Capital Punishment

[wardpossy]

I am working on a project about capital punishment, and I would like some christian views on the subject. Whats your thoughts or comments? Thank you and God Bless, Jeff

 

[kedaman]

The wages of sin is death. I guess that was obvious, although it doesn't seem like anyone understands it.

 

[sinner/SAVED]

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

 

[fragmentsofdreams]

Do not return evil with evil.

 

[silent water]

Romans 12:19 . . .Vengance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord

 

[coyoteBR]

Capital Punishment to me is completelly against the "Love your Neighbour" and the "turn the other cheeck" laws.

Only God Can Decide about human life. It is not given to us the right to shorten it, be calling it murder, euthanasia, most cases of abortion or death penalty.

 

[Magisterium]

Capital punishment is an interesting topic. For all of the "thou shalt not's" in scripture, there also seems to be another that said "thou shalt".

However, in the specific matter of the state's (meaning society's) carrying out of the death penalty, Rom 13:1-5 gives certain and unequivocal guidance on the subject for Christians.

1 Let every person be subordinate to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been established by God.
2 Therefore, whoever resists authority opposes what God has appointed, and those who oppose it will bring judgment upon themselves.
3 For rulers are not a cause of fear to good conduct, but to evil. Do you wish to have no fear of authority? Then do what is good and you will receive approval from it,
4 for it is a servant of God for your good. But if you do evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword without purpose; it is the servant of God to inflict wrath on the evildoer.
5 Therefore, it is necessary to be subject not only because of the wrath but also because of conscience. -NAB(emphasis added)

Particularly poignant is the latter half of verse 4. Here we see that just authority acts out of an authority ordained by God. That said, the taking of human life is still not to be taken lightly. The Church's teaching is that capital punishment is only justified (in today's day and age) when an offender is unable to be subdued and/or contained without the taking of his or her life.

This means that when a police officer uses deadly force on an offender who poses an imminent and undeterrable danger, he or she acts justly. Likewise, if once incarcerated, an offender's influence or simple vile tinacity makes them a danger to fellow inmates or even people out in society (as in a political figure or organized crime boss) the inability to reasonably contain this person's violence makes capital punishment necessary (and justified). However, these cases are extremely rare. In most cases, a criminal can be reasonably contained. In these cases, the financial costs or other social impacts cannot be justly weighed against the value of human life (even the life of a criminal).

 

[fluffy_rainbow]

The wages of sin is death. I guess that was obvious, although it doesn't seem like anyone understands it.

That verse illustrates that the wages of sin is an eternal death, permanent and eternal separation from the Lord and His mercy. That verse has nothing to do with capital punishment.

In Jesus' day, the law stated that the maximum sentence for your crime would be equal to the crime you committed. In other words, if you murdered someone the maximum sentence (though not required) was the death penalty. That was where "eye for an eye, tooth for tooth" came from; however, the laws were terribly abused and death by stoning or crucifixion was extended to thieves and those who committed adultery. Capital punishment for theft or adultery would be unheard of these days, so we cannot look to the Scriptures and misinterpret them to say capital punishment is the only appropriate punishment for killers.

I am against capital punishment under any circumstance. The Bible says that God is the Supreme Judge. Now, we are also to obey the laws of the land. While revenge is His (the Lord's) that doesn't mean we should let criminals go scot-free praying that God will send a bolt of lightening down to strike them. Obviously people who pose a danger to society need to be incarcerated, many for life. Capital punishment is not the solution.

 

[vajradhara]

capitol punishment = state sponsored revenge.

 

[sinner/SAVED]

capitol punishment = state sponsored revenge.

 

[Kasey]

Murderers deserve death. They "killed" their victim. The one they killed is "dead", completely and in every logical sense of the word. Justice demands that they give their own for the life they took.

It is unfair and unjust for these 'oh so good judges' to give "life" sentencing in a prison where the prisoners get three meals a day, they get to work out, some get TV, they get visitors, they dont have to pay bills and all that, all of this by tax-payer expense by the way. Thats incredibly disgusting and an abomination.

People say its in-humane to give people the death penatly for committing murder. How dare they? They dont think about how the murderer wasnt being humane to their victim, why the hell are you trying to be nice to them?

Bottom-line, all murderers deserve death. Destroy all murderers and you wouldnt be having murders going around now would you?

 

[nadroj1985]

Murderers deserve death. They "killed" their victim. The one they killed is "dead", completely and in every logical sense of the word. Justice demands that they give their own for the life they took.

Good ol' justice; it never could learn that the whole "eye for an eye" bit did nothing to make the situation better.

It is unfair and unjust for these 'oh so good judges' to give "life" sentencing in a prison where the prisoners get three meals a day, they get to work out, some get TV, they get visitors, they dont have to pay bills and all that, all of this by tax-payer expense by the way. Thats incredibly disgusting and an abomination.

Indeed, it certainly is an abomination to treat human beings decently. Not sure why anyone would do that.

People say its in-humane to give people the death penatly for committing murder. How dare they? They dont think about how the murderer wasnt being humane to their victim, why the hell are you trying to be nice to them?

Because they still have rights. Because we don't lie to people who lie to us, rape people who rape us, spit in the coke of someone who spits in our coke, just because of some "justice" concept. Because forgiveness and rehabilitation is better than punishment.

Bottom-line, all murderers deserve death. Destroy all murderers and you wouldnt be having murders going around now would you?

Perhaps if you'd show me some figures that show that the death penalty leads inevitably to lower murder rates, then I might agree.

 

[kedaman]

That verse illustrates that the wages of sin is an eternal death, permanent and eternal separation from the Lord and His mercy. That verse has nothing to do with capital punishment.

In Jesus' day, the law stated that the maximum sentence for your crime would be equal to the crime you committed. In other words, if you murdered someone the maximum sentence (though not required) was the death penalty. That was where "eye for an eye, tooth for tooth" came from; however, the laws were terribly abused and death by stoning or crucifixion was extended to thieves and those who committed adultery. Capital punishment for theft or adultery would be unheard of these days, so we cannot look to the Scriptures and misinterpret them to say capital punishment is the only appropriate punishment for killers.

I am against capital punishment under any circumstance. The Bible says that God is the Supreme Judge. Now, we are also to obey the laws of the land. While revenge is His (the Lord's) that doesn't mean we should let criminals go scot-free praying that God will send a bolt of lightening down to strike them. Obviously people who pose a danger to society need to be incarcerated, many for life. Capital punishment is not the solution.

Jesus did not abolish the law, but fullfill it, so capital punishment is still in effect. Don't misunderstand me. This is not to say what you should or should not do. 1 Corinthians 6 is my sentiment about that.

 

[Kasey]

Good ol' justice; it never could learn that the whole "eye for an eye" bit did nothing to make the situation better.

Not according to human principles, no, and according to those same principles, it never will.

Indeed, it certainly is an abomination to treat human beings decently. Not sure why anyone would do that.

Murderers dont deserve to be treated like a regular working joe on the street thats been wronged. They deserve to die.

Because they still have rights. Because we don't lie to people who lie to us, rape people who rape us, spit in the coke of someone who spits in our coke, just because of some "justice" concept. Because forgiveness and rehabilitation is better than punishment.

Murderers have the right to die, thats all they deserve to have.

Forgiveness? Anyone can just say their sorry, but murderers, short of spending the rest of their lives making up for the lives they have taken, or giving their own, there is nothing they could do that would prove that they are sorry.

Perhaps if you'd show me some figures that show that the death penalty leads inevitably to lower murder rates, then I might agree.

Use your head. If the government was quick, and I mean as quick as humanly possible, to execute ALL murderers for their crimes, people would not be so eager to kill other human beings.

 

[DJ_Ghost]

People say its in-humane to give people the death penatly for committing murder. How dare they? They dont think about how the murderer wasnt being humane to their victim, why the hell are you trying to be nice to them?

Most people that oppose the death penalty are not trying to be nice to the killers, they are trying not to descend to the same depths.

Bottom-line, all murderers deserve death. Destroy all murderers and you wouldnt be having murders going around now would you?

Stick them all in prison till they die and you will not have murderers going about either, so that in itself is insufficient reason to have a capital punishment.

What happens if we execute an innocent person by mistake? Once we find out do we then execute the judge, jury and executioner that sent that person to their death? After all they took away a human life unjustly, by your argument they deserve to die.

Ghost

 

[DJ_Ghost]

Use your head. If the government was quick, and I mean as quick as humanly possible, to execute ALL murderers for their crimes, people would not be so eager to kill other human beings.

You make a number of interesting points here;

Lets begin with the notion of the death penalty as a deterrent. We had this debate recently. The death penalty does not work as a deterrent. However detection rates do, the more likely a person is to be caught the lower the murder rates. I posted all the relevant statistics in another thread, how abolishing the death penalty in the UK caused the murder rate to go down and not up, and how the murder rate in the USA is falling at the same time as the likelihood of being executed is also falling.

However you’re post refers to killing all murderess. Since we currently do not capture them all then this would mean an upswing in detection rates, and you are quite right, that on its own would have a significant effect in reducing the murder rate.

You have also hit on another very good point when you refer to the governments response should be quick. Studies show that the faster the penalty is applied to a crime the lower the crime rate for that offence. The longer the delay between the crime being committed and the penalty being applied, the higher the rate of that crime. Immediacy seems to have a very great effect.

Ghost

 

[praying]

I am working on a project about capital punishment, and I would like some christian views on the subject. Whats your thoughts or comments? Thank you and God Bless, Jeff

You should ask in the Christians Only section so you wil only get Christian replies.

My view on it is it is wrong on many levels of which the most important being that the possibility of executing an innocent person should preclude its' use.

 

[sinner/SAVED]

Murderers deserve death.

ALL sinners deserve death.

 

[praying]

Justice demands that they give their own for the life they took.

Why does justice demand that?

Destroy all murderers and you wouldnt be having murders going around now would you?

Please cite sources that indicate all murders are committed by repeat offenders thus if we just got rid of the murderers there would be no more murder.

 

[Kasey]

Most people that oppose the death penalty are not trying to be nice to the killers, they are trying not to descend to the same depths.

There is a difference between being opposed to the death penalty, than by not crossing the line in how your treat the convict before the penalty is applied.

Stick them all in prison till they die and you will not have murderers going about either, so that in itself is insufficient reason to have a capital punishment.

It is not enough. Have you stopped to consider who is paying for all those people to stay in prison? Tax-payers, the common every day person. Besides, them sitting in prison serving a "life" sentence or staying there until they die is a lot better than being executed for your crime. THey get to live while their victim is dead. That is not fair at all. I wouldnt want the killer of my wife to live while she would be dead, nor the murderer live while my children are dead. Thats completely unjust and unfair for that to happen.

What happens if we execute an innocent person by mistake? Once we find out do we then execute the judge, jury and executioner that sent that person to their death? After all they took away a human life unjustly, by your argument they deserve to die.

Ghost

Willful murder is different than killing someone by accident. I think that no one can deny that. Im talking specifically about pre-meditated murder, people who killed others with malicous intent, not accidents.