Death Penalty...right or wrong?

[ladyerica]

I've always believed that the death penalty was ok because the government has been placed in authority by God to punish those who disobey the law...but I've heard many Christians saying it is wrong because everyone is God's creation and no one has the right to kill anyone no matter what. What are your thoughts on Romans 13:1-7? Does that passage justify the death penalty? I'd like to hear people's thoughts. Thanks!

~Erica~

 

[coolstylinstud]

I dont know on that one i read the bible but i havent read about the goverment but i think that in a way its wrong because you are killing someone but in a way i think its ok because they deserve it but again i havent studied up about it in the word

 

[ladyerica]

ok...thanks for posting coolstylingstud

 

[AngCath]

although I think that we are to be good citizens under civil authority as Ss. Paul and Peter teach us in their epistles, in the US we are able to shape our civil authorities.
we all deserve to die for our sins, but does that mean that the government has the right to kill? and if so, why does it have that right? capital punishment has been repeatedly shown to be an ineffective deterant of future crimes. capital punishment costs MORE than a life sentence. I ask that you read through v10, not just v7.
Love cannot wrong a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law (REB). I think it stands to reason that even a murderer is my neighbor and that the government, just like myself, must act in love. I don't think execution fulfills this statement and is done in love.

 

[5stringJeff]

I think that capital punishment is justified by the Bible, both in the Mosiac law and by Romans 13. Whether or not a country decides to use capital punishment is a different issue; that's where one can take up issues like cost, popular will, deterrence, etc. But as far as whether a country is justified in using the death penalty, I think its clear that they are.

 

[tel0004]

Im against it. Did Jesus not tell us to turn the other cheek? I dont think we should let them go, but killing them is not the answer. The death penalty does not lower crime rate, and its about 5 times as expensive (since they get virtually unlimited appeals). We should just do life in prision without parole.

 

[tulc]

...plus there's the whole "What if they turn out to be proven innocent later on?" problem.
tulc(not sure we can be depended on to always be right)

 

[AngelusSax]

Im against it. Did Jesus not tell us to turn the other cheek?

Jesus taught individuals to turn the other cheek. He didn't tell the government to not do its job.

The death penalty does not lower crime rate,

Not if you wait 20 years to dole out the punishment after the crime is committed. It's quick repercussions that make people think twice, not repercussions that say "you're as likely to die of old age as you are the sentence we give you."

 

[linssue55]

I've always believed that the death penalty was ok because the government has been placed in authority by God to punish those who disobey the law...but I've heard many Christians saying it is wrong because everyone is God's creation and no one has the right to kill anyone no matter what. What are your thoughts on Romans 13:1-7? Does that passage justify the death penalty? I'd like to hear people's thoughts. Thanks!

~Erica~

This is capitol punishment and there are more verses....
Matt 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

 

[ejgsmalls]

I don't think that capital punishment is right. To punish someone by doing the thing they are being punished for doesn't make sense at all. If a murderer is sentenced to death, then the executioner should be killed too right? I just don't get it.

God Bless,
~Mary~

 

[ischus]

I think we sometimes fail to distinguish between the individual ethic taught by Jesus and the Justice of the government. Jesus teaches how individuals are to respond to personal situations. Paul and others teach this as well, but they also refer to the state government who has the right to exercise judgment with the death penalty.

So, while we are not to kill as inidividuals, but instead turn the other cheek, the government has the right to justly punish by death for serious crimes which have overwhelming evidence against the criminal. An executioner is in the realm of performing a governmental judgment on a criminal. He is not responding to a wrong which was done against him personally. He is administering a govenmental judgment.

There certainly are other issues to take into account, but I believe this summarizes the Old and New Testament position on the death penalty.

 

[Linus]

If we just look at the facts, innocent people are being sentenced to death. Many have been put on death row and later on been freed because they are not guilty of the crime. There will always be innocent people killed by the government and a prison sentenced can be lifted but when you are dead, then you are dead.

I also believe that God is the only one entitled to take a man's life. Some use the Scripture as support of capitol punishment, e.g. obey the authorities because God put them in charge. So let's say we lived in e.g. Saudia Arabia, certain parts of Sudan, in those places, we are not allowed to have Churches, there are limitations on how many Christians that are allowed to gather. Does that sound like a government God put in charge?

 

[Rusticus]

Death penalty is barbaric.

No civilised country on earth still has the death penalty in force.

 

[coolstylinstud]

No civilised country on earth still has the death penalty in force

You must hate texas

 

[Rusticus]

You must hate texas

Why?

 

[coolstylinstud]

Why?

Isnt texas the place where they like always have the death penalty

 

[immortalavefenix]

Well that is a hard question indeed. Even more so for christains. In one hand it hardly seems very forgiving or loving to just flat out kill someone. Then again there are genuine claims for security and a need for retribution, in particular consider massvie crimes like genocide.

My stance?

Death by goverment, weather in times of war, or in peace, should be a matter of national security. It the subject poses at real threat to the nation, the people, then the subject should be "neutralized". If the concerns are purely or more so of a retributive nature (mass crimes notwithstanding) then jail time is more an appropiate response.)

 

[ladyerica]

I agree with both points of view...to be honest...I'm confused about it all...it seems so wrong to take someone's life, but at the same time I think God gave authority to the government to do so when it is necessary. Does anyone have any Scripture they could use to back up their views (esp. the view that it is ok)

 

[Rev. Smith]

Jesus taught individuals to turn the other cheek. He didn't tell the government to not do its job.

Jesus didn't say much about government, except that we are to render unto Ceaser that whuch is Ceaser's....

Government is us, its not some seperate thing for which we bear no responsibility. If it is immoral for me to kill you because you have offended me, it is just as immoral if I do it through the government as if I did it myself.

Not if you wait 20 years to dole out the punishment after the crime is committed. It's quick repercussions that make people think twice, not repercussions that say "you're as likely to die of old age as you are the sentence we give you."

Ahh... the problem with the death penalty isn't that we routinely convict the innocent, that we execute the retarded and the young - nope, the problem is we don't kill them fast enough!

Sorry, but that's obscene. With over 118 men released from death row after private groups proved their innoscence (usually over the stonewalling and somtimes lying by police and prosecutors) calling for us to kill people faster (thereby forclosing their proving their innocence) is disgusting.

Jesus taught forgiveness and repentance, not retribution and murder.

As if the moral prohabtion against killing people wasn't enough, do you have so much faith in our government, one proven again and again to struggle under corruption and careerism, that you want it to have permission to kill its citizens; fast with no muss or bother?

 

[linssue55]

I agree with both points of view...to be honest...I'm confused about it all...it seems so wrong to take someone's life, but at the same time I think God gave authority to the government to do so when it is necessary. Does anyone have any Scripture they could use to back up their views (esp. the view that it is ok)

It does NOT matter what we sinners think, it is ONLY important what the word of GOD say's....like it or not....GOD IS PERFECT........

Matt 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: