Who Should Punish a Sinner?

Who should punish a sinner? Should it be religion, society, or the individual? In Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter all three affect the main character Hester Prynne. Religion punishes her with the Scarlet Letter, society ostracizes her as punishment, and individually
she was able to move on in life but still returned to her haunting past where she died. Religion plays a big part in the Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne wore the Scarlet Letter to remind her of the mistake ahe made. Instaed of taking Pearl away the people wanted her to wear the 'A' for adultry. Hester brought up her child forcing the the thought of the heavenily father. Hester's whole lifestyle was altered. She obeyed everyone and for seven years was cursed by standing on the scaffold. …