Death Penalty

Only those who wish to volunteer as hangman should favor the death penalty.

The problem with even righteous killing is that it affects the killer almost as much as the person killed.

 

I believe God ordained the death penalty.

Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
Genesis 9:6

 

That is why I favor injection - Anesthesiologists administer drugs every day that bring people down to a level that is close to death. They have to exercise care not to let it go down too far.

I agree that inflicting violent death is damaging to the person doing it.

 

i'm astounded how you christians are in support of killing people whether innocent or not.

amazing, isn't it, how christianity is goin down the drain these days eh?

 

gekko,

Where in my posts have I advocated innocent people being put to death?

You want to keep murderers alive? Then write your governor and tell them you will foot the bill. Write congress and tell them to stop making taxpayers pay to house them.

 

I agree with SaltCityBaptist with regard to the death penalty. Government wields the sword.

With regard to the OT vs. the NT, in the NT Jesus and his the believers in him were not part of a religion (Judaism or Christianity) that had the power of the sword; Rome did (which is the reason why the Jewish leaders had to go to the Roman authorities to have Jesus killed). In the OT, religion and goverment were comingled, thus the Law had many provisions that later would fall under the auspices of government and not religion (like, for instance, capital punishment).

Today, Christians are certainly not a part of religion that is tied to the government of our country the way the religion of the Israelites was tied to the government of Israel. So we look more like the people in the NT, part of a religion that does not and cannot wield the power of the sword. Thus, the bottom line on the death penalty is decided by the state and what is best for the state, not by the Church.

But what, then, is our role in the Church. I believe that it is our role to be strong defenders of justice and peace. However you want to define that is up to you because each of us will understand how to be lovers of justice and peacemakers differently.

 

No one has said execute innocent people, show a post where that was said please.
Yep, it's going down the drain to beleive scripture.

 

I have to agree with Donna - no one has suggested the killing of innocents.

 

If the law were to put more confessed murderers to death, it would cause many to think before rising up against another in anger to kill them.

 

ok. so my fault for putting the word innocent in there. move on.

complaining that the government is taking too much money from ya?
thought money wasn't supposed to be a big issue with christians?

put liars and homosexuals and thiefs to death then.
don't just pinpoint it all on murder. put the death penalty on anybody who has hatred then.

i'm glad canada doesn't have capital punishment.

 

If the murdered person was someone in your own family, you might have a different view.

I had two innocent family members murdered. And the murderer is walking the streets today.

 

I am truly sorry for your loss, SFIC, however I think that you don't teach a child not to hit by hitting him; nor do you stop killers by the state killing. It puts the US in a class with countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia. Most civilized nations have outlawed the death penalty, and we should follow.

Usually, murders are crimes of passion. The perpetrator isn't thinking, "Hmmm...if I kill, I will be executed." The thought doesn't cross their mind in most cases, IMO. There are such vile people that they will never be reformed. However, state sponsored murder is still wrong. And with DNA evidence proving innocence of many on death row, I also think we convict too many who are not guilty. Even when DNA shows the person didn't do it, zealous prosecutors sometimes just don't want to give it up, and work to deny DNA testing where evidence is available. Shameful.

 

i'm sorry for your losses SFIC.

i pray that whoever caused it would be caught much sooner than later.

God bless.

 

The girl who killed my cousin and her baby was caught, admitted to shooting my unarmed cousin, and set free by the court system.

Still want to defend murderers?

 

i don't agree in setting them free... never have i said that.

 

I'm amazed how you Christians are in support of seizing people and keeping them in cages for years and years.

 

Sounds horrible.

Do you live in Canada?

Would you have felt better if they gave her free room and board and a health club membership in prison for life as Gekko suggests?



Or how about moving to Texas?

 

I live in Mississippi. My cousin lived in South Carolina when she and her baby were killed last year.

 

To get the right answer you have to ask the right question. Instead of asking if Christians should support the death penalty, maybe we need to ask if we should oppose the gov't in using it.

Rom 14:1 "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil."

God clearly uses government to do work for him just like he uses the church and the family to do work for him. Does this mean we let the gov't do whatever it wishes? No, but the following makes it clear that the death penaly is one of the tools at it's disposal.

v.4b " for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."

Just like a parent has the tool of the rod of correction and needs to use it wisely, the gov't has "the sword". Both of these carry with it a very profound responsibility and and those that perform these roles will answer to God.

Do I like the death penalty? No. Do I like spanking my children? No. But, I am not to just do and support what I like.

 

On the whole I would say No. I think life-long imprisonment is a much less gruesome punishment.

At any rate, the murderers will be punished severely after death, unless they are born again. So they won't really get away with it, as they will either be punished after death or will have to fully come to terms with what they have done during their lifetimes and live with it for the rest of their lifetimes, before having to stand before Jesus knowing what they did (even if they were saved, it would still be humiliating having to stand before Jesus knowing what they have done*).


* as it will be for all of us, to a lesser extent.