl-att li twettaq, umanità li aħna stess inkunu qed nuru miegħu meta nħallulu l-opportunità li jasal għaliha.

 

Il-piena kapitali tneħħilu din l-opportunità.

1http://www.handsoffcain.info/bancadati/schedastato.php?idcontinente=20&nome=malta, retrieved 18/5/2015

2http://www.heraldsun.com.au/archive/news/death-penalty-dead-and-buried-as-parliasment-bans-it-for-good/story-e6frf7l6-1225839834244, retrieved 18/5/2015

3http://www.handsoffcain.info/bancadati/index.php?tipotema=arg&idtema=19000616, retrieved 18/5/2015

4Catechism of the Catholic Church, para 2267

5The Deterrent Effect of Capital Punishment; Isaac Ehrlich, Nov 1974, National Bureau of Economic Research

6http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/innocence-list-those-freed-death-row, retrieved 18/5/2015

7Rate of False Conviction of Criminal Defendendants who are Sentenced to Death; Gross, O'Brien, Hu & Kennedy; March 2014; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences;

8http://deathpenaltycurriculum.org/student/c/about/arguments/argument1b.htm, retrieved 18/5/2015

Jesus and Gays -- Ġesu u l-Gays

Jesus and Gays

 

Last month saw an interesting incident in Malta.

 

During a ceremony two gay persons got engaged, and exchanged engagement rings.  During this ceremony, these rings were blessed by Fr Mark Montebello.  This is a very private matter, and this was only generally known as it was broadcast on Facebook, as is common these days.1

 

The new Maltese Archibishop, Charles Scicluna, called for an urgent meeting with Fr Mark.  My heart sank - what's happening this time, I asked myself?  Where will he be sent to cool off?  Last time it was Mexico.  Where next?

 

After a couple of days, a very dry press release was issued, in which the Archibishop encouraged Fr Mark to continue his pastoral work with gay people, but not to bless their engagement rings given the Church's teaching that reserves this only for engagement between a man and a woman.

 

I wasn't the only one surprised by the low key manner this incident was treated, rather than blown up as often happens - it was a 'surprise for many' how the Archbishop handled it.2

 

The opposition by the Catholic Church, the Orthodox church, many Pentecostal denominations and others, to the sexual acts of homosexuals (including lesbians), is well known and dates from their founding.  That homosexuality is considered evil is found in other religions, like the Jewish faith and Islam, and is generally, though not universally, condemned (even with death) in the Middle East, where the monotheistic religions originated, and Africa.

 

The fear men have of being considered effeminate is the reason why in many Arab countries, men grow moustaches to 'prove' their masculinity.

 

The first story on this subject I had heard as a boy came from the Old Testament, with the familiar story of Lot in the city of Sodom, where local men banged on his door asking him to give them the angels (presumably men) who were staying with him, so that they could 'know them', and didn't accept Lot's offer of his two daughters instead of the angels.  It's written that God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah due to the 'wickedness of the city'.3  The name Sodom is still recognisable in the name of the homosexual act - sodomy.

 

In the book of Jewish laws, the homosexual act is prohibited and described as an abomination punishable by death.4

 

In the New Testament, St Paul was very harsh on the subject.  He calls the homosexual act 'filthy'5, says that 'not effeminate nor liers with mankind .... shall possess the Kingdom of God'6 and that 'the law is not made for the just man but .... for them who defile themselves with mankind .... and whatever other thing is contrary to sound doctrine'7.

 

It can be noted that nowhere are lesbians mentioned in the Scriptures, which in this context only mentions men.

 

The Catholic Church says that due to all this scripture, tradition has always taught that 'homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered'.  It accepts that people can be homosexually 'inclined', nevertheless it teaches that 'homosexual persons are called to chastity'.8

 

I have always been curious as to why Jesus is never quoted on the subject.  Finally I understood the reason - Jesus did not talk about homesexuality, or if he did, it's not quoted in Scripture.

 

You could say that if Jesus wasn't against the homosexual act, he would not have refrained from declaring this, such as when he changed 'an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth' into 'love your neighbour as yourself'.

 

On the other hand, we shouldn't necessarily assume he was against the homosexual act, given he's not quoted as speaking against it.

 

It's clear that Protestant denominations are divided on the subject, and their position is still evolving.  Some denominations accept the act amongs the laity but not the clergy (Anglicans in England), others accept it also within the clergy (Episcopal, Reformed and some Lutheran denominations).

 

Those that don't consider homosexual acts to be sinful, generally argue that the Scripture passages mentioned previously could have been referring to specific contexts that applied at the time and not to homosexual activity in general.9  For example, the story of Sodom can be understood to describe an attempt at gang rape, to which God's condemnation was intended rather than the homosexuality.

 

Finally, I cannot fail to mention Pope Francis and his statements on the subject.  Although the formal teaching of the Catholic Church hasn't changed, it cannot be denied that the Pope wishes the Church to be more welcoming to homosexuals.  Some people think that the Pope's wish is simply for better pastoral care with homosexual people without any change in its teaching, whereas others see the possibility of some change in its teaching.

 

Time will tell where this process, which began with the survey of Catholics around the world on their practice of the faith, and continued with the Synod in 2014,10 will end.

 

Interesting, is it not?

 

 

Ġesu u l-gays

 

Ix-xahar l-ieħor seħħ inċident f'Malta li kien interessanti.

 

Ġara li kien hemm ċerimonja fejn żewġ persuni omosesswali tgħarrsu, u taw ċurkett tal-għerusija 'l xulxin.  Waqt din iċ-ċerimonja, dawn iċ-ċrieket tbierku minn Patri Mark Montebello.  Ħaġa personali bħal din hija privata ħafna, u n-nies saru jafu biha biss għax, kif isir daż-żmien, dan il-fatt ġie mxandar fuq Facebook.1

L-Arċisqof il-ġdid ta' Malta, Charles Scicluna, sejjaħ laqgħa b'urġenza ma' Patri Mark.  Qalbi għamlet tikk - x'ġej did-darba, għedt bejni u bejn ruħi?  Fejn se jixħtuh din id-darba biex jiffriska ftit?  L-aħħar darba kien il-Messiku.  Fejn imiss?

 

Wara xi jumejn, ħarġet stqarrija pjuttost xotta, fejn l-Arċisqof ħeġġeġ lil Patri Mark biex ikompli jagħmel xogħol pastorali mal-omosesswali, imma ma jkomplix ibierek iċ-ċrieket tal-għerusija tagħhom għax skont it-tagħlim tal-Knisja din hija biss irriżervata għal għerusija bejn raġel u mara.

 

Jidher li mhux jien biss stagħġibt bil-mod kif dan l-inċident tmewwet, iktar milli trewwaħ bħal ma spiss jiġri - kienet 'sorpriża għal ħafna' kif l-Arċisqof kien ittratta l-kwestjoni.2

 

L-oppożizzjoni tal-Knisja Kattolika, dik Ortodossa, ħafna denominazzjonijiet Pentekostali w oħrajn, għall-atti sesswali tal-omosesswali (hawnhekk ninkludi l-lesbjani), hija magħrufa u ilha mill-bidu tat-twaqqif tagħhom.  Li l-omosesswalità titqies bħala ħażen tinsab ukoll f'reliġjonijiet oħra bħal dik Lhudija Ortodossa u l-Islam, u hi ġeneralment, imma mhux universalment, ikkundannata (anke bil-mewt) fil-Lvant Nofsani minn fejn oriġinaw ir-reliġjonijiet monoteistiċi, u l-Afrika.  Il-biża li rġiel jitqiesu ffemminati hija r-raġuni għalfejn f'ħafna kulturi Għarab, l-irġiel iħallu l-mustaċċi biex 'jippruvaw' il-maskulinità tagħhom.

 

L-ewwel storja fuq dan is-suġġett li kont smajt bħala tifel ġej mill-Antik Testment, bl-istorja familjari ta' Lot fil-belt ta' Sodom, fejn l-irġiel tal-post ħabbtulu l-bieb jitolbuh biex jagħtihom l-anġli (preżumibbilment irġiel) li kienu għandu, biex 'imorru magħhom', u lanqas aċċettaw meta Lot offrielhom liż-żewġ bniet tiegħu minflok l-anġli.  Huwa miktub li Alla qered il-bliet ta' Sodom u Gomorra minħabba 'il-ħażen tal-belt'.3  L-isem Sodom baqa' jintgħaraf bħala n-nom għall-att omosesswali - is-sodomija.

 

Fil-ktieb tal-liġijiet Lhud, l-att omosesswali huwa pprojbit u deskritt bħala 'abominazzjoni', u li min jipprattikah għandu jingħata l-mewt.4

 

Fil-Ġdid Testment, San Pawl kien aħrax ħafna fuq is-suġġett.  L-att omosesswali jsejjaħlu 'maħmuġ'5, jgħid li 'l-effemminati ... ma jaslux fis-Saltna ta' Alla'6 u li 'l-liġi mhix magħmula għar-raġel ġust imma ..... għal min jagħmel is-sodomija ... u affarijiet oħra li huma kontra d-duttrina soda'7.

 

Ta' min jinnota li mkien ma jissemmew il-lesbjani fl-Iskrittura, li f'dan il-kuntest issemmi biss lill-irġiel.

 

Il-Knisja Kattolika tgħid li minħabba din l-iskrittura kollha, it-tradizzjoni għallmet li 'kull għemil omosesswali hu fih innifsu diżordinat'.  Għalkemm taċċetta li l-omosesswali 'ma għażluhiex huma l-qagħda ... tagħhom', tgħallem li 'l-persuni omosesswali huma msejħin biex iħarsu l-kastità'.8

 

Jien dejjem kont kurjuż għaliex ma jiġix ikkwotat Ġesu fuq dan is-suġġett.  Fl-aħħar fhimt għaliex - Ġesu ma jitkellimx fuq l-omosesswalità, jew talinqas jekk tkellem, mhux ikkwotat fl-Iskrittura.

Din tista' teħodha li kieku Ġesu ma kienx kontra l-att omosesswali, ma kienx joqgħod lura milli jistqarr dan, bħal ma għamel meta bidel l-għajta ta' 'għajn għal għajn u sinna b'sinna' għal 'ħobbu lill-għajrkom bħalkom infuskom'.

 

Mill-banda l-oħra, tista' teħodha li ladarba ma jissemmiex li tkellem kontra l-att omosesswali m'għandniex nassumu bilfors li kien kontrih.

 

Huwa ċar li d-denominazzjonijiet Insara Protestanti huma maqsuma sew fuq is-suġġett, u l-pożizzjoni tagħhom għadha tevolvi.  Uħud jaċċettaw l-att fost il-lajċi imma mhux fost il-kleru (Anglikani Ingliżi), oħrajn jaċċettawh anke fost il-kleru (denominazzjonijiet Episkopali, Riformati u wħud mill-Luterani).

 

Dawk li ma jqisux l-att omosesswali bħala dnub, ġeneralment jargumentaw li l-passaġġi fl-Iskrittura li semmejna setgħu kienu qed jirreferu għal kuntest speċifiku li kien japplika dakinhar u mhux għall-attività omosesswali in ġenerali.9  Per eżempju, l-istorja ta' Sodoma tista' tinftiehem li tiddeskrivi attentat ta' stupru tal-grupp (gang rape), li għaliha kienet intenzjonata l-kundanna t'Alla iktar milli l-omosesswalità.

 

Fl-aħħarnett, ma nistax ma nsemmix lill-Papa Franġisku u l-istqarrijiet tiegħu fuq is-suġġett.  Għalkemm it-tagħlim formali tal-Knisja Kattolika ma nbidilx, ħadd ma jista' jiċħad li l-Papa jixtieq lill-Knisja tkun iktar miftuħa għall-omosesswali.  Hemm min iqis li x-xewqa tal-Papa hija sempliċement li jkun hemm xogħol pastorali aħjar mal-omosesswali bl-ebda tibdil fit-tagħlim, u hemm min jara possibiltà ta' xi tibdil fit-tagħlim.

 

Iż-żmien jagħtina parir dwar fejn dan il-proċess, li beda bl-istħarriġ tal-Kattoliċi madwar id-dinja fuq il-prattika tal-fidi tagħhom, u li tkompla bis-Sinodu tal-2014,10 ser iwassal.

 

Interessanti hux?

 

 

1http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2015-04-13/local-news/Controversial-priest-blesses-rings-at-gay-couple-s-engagement-ceremony-6736133686, retrieved 4/5/2015

2'Hemm mod u mod', The Voice of the Maltese, Issue 100, p 15

3Gen 19:1-29

4Lev 18:22, 20:13

5Rum 1:24-27

61 Cor 6:10

71 Tim 1:10

8Catechism of the Catholic Church, para 2357-2359

9https://www.gaychristian.net/justins_view.php, retrieved 3/5/2015

10http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29677779, retrieved 4/5/2015