# Let's rethink "cruel and unusual" punishment **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 30, 2011, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rethink-cruel-and-unusual-punishment/594561 "2011-08-30T00:28:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rethink-cruel-and-unusual-punishment/594561/141 "2011-08-31T00:56:43Z")
I asked you first. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rethink-cruel-and-unusual-punishment/594561/142 "2011-08-31T00:57:16Z")
How should I know what you are. Shouldn’t you know yourself better than anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rethink-cruel-and-unusual-punishment/594561/143 "2011-08-31T00:58:34Z")
I’m rubber, you’re glue. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rethink-cruel-and-unusual-punishment/594561/144 "2011-08-31T01:04:43Z")
Why am I glue? Shouldn’t I know what I am better than you do? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rethink-cruel-and-unusual-punishment/594561/145 "2011-08-31T01:05:49Z")
Quit hitting yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rethink-cruel-and-unusual-punishment/594561/146 "2011-08-31T01:08:48Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > No, if it prevents crime I’d support it to prevent the deaths of innocents. What would Jesus say to that, **Qin**? :dubious: He believed in protecting the innocent, yes. But he also condemned the whole “eye for an eye” method of punishment. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rethink-cruel-and-unusual-punishment/594561/147 "2011-08-31T01:18:05Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Hence I said hypothetically. In reality, I do not support death by torture. I do not believe Christ would support torture for its own sake. But at the same He also believed in justice and protecting innocents. [/QUOTE] I cannot quarrel with the precise words you say. But from my reading Jesus seemed far more interested in preaching love and forgiveness, mercy rather than strict justice, and to the extent possible non-judgmentalism. (God is Judge of your fellow man; you’re not. So don’t – and if you must, judge as He would.) Now, a question for you: Jesus twice, both times in Matthew’s Gospel, equates something to “the Law and the Prophets,” which is idiomatic for the whole of Jewish Scripture. One consists of two Old Testament commandments grouped together, and is found in chapter 22. The other is in chapter 7, and should be very familiar. What is it? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rethink-cruel-and-unusual-punishment/594561/148 "2011-08-31T01:37:23Z")
Is this the one about not coveting your neighbor’s maidservant’s ass? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rethink-cruel-and-unusual-punishment/594561/149 "2011-08-31T06:27:45Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I’m rubber, you’re glue. So now you’re stuck to a rubbery conservative. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rethink-cruel-and-unusual-punishment/594561/150 "2011-08-31T07:19:25Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > We don’t have to hire anyone, since “cruel and unusual” punishment can be enacted without physically torturing anyone. I made this point earlier, and I will make it again. Take the adults in the OP. Leaving them in the desert to bake without water would be deemed “cruel and unusual” punishment, yet it does not involve any physical contact. Feeding them once every five days would be considered “cruel and unusual” punishment, yet it does not involve any physical contact. Leaving them alone in a 104 degree room with no air conditioning would be considered “cruel and unusual” punishment, yet it does not involve any physical contact. And so on and so forth with multiple situations that need not be explained here. Right, so we’re not talking about training torturers, just hardening people sufficiently that they can leave someone to die. That is different. However, I don’t see why we need to do it. Why do we need to be cruel to those who are cruel? Why is this better? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rethink-cruel-and-unusual-punishment/594561/151 "2011-08-31T12:01:06Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > No, if it prevents crime I’d support it to prevent the deaths of innocents. You’re not a Christian? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-rethink-cruel-and-unusual-punishment/594561.md?page=7)