Capital Punishment Essay - The Horror of the Death Penalty :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

The Horror of the Death Penalty      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The death penalty has existed for well over 4000 years.   In 1728 BC the code of Hamurabe was passed to allow legal execution.   For centuries capital punishment was a public spectacle: states used executions to demonstrate the ultimate consequence of attacking the state.   During the 18th century in England executions attracted tens of thousands of people and in some cases there would be riots.   Also in England the church was allowed to burn people alive at the stake for the crime of heresy.   Under Queen Mary Tutor (the infamous "Bloody Mary") thousands were executed just for not returning to the Catholic faith.   Most of these executions took place in the market place so the public would be aware of what would happen if you decided to follow your own religion.   Many burned at the stake were women and some were even children.   It is ironic that Christianity is built around forgiveness.   Many other gruesome mass executions throughout the ages were performed for minor crimes that today would be classed as mmisdemeanors.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the most vicious methods of execution ever invented was geared not only to inflict pain but to provide a gruesome spectacle for the public.   It was the English punishment for treason.   It is called hanging, drawing and countering.   First you would be dragged to the place of execution on a hurdle. This is a type of sled that was attached to the back of a horse.   You would be hanged to the brink of death before being cut down.   The third stage of the execution is that the persons gentiles would be cut off and burned in front of the body before it was cut from the going to the chest and the intestines would be taken out and also burned, after the body would be cut into four pieces and the head would be displayed for the public.   In one case a man at the point of the hanging took a literal running jump in order to break his neck but unfortunately the cord broke instead.   This caused him to be totally conscious for the rest of the execution.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In some parts of the world executions are still performed in keeping with traditions of the Catholic church.   In the Philippines, since the church believes that Christ died at 3:00 in the afternoon, every execution done in this country is performed at 3:00.   Even more unbelievable is the fact that in some Islamic countries executions are performed as they were throughout history. Under Islamic law there is no difference between the church and the state and