How can anyone justify not believing in capital punishment?

[BlackSabb]

I was ecstatic when I heard of that inhumane monster, Osama Bin Laden, was killed by U.S. forces-finally!

And then I think of despicable bleeding heart liberals and their namby pamby fairlyland beliefs of never killing anyone. Could you imagine capturing such a monster as Bin Laden and just letting him live in jail for the rest of his life? There is no other punishment suitable for him that death. The same with serial killers and other terrorists and such.

How can any reasonable person not agree with punishing people like Osama with death?

 

[kiwimac]

Bible:

"Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles" (Proverbs 24:17)

 

[Bryne]

If we execute someone, then that person no longer has the opportunity to come to saving faith in Christ.

No matter how careful we are and no matter how good our justice system is, we are human and we could make a mistake and execute an innocent person. If we sentence an innocent person to life in prison, and later find out he is innocent then we can release him. We can't take back an execution if we find out later that we were wrong. It isn't worth the risk.

We have a responsibility to protect society. Putting someone away for life protects society just as well as executing someone does.

If the person dies without coming to Christ, they will spend an eternity in hell...so why does it matter whether or not we execute them or let them live out their natural life in prison...either way, it is a drop in the bucket compared with an eternity in hell.

Even though I firmly believe that there are people who absolutely deserve to be executed, I don't think it is necessary for us to do so and there may be good reason not to do so.

I am not a liberal...for what it's worth.

 

[BlackSabb]

If we execute someone, then that person no longer has the opportunity to come to saving faith in Christ.

Osama become a Christian? Are you kidding? I don't think there's a person on this planet who seriously believes that such a hardline militant Muslim would ever become a Christian. Do you seriously believe that?

No matter how careful we are and no matter how good our justice system is, we are human and we could make a mistake and execute an innocent person. If we sentence an innocent person to life in prison, and later find out he is innocent then we can release him. We can't take back an execution if we find out later that we were wrong. It isn't worth the risk.

I am talking about executing people that there is no doubt about at all of guilt.

Good riddance Osama. Welcome to Hell buddy!!!!

 

[kiwimac]

Keep your rather hideous joy to yourself.

 

[BlackSabb]

Keep your rather hideous joy to yourself.

Don't lecture me pal. "Hideous joy?" Would you dare say that to all the family and friends of all his innocent victims? Go to ground zero where there has been a celebration of the death of Bin Laden and tell all the jeering crowds that they have "hideous joy".

Good riddance I say again.

 

[Bryne]

Osama become a Christian? Are you kidding? I don't think there's a person on this planet who seriously believes that such a hardline militant Muslim would ever become a Christian. Do you seriously believe that?

Do I believe it could have been possible? You bet I do. With God, all things are possible.

But you asked for reasons not to execute people like Osama bin Laden...not just him specifically...and there is always the possibility of salvation.

 

[BlackSabb]

Do I believe it could have been possible? You bet I do. With God, all things are possible.

But you asked for reasons not to execute people like Osama bin Laden...not just him specifically...and there is always the possibility of salvation.

So let me get this straight. A man orchestrates the ruthless murder of tens of thousands of innocent people. And if he is captured, he should not be put to death because of the possiblility he might "convert".

That truly is one ridiculous argument against capital punishment. Go tell all the families of his victims that. And what about the families of all the victims that are NOT Christian? They wouldn't care less if he "converted" or not.

 

[Bryne]

So let me get this straight. A man orchestrates the ruthless murder of tens of thousands of innocent people. And if he is captured, he should not be put to death because of the possiblility he might "convert".

That truly is one ridiculous argument against capital punishment. Go tell all the families of his victims that. And what about the families of all the victims that are NOT Christian? They wouldn't care less if he "converted" or not.

The families might not care whether or not he converted, but God cares.

And I really don't see how execution is any more just than locked up for life. Either way, he couldn't hurt anyone anymore. I think locked up for life is works just fine.

 

[sealacamp]

Don't lecture me pal. "Hideous joy?" Would you dare say that to all the family and friends of all his innocent victims? Go to ground zero where there has been a celebration of the death of Bin Laden and tell all the jeering crowds that they have "hideous joy".

Good riddance I say again.

I don't wish death on anyone. In this case as with many others I would have rather seen him repent and come to Christ, yet he would not. He had time and this was his choice so he reaped what he sowed.

And for those of you that are so set against capital punishment, especially in the case of murder you just have to answer to God about that because He made it clear in His word. Oh you can change it if you like but that is still between you and him.

The verses makes it clear. Capital punishment, the taking of the perpetrators life, is what God demands for the murder of a human being by man or beast. There are some other specifics that the Lord laid out relating to capital punishment.

1. There must be two or more witnesses before one accused of murder can be put to death (Numbers 35:30)
2. A person judged guilty of murder must die. Do not allow any kind of bargain or ransom for his life. (Num. 35:30)
3. The blood of the victim murdered defiles the land. The only way it is cleansed is by administering capital punishment to the murderer. (Num. 35:33-34).

http://www.logosresourcepages.org/OurTimes/capital.htm

Sealacamp

 

[kiwimac]

The OT is not normative for Christians or do you disagree with Paul as to Christians NOT putting "on" the Law?

 

[bibleblevr]

So let me get this straight. A man orchestrates the ruthless murder of tens of thousands of innocent people. And if he is captured, he should not be put to death because of the possibility he might "convert".

That truly is one ridiculous argument against capital punishment. Go tell all the families of his victims that. And what about the families of all the victims that are NOT Christian? They wouldn't care less if he "converted" or not.

Have you ever read the Verse that states: Vengeance is MINE sayith the Lord"

There have been many serial killers that have come to Christ in prison, who are you to doubt God's power?

Thanks for posting this verse Kiwimac Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles" (Proverbs 24:17)
I would like to hear from the OP why he is not guilty of rejoicing when his enemy fell before he he makes one more overly jubilant post of his.

And Oh yes, an appeal to how bad a man he is does nothing to remove your guilt for rejoicing at his fall!!!!

 

[Tim Myers]

"How can anyone justify not believing in capital punishment?"

I suppose, the same way anyone can view Osama bin Laden as a "hero".............

 

[kiwimac]

Capital Punishment is sub-christian, it is not now nor has it ever been an acceptable way to deal with society's failures.

 

[sealacamp]

The OT is not normative for Christians or do you disagree with Paul as to Christians NOT putting "on" the Law?

We are not putting on the law when we refuse the let a murder go unpunished. No in fact what we are doing is answering this:

Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground!

How many innocents blood cry out to God? What does God say needs to be done about it? No we are not putting on the law at all when we refuse to let the guilty go unpunished.

Sealacamp

 

[BlackSabb]

We are not putting on the law when we refuse the let a murder go unpunished. No in fact what we are doing is answering this:



How many innocents blood cry out to God? What does God say needs to be done about it? No we are not putting on the law at all when we refuse to let the guilty go unpunished.

Sealacamp

Exactly. And Paul clearly says too how the authorities do not "bear the sword for nothing" in regards to evildoers. So the NT clearly allows for capital punishment.

 

[desmalia]

It was absolutely just that he be killed, no question. However I can't say I'm rejoicing exactly. I really appreciated this article I read today on it. Hits the nail right on the head.

The Death of Osama bin Laden: What Kind of Justice Has Been Done? | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

 

[BlackSabb]

"Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles" (Proverbs 24:17)

​

That is just so typical. Taking one line of the Bible, twisting it way out of context and applying your own amateurish understanding of it. And then dictating to others what the appropriate respone should be to Bin Laden's death based on your own faulty theological understanding.

That verse from the Bible applies to personal enemies in all of our lives. It applies to those people that we have personal contact with and are opposed to us. So, for eg, the bullying coworker that has harassed you for years, the obnoxious neighbour, the threatening family member etc. So in these cases, personal enemies in all of our lives that oppose and threaten us should not be rejoiced over when they fall.

That has nothing to do with enemies of the state, enemies of the free world, enemies of democracy, enemies of the public at large etc. Get your context right and don't start rattling off Bible verses that you don't have a clue about.

It's an absolute disgrace that you tell the entire free world that they shouldn't rejoice that Bin Laden has been killed. Millions of people all over the world have every right to rejoice that such a monster that has harmed, killed and maimed them is no longer.

One word for you when reading the Bible-context.
​

 

[katautumn]

I'm not sad he is dead. Of course, I'm not celebrating in the streets, either. I realize this does not end the war on terror. I more worry this will become a re-election ploy for Obama. At a time in which him being a two-term president seemed unrealistic, he goes and "accomplishes what Bush could not", even though it wasn't even his work that accomplished this. A funny little piece of trivia for liberals - it has been released that the intelligence received as to where Osama was being kept was gathered during waterboarding a detainee at Gitmo. I wonder how often that will be glossed over by the MSM.

And here is one more thing to consider - while none of us should celebrate someone being condemned to hell (which I've seen many people doing online today), Osama was no stranger to the Gospel - he was an enemy to it, just as he was to his own Muslim brethren. When Muslims are celebrating his assassination in the streets in Dearborn, Michigan you know he was even a foe to Islam. Nobody should be made to feel bad about not feeling a sense of sorrow over his death.

He used one of his own wives as a human shield, for Pete's sake. I guess there wasn't a toddler close by.

ETA: Another thing - this isn't the same as capital punishment for committing a crime. He was given ample opportunity to surrender. He put up quite the fight at the end, throwing his own wives and sons into the fray to maintain his cowardice to the very end. He was taken out, because he has been a threat since the 1980s and had been the most wanted international terrorist since the Clinton Administration.

 

[Thomas222]

I'm very glad he is dead. Not because he was killed, but more because by his death, lives have been saved - and its one step closer to the end of the war on terror.

thats why people should celebrate, not because of his death