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Guest spartacus

Death Penalty

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Guest spartacus

I am often accused of being moralistic :P

 

So, my forum friends I would like to put you in a dire position and see your response!

 

I would like you you to draw up a letter ( max 100 words ), you are a christian, you have a wife, 3 children and you work hard to provide for your family, but for circumstances beyond your control you are brought before a court for non-payment of tax!

You are sentenced to death, but if you can come up with a good excuse/alibi for your crime, your sentance will be commuted to say 1 years hard labour!

You obviously want to live so what would your life-saving letter say?

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Actually, if I were an early Christian and I thought the coming kingdom of God was just around the corner, I might actually want the chance to die and martyr myself for my faith.

 

So I think your assumption that our hypothetical Christian would want to live might not be the best assumption to make. For people who thought the world was going to end soon anyway, and that by being persecuted for the faith they might get bonus points for the afterlife, another few years of an earthly life might not be all that paramount.

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Guest Scanderbeg

Best thing to do is go home, kill youself so you can save your families property. Though if you are an early Christian you might not have much.

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Guest spartacus

Skenderbeg & Ursus

 

I used a Christian as an example, prob not a great choice, so lets say you were a roman sentenced to death then and you had a chance to live if your letter had a good enough excuse/alibi , what would you write that would appeal to the romans and get you off the death penalty?

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Well ... the Romans had different values than we do. You wouldn't appeal to their sense of pity or sympathy. You would appeal to their sense of heroism, to your service to the Fatherland, to your good name and your honor. If you had something substantial behind your name - like being in a victorious military battle, or dedicating a public building to the masses - that might save your butt. I believe some captured Celtic chieftan about to get imprisoned or slaughtered recited his long list of heroic deeds, and the Romans gave him a "retirement" rather than the usual fate reserved for foes.

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Guest spartacus

So I take it our "prisoner" will get no clemency then?

 

Even his written statement would not save him!

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If the reason for non-payment was due to bad weather, natural disaster, or the actions of criminals...you could probably get a reduction or remission with a good explaination.

 

Failing that, or in conjuntion with this attempt, you could also ask your patron for help in repayment in exchange for long term debt servitude. Or offer yourself,land and family to a local wealthy patron if you don't have one.

 

If however you didn't pay tax on purpose and don't have a patron for defense, your best way to go may be suicide to protect your family as much as possible.

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What about joining the legions?would it have been possible to join up in a false name? thxL

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