What are Christian views on the treatment of prisoners?

Answer 1

Prisoners have a special place in the Christian imagination. It matters that Jesus himself was a prisoner. To speak the language of American law enforcement, his death was a death in custody. His most influential followers, Peter and Paul, were also prisoners. They too died in custody. John the Baptist, who first acclaimed Jesus as Messiah, was beheaded in a Roman prison. Christianity is a religion founded by men in deep trouble with the law, men familiar with the inside of prisons, whose message was "the last shall be first, and the first last.

Answer 2

Some Christians visit prisons if it is safe and allowable. I know some who conduct regular weekly Bible studies with individual prisoners, also in a group setting. There have been baptisms in prisons.

Most Christians are glad that criminals are taken from society and placed in such custody. I wish more would receive such a just sentence for their wrongdoings.

The Bible in Revelation mentions that Satan will be tossed into an abyss and confined there (like imprisonment) for 1,000 years. So Christians in general are OK with prisons.

But the Bible also states that Jehovah God will eventually 'cut off' all 'evildoers'; thus there will come a time when there will be no more prisons. Psalm 37:9-11 states that only 'the meek' will 'inherit the earth; and there would be 'an abundance of peace'.

Answer 3

This is all in opinion of the religion Christianity, but I did my best to find an accurate answer: If you repent, you will be forgiven by "God" and his son "Jesus". Repenting is confessing your sins to the "Lord". You also have to forgive yourself and not feel guilty. Other people with different aspects of Christianity might even say the direct opposite.

Answer 4

A "Christian's beliefs" on prisons SHOULD REFLECT and coincide with the laws of God as recorded in the Bible... which means that, as God laid down the rules of His society [and as He commanded Moses to record it] THERE SHOULD BE NO PRISONS! There should only be "cities of refuge."

This world, its societies, and systems that man has created for himself under the deceptive, guiding hand of the god he chose to worship and obey in the beginning, Satan the Devil [see Gen.3]: societies and systems that twist, pervert, and otherwise ignore [and in some cases actually place JUDGMENT upon] the Laws of God, is fraught with the blight of deplorable prison systems. It holds instead to so-called "justice systems" that may well be referred to today as "IN-justice systems;" in that so little "justice andpunishment" is dealt to criminals.

In a God-led society [as the liberated Israelites were DIRECTLY LED BY GOD HIMSELF for a brief time after fleeing Egypt], premeditated murder must be avenged quickly, and decisively... not after several years of the imprisonment of the murderer.

"When a crime is not punished, people FEEL SAFE TO DO WRONG." (Eccle.8:11 NLT New Living Translation)

Same verse [KJV]: "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil."

A "Christian's" [and all of God's creation's] beliefs on prisons should coincide with the Laws of God on the matter of crimes as laid down in the Bible... because when Jesus Christ returns to earth to set up His Kingdom; the Bible WILL BE THE CONSTITUTIONAL LAW BY WHICH THE WORLD SOCIETY WILL BE GOVERNED!

In other words; the Word of God will JUDGE THE WORLD ACCORDING TO WHAT'S WRITTEN IN THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE.

"He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My Words [the Words recorded in the Bible by Moses, the Prophets, the Psalms, and the Apostles], hath One that JUDGETH HIM: THE WORD THAT I HAVE SPOKEN [the Word of God, the Bible, by which man shall Live], THE SAME SHALL JUDGE HIM IN THE LAST DAY." (John 12:48)

In the world to come... when Jesus Christ will rule over the entire planet... there will be no "religions."

"And the LORD shall BE KING OVER ALL THE EARTH: in that Day SHALL THERE BE ONE LORD, and HIS NAME ONE." (Zech.14:9)

God's leaders [His saints: His Priests and Kings - see Rev.5:10] will be everywhere among the nations and the people: guiding them in the ways of God... teaching them in the ways of God... healing them... edifying them. The wicked will be quickly punished, to purge God's society of evil [disobedience to His Laws] -- just like the Levites [God's leaders among the people] lived among the people:

"...'Instruct the people of Israel [and all the nations] to give to the Levites from their property certain towns to live in, along with the surrounding pasturelands. These towns will be their homes..." (Num.35:2 NLT).

The society "Christians" SHOULD BE envisioning is the one God lays down for all of His mortal creation... which is NOT conducive to the societies of this world:

"You must give the Levites six CITIES OF REFUGE, where A PERSON WHO HAS ACCIDENTALLY KILLED SOMEONE CAN FLEE FOR SAFETY. In addition, give them forty-two other towns. In all, forty-eight towns... designate CITIES OF REFUGE FOR PEOPLE TO FLEE TO IF THEY HAVE KILLED SOMEONE ACCIDENTALLY. These cities will be PLACES OF PROTECTION FROM A DEAD PERSON'S RELATIVES WHO WANT TO AVENGE THE DEATH. The slayer MUST NOT BE KILLED BEFORE BEING TRIED BY THE COMMUNITY.

Designate six cities of refuge for yourselves... these are for the protection of Israelites, resident foreigners, and traveling merchants. Anyone who accidentally kills someone may flee there for safety.

(verses 6-15 NLT)

"BUT if someone strikes and kills another person with a piece of iron, IT MUST BE PRESUMED TO BE MURDER, and THE MURDERER MUST BE EXECUTED [not sent to prison]. Or if someone strikes and kills another person with a large stone, IT IS MURDER, and THE MURDERER MUST BE EXECUTED [not sent to prison]. The same is true if someone strikes and kills another person with a wooden weapon. It must be presumed to be murder, and THE MURDERER MUST BE EXECUTED [not sent to prison].

The VICTIM'S NEAREST RELATIVE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING THE MURDERER TO DEATH. When they meet, the avenger MUST EXECUTE THE MURDERER. So if in premeditated hostility someone pushes another person or throws a dangerous object and the person dies, IT IS MURDER..." (verses 16-20 NLT)

"But suppose someone pushes another person without premeditated hostility... and the person dies. If this should happen, the assembly must follow these regulations in making a Judgment between the slayer and the avenger, the victim's nearest relative. They must protect the slayer from the avenger, and they must send the slayer back to live in a CITY OF REFUGE until the death of the high priest. But if the slayer leaves the city of refuge, and the victim's nearest relative finds him outside the city limits and kills him, it will not be considered murder... These are PERMANENT LAWS FOR YOU TO OBSERVE FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION [that's FOREVER], wherever you may live." (verses 22-29 NLT)

These are some of the Laws of God around which a "Christian's beliefs" should revolve regarding the issue of prisons. But in this world of religious confusion and deception; not that many so-called "Christians" have actually read the Bible... much less studied it, to know what God says about things.

Answer 5

There are almost as many Christian views on crime and punishment as there are Christians. Some believe in revenge and harsh retribution, even the death penalty. Others believe in just punishment, forgiveness and the potential for reform.

Answer 6

People should abide by the laws of the country in which they reside. Reasonalbe punishment should be accepted if the laws are broken.

Captives should be held in humane conditions.