“To the humanistic mind these penalties seem severe and unnecessary. In actuality, the penalties, together with the Biblical faith which motivated them, worked to reduce crime. Thus, when New England passed laws requiring the death penalty for incorrigible delinquents and for children who struck their parents, no executions were necessary: the law kept the children in line.”

—  Rousas John Rushdoony

Source: Writings, The Institutes of Biblical Law (1973), p. 236

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American theologian 1916–2001

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