"Christ's crucifix shall be made an excuse for executing criminals"
- William Blake
About this Quote
This quote by William Blake recommends that the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is being used as a justification for the execution of wrongdoers. This suggests that the death of Jesus is being used as a symbol of justice and retribution, and that those who are condemned of a criminal activity are being penalized in the same method as Jesus was. This could be viewed as a type of religious hypocrisy, as Jesus was killed for his beliefs and teachings, yet his death is being used to punish those who have actually dedicated criminal offenses. It could also be viewed as a form of moral relativism, as the death of Jesus is being used to justify the death of crooks, no matter the seriousness of their crime. This quote could be translated as a criticism of making use of capital punishment, as it suggests that the death of Jesus is being utilized as a reason to execute criminals.
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