Christianity and Capital Punishment

Is capital punishment compatible with Christianity?

  • Yes

    Votes: 30 69.8%
  • No

    Votes: 13 30.2%

  • Total voters
    43

RaymondG

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WE deserved Death once as well, yet were forgiven and given a chance to obtain life. Would it be not wise to also forgive our fellow servants whom we fill deserved the same death we were once deserving of ourselves?

"Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
29 And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses."
 
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meconstant3402

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The teaching of Christ is about mercy. Blessed are those who are merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. I think in the interests of anyone's salvation, it is wisest to walk that path of mercy without discriminating. The Beatitudes also have a Woe section. And those who can't show or conceive of mercy to another are in that zone. Therefore, I think we have to vote against the death penalty and follow Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior.
 
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Aaron Rich

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Without reading through every else's comments on this, I'll answer the original posters question.

If we as a body that believes in the Master Yeshua (Jesus) would simply return to His ways and quit trying to find our own path, quit making up our own creeds, statements of faith, "comfortable" interpretations of the Bible, etc. we would be much better off.

The fact of the matter is that death penalties were clearly outlined in the Scriptures and occasionally (albeit rarely) carried out. The Jewish people are the best historians that ever lived. Read the freakin' history folks! They record the facts as they are without trying to skew the information toward the times that benefit them. We can read the Bible and their texts and see how God actually blesses them when they simply followed the manual! It's the same with Christian's. Read the manual and follow it to the best of your ability. If you fall down, get back up and brush yourself off and start following His ways again. Seriously - it's that simple.

If a guy kills another guy in cold blood there's a STRICT protocol to follow. Note: it doesn't include sitting in jail for decades as you appeal your case. Unfortunately, it also expects that we only call reliable witnesses which in our dilapidated society is rarely done.

So is it compatible with Christianity - of course, it is. Anyone that believes the Bible over their denominational creed and statement of faith would have a hard time arguing that. Anyone that believes a man just because we give him a title...well, read your Bible as it doesn't support that. The Scriptures are the only ABSOLUTE authority you can trust and it outlines instances where the death penalty should be carried out.

Our government in the US is not a "Christian" government and they have a lot of stuff wrong with them. So if we're trying to decide if our legal system has the moral capacity to carry out these judgments, we're crossing into a different thread entirely. Jesus isn't a different God - He's the same yesterday, today and forever. If He mandated death penalties in some situations we as believers should stand behind that.

#TESTEVERYTHING
 
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Ignatius the Kiwi

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Capital punishment, as allowed by the state is tolerable. Especially when it is concerned with crimes of a heinous nature. It serves it's purpose as a fitting punishment.

As for how the Church ought to treat the subject, I feel that the Church is at liberty to advocate life sentences and defend even the worst criminal from the punishment they deserve. The Church should be an advocate of mercy.
 
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SteveIndy

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By now it should be well-known that Pope Francis has revised the Catholic Catechism to say that capital punishment is inadmissible. What do you think about the relationship between Christianity and capital punishment? I want to hear from all Christians, and I also want to give Catholics a place to argue. The topic is two-fold: capital punishment in general, and also specifically within the Catholic Church.

Some relevant links:
Capital punishment is the world's idea of law enforcement and should be left to the world. Christians in every chapter of history have been subject to capital punishment as martyrs and our Lord calls them blessed. Christians should have nothing to do with the legislation of laws or their enforcement, we are not called to that, it is of the world and its rulers. But, the majority of Christians will not agree with me and will retain their worldly position of the right to kill and use violence in certain circumstances although they will not find confirmation of their stance in the New Testament from Jesus, His Apostles, or the history of the Church for the first three hundred years until Constantine except in rare cases. God has instituted the government for the ruling of unbelievers and its rulers bear not the sword in vain. For Christians to oppose government is to oppose God. Christians are to have nothing to do with government.
 
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Yarddog

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Have you ever run across the place where St. Paul refers to the death penalty?

For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer (Romans 13:3-4).​


What does that have to do with Christians using the death penalty? There were no Christian kingdoms and the "sword" doesn't necessarily mean the death penalty. If Christians were obedient to governments, they should not have reason to fear the leaders.
My understanding of John 8:7 is that it reflects a common rabbinic tradition in which offenders are treated mercifully. It was actually rare for a Hebrew court to issue the death penalty, but it did sometimes happen. Jesus' words are in line with that tradition.
If mercy was common place at the time, then what were the Pharisees trying to trick Jesus into doing?
 
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D2wing

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Capital punishment is the world's idea of law enforcement and should be left to the world. Christians in every chapter of history have been subject to capital punishment as martyrs and our Lord calls them blessed. Christians should have nothing to do with the legislation of laws or their enforcement, we are not called to that, it is of the world and its rulers. But, the majority of Christians will not agree with me and will retain their worldly position of the right to kill and use violence in certain circumstances although they will not find confirmation of their stance in the New Testament from Jesus, His Apostles, or the history of the Church for the first three hundred years until Constantine except in rare cases. God has instituted the government for the ruling of unbelievers and its rulers bear not the sword in vain. For Christians to oppose government is to oppose God. Christians are to have nothing to do with government.

Render unto state (Ceasar) that which is the states. Civil law is not the same as whatever you think is God's law. Lawful execution is not murder. I do not think that this was ever a question in the early church. In Acts God himself executed a couple for lying about the sale of property. I think it is a little silly to say that God opposes capital punishment. But I support the right of Christians to oppose it if they feel that way. I look at as the same as being a soldier. You must follow your conscience. As a combat veteran I am at peace with killing in the line of duty. Other Christians are not. And that is ok. Many of us feel it is our duty to minister to prisoners, as well as other lost. Not to lament the administration of the law but to save the lost regardless of the past. They must still face justice, I don't know that conversion make a difference.
 
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Zack Allen

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I believe the use of capital punishment is diametrically opposed to the Way of Jesus.

This doesn’t mean earthly governments cannot or should not “wield the sword,” but is only prescriptive for Christians.

And FTR, I don’t think earthly governments should exercise capital punishment either, but that wasn’t the question.
 
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RDKirk

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The point is that he was murdered in prison. If the modern penal system was so effective at offering protection to society, as the argument of the catechism says it is, then that would not have happened.

That doesn't make much sense. Nobody else would conclude that a murder within prison indicates that murderers can't be kept in prison.
 
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RDKirk

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The Catholic Encyclopedia acknowledges that there was very little support for the death penalty within the Church during the first few centuries.

Especially since it included so many Christians just for being Christian.
 
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RDKirk

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If a guy kills another guy in cold blood there's a STRICT protocol to follow. Note: it doesn't include sitting in jail for decades as you appeal your case. Unfortunately, it also expects that we only call reliable witnesses which in our dilapidated society is rarely done.

The fact that the king's capital punishment is not done according to God's requirements for prosecuting such a case means that it's not justifiable by God's law.
 
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Yarddog

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According to common sense and Biblical scholarship that is precisely what it means.
Neither of these know what Paul actually meant.
What do you imagine swords are for? :D
Protection, just as guns are used today. Most don't actually kill anyone.
 
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chihwahli

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Althought the bible does talk about capital punishments for certain deeds. I think it's better not to. I think real life prison would be best. The reason is that death does not add justice, because some individuals are just waiting to be killed. Death in their eyes is just an easy way out. This ofcourse of criminals who think there is no God, thus no justice after death.

Secondly, It happens that people are falsly accused...... it is just sad that an innocent person is put to death. who is then responsible for his/her death? Should we exucute the false witnesses then??
Well, if we have capital offence, then it that case I think false witnessed must be put to death too, if thye falsely accuse someone, and that person was put to death....

So my thoughts are:
No capital punishment, but whole life in prison in case of extreme violations. In cases where that person is not able to stop his/her crime. Let that person work for his/her food and living. If they cannot they will die. These criminals should not benefit from honest / good perople. Is this wrong to do so? No, they have chosen this path and they shall adhere with the consequences!

I believe that Jesus in all cases will forgive, even with the heavy cases we "law abiding people" will not forgive, such as child molesters.... People who are doing evil practises are difficult to sense if they really sincere with their sins, but doesn't everyone sin or has sinned? Don't we all deserve to die?
For God is no difference between sinning any one of the 10 commandments..... Break one and you deserve death....
 
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Dr Bruce Atkinson

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By now it should be well-known that Pope Francis has revised the Catholic Catechism to say that capital punishment is inadmissible. What do you think about the relationship between Christianity and capital punishment? I want to hear from all Christians, and I also want to give Catholics a place to argue. The topic is two-fold: capital punishment in general, and also specifically within the Catholic Church.

Some relevant links:

Political and religious liberals are uniformly against capital punishment, which means almost everyone in Europe. But this is not based on the Bible but on politics and a particular (popular) worldly philosophy. Right wing people are big on law and order, and so they tend to be for capital punishment.

Certainly many theologians and Christian leaders have written and spoken on the subject. Just google “capital punishment and the Bible” and see all the information you will get. Perhaps the best brief, balanced, and accurate biblical take on it may be found here: https://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2011/09/what-does-the-bible-say-about-capital-punishment/

An even more brief conservative evangelical description of the relevant scriptures can be found here: https://www.gotquestions.org/death-penalty.html

I personally do not think that this is an important issue for Christians, simply because the scripture revelation is equivocal on this issue. The Lord does not come down strongly either way. So neither will I. This may sound harsh, but I think that Christians who take a very strong stand on this issue are not entirely trustworthy on their opinions about any topic.
 
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SkyWriting

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By now it should be well-known that Pope Francis has revised the Catholic Catechism to say that capital punishment is inadmissible. What do you think about the relationship between Christianity and capital punishment? I want to hear from all Christians, and I also want to give Catholics a place to argue. The topic is two-fold: capital punishment in general, and also specifically within the Catholic Church.

Some relevant links:


Nobody should be stoned inside a Catholic church.
But people do need laws we agree on.
 
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SolomonVII

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That doesn't make much sense. Nobody else would conclude that a murder within prison indicates that murderers can't be kept in prison.
Exactly.
Yet that is the reasoning of the catechism. The evil is under control, as if evil done to prisoners doesn't count.
Well it wouldn't either, if the assumption is that prisoners are animals.
 
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RDKirk

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I personally do not think that this is an important issue for Christians, simply because the scripture revelation is equivocal on this issue. The Lord does not come down strongly either way. So neither will I. This may sound harsh, but I think that Christians who take a very strong stand on this issue are not entirely trustworthy on their opinions about any topic.

The Lord does come down strongly on capital punishment, but only on capital punishment done His way--prosecuted in His way and for the crimes He had dictated.

Does the Lord actually endorse anything not done His way?

While the Lord authorizes earthly kings to keep order, it is an error for Christians to claim there is anything Godly about how earthly kings keep order, and particularly how the use--or don't use--the sword to do so.

The big error is claiming God has written His name on the acts of earthly kings.
 
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Truth Lover

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Jesus saved the woman caught in adultery from capital punishment, so that shows what he thought of it. Jesus himself was executed though innocent. I would not want it on my conscience to condemn an innocent person. I found some interesting web sites about innocent people and death row.
List of Those Freed From Death Row - 162 exonerated cases:
https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/innocence-list-those-freed-death-row
Exonerated After Execution: 13 cases
https://madamenoire.com/73840/exone...oman-found-innocent-after-being-put-to-death/

The Catechism of the Catholic Church currently says:

2267 Assuming that the guilty party's identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.

If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people's safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.

Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibilities which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm - without definitely taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself - the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity "are very rare, if not practically non-existent."

I don't think Pope Francis is really changing doctrine. He is emphasizing the last paragraph.
 
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