Is the death sentence wrong?

[Star_Pixels]

killing someone is not murder?

Well, actually, no. Just plain killing isn't murder. It could be self-defense. Murder is the unlawful killing of somebody.

Here, the dictionary can help you out here!

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=murder

mur·der ([font=verdana, sans-serif] P [/font]) Pronunciation Key (mûr

d

r)
n.

1. The unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditated malice.
2. Slang. Something that is very uncomfortable, difficult, or hazardous: The rush hour traffic is murder.
3. A flock of crows. See Synonyms at flock[size=-1]1[/size].

But I agree that the Death Sentence is Murder.http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=murder

 

[pro_odeh]

Heh.. I have the Bible as guidance, not a dictionary. Murder can be morally defended when it is self defence. But its still murder. vant argue with that. Your taking a life..

 

[Norea]

The biggest point I think we all need to realize. Do you trust politicians and DA's to give fair trials in such cases? I don't. If World History isn't a marker to the cruelty done in the name of 'law' I don't know what is. In the US, the coal miners that were anarcho-syndicalists were mowed down in gunfire for their strike in Colorado. The US government issued an extermination order to the US Army to murder the Mormons whom showed no aggression nor wish to secede from the Union. And in the rest of the world, this is almost a common occurance... So to give the State the power to take life from other citizens, no matter the heinous nature of a crime, isn't wise... But that's just me.

-- Bridget

 

[biblebabe003]

For those of you who say the death penalty is fair punishment to those who take someone's life, do you realize that that means doing the same thing to them that they are being punished for???? The Bible clearly says not to kill. People can be converted to Christianity while in jail for one thing. It's not fair to take that chance away from them. Also, even when the chances of that are unlikely, you can't punish someone for doing something wrong by doing the same wrong to them. Two wrongs don't make a right. Leave the decision of when people's time on earth will end to God.

 

[crashedman]

As I am from Australia, capital punishment does not exist in this country anymore. Some of our folk heroes like Harry 'Breaker' Morant, and Ned Kelly met their demise this way. Kevin Barlow and Pete Chambers were also Australians who faced the death penalty in 1986 when attempting to smuggle heroin into Malaysia, despite the Australian government bargaining for their deportation.

I'd personally like to see it reinstated for people like mass-murderers, political traitors like David Hicks, and people who willfully abuse and kill little children.

I've already posted this on another thread, but THE BIBLE DOES *NOT* OPPOSE CAPITAL PUNISHMENT! If you really think that Jesus campaigned against the death penalty, then have a look at what the Bible verses have to say on the matter:

Genesis 9:5-6: "And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man."

Leviticus 24:17-22: "And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.
18 And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast.
19 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;
20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.
21 And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.
22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God."

John 19:11: "Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above..."

Romans 13 (RSV)
1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
2 Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,
4 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; he is the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrongdoer.
5 Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.

Therefore, we can clearly see that governments have the right to exercise the death penalty. Even so, unbelievers should also take note that God is not a sadist and does not believe in the rejoicing over the death of a criminal:

Ezekiel 33:11: "Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die ..."

Numbers 35:30-31: "Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death."

The New Testament isn't any more clearer about being anti-capital punishment:

Acts 10:34: "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."

Matthew 5:17: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

There is only ONE way that capital punishment will be abolished, and it is not going to be done by human means either. The book of Revelations tells us when God returns to restore the earth to its former glory, mankind will once again live in an age of peace, harmony and understanding in the same way that Adam did.


Crashedman

 

[pro_odeh]

you have some points.. but what you have to see in these verses is that Jesus does not say its right of the goverment to kill those guilty of a terrible crime. But God is allowed. God, who created life, will also punish the sinner. That does not only count for those who we believe deserve to die, but for every single person that has ever lived!!

Thou shalt not kill!! (cant argue with that!)
We have not the right to judge, nor take someones life in our own hands. That is up to God, and only Him!
God bless!

 

[Maynard Keenan]

I say it is not objectively wrong. I think one should take the least drastic steps necessary to protect society and to uphold goodness. In a society such as ours it is not necessary to put people to death to do this. We can separate people permanently from society without killing them. Anyways, more people die on death row than are actually executed (I believe, I've heard this but have nothing to back it up). The only reasons for the death penalty seems to be vengeance, that their crime is so horrid that they DESERVE death. I don't think humans, however, should determine who and who does not deserve death, and only kill if absolutely necessary.

 

[AngelusSax]

In a society such as ours it is not necessary to put people to death to do this. We can separate people permanently from society without killing them.

And yet, all these stories about parolees and escapees from prison who murder again... Sure, we CAN keep people separate for life... but we aren't always effective with it. At least with capital punishment, that person cannot physically ever even have a chance to kill again once they're dead.

[/devil's advocate]

 

[elman]

Heh.. I have the Bible as guidance, not a dictionary. Murder can be morally defended when it is self defence. But its still murder. vant argue with that. Your taking a life..

Self defence is not murder just because it is the taking of a life.

 

[AngelusSax]

Self defence is not murder just because it is the taking of a life.

Bingo!

And to clarify, here's why:

Murder means there was planning and/or intent to kill, with no threat towards you beforehand.

Killing is simply the taking of a life, and it may result from an accident, from self-defense (where the intent is to just get away and subdue the attacker, but death results because of any number of variables), etc.

 

[QustantinahQuaker]

The death penalty is wrong IMO. Life is life. Everyone is a sinner and worthy of death. Are we going to kill everyone? Obviously not. Lock them up. I don't see European countries overcrowding with criminals or mass murders because they don't kill them all. Capitol punishment is against the consistant life ethic as well (which I agree w/ very much).

 

[AngelusSax]

It's still hard to get around God's covenant which states that if man sheds blood, by man shall his blood be shed.

Does God break covenants, either in whole or in part?

 

[pro_odeh]

Self defence is not murder just because it is the taking of a life.

murder is ending another persons life, no matter what reason you have. If I use the word kill then, would that be better..

 

[John832]

It's still hard to get around God's covenant which states that if man sheds blood, by man shall his blood be shed. Does God break covenants, either in whole or in part?

No, he can never break a convenant. But in the event that he finds fault in the people he has the covenant with (namely Isreal), he can replace it with a better one.

Hebrews 8:6-13 “But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises. For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said “The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete”

But you might say... Christ said "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

How do we live up the the law and the prophets? "The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." (Romans 13:9-10)

Galatians 5:14 “The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself”

Romans 7:6 “But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.”

Matt 5:38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person.”

Jesus came to show us the fulfillment of the law was found in love. One will have to decide for themselves (under the new covenant and the Law of the Spirit) whether God would have them support a system using capital punishment.

Paul clearly shows that governments have the right to use the death penalty. The real question is, would God want his children defending its practice? I say no but this is a personal conviction since I live under the Law of the Spirit. I will continue to defend that captial punishment is not the appropriate response because evidence shows it is not an effective deterrent and seemingly exists only for the purpose of revenge.

Romans 12:19 “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

 

[ClaireZ]

No. I don't believe in the death sentence. There is no one I would trust to be a fair and impartial judge. Capital punishment tends to fall heavily on the disadvantaged of society, the wealthy who can afford good lawyers rarely receive it. The court system is a game that can be played well if you know the rules, and have the right connections.

Too many people who are on death row have been found to be innocent.

Also what did God do with the first murderer, Cain? He put a mark on his head, so that No One would kill him.

 

[psalms 91]

all can be saved and who are we to take a life and take that away from somone. who knows how that person may benifit society. it is gods place to judge not ours.

 

[elman]

murder is ending another persons life, no matter what reason you have. If I use the word kill then, would that be better..

Of course it would be better. Kill is not the same as murder. The scriptures say there is a time to kill, they do not say there is a time to murder.

 

[Saturn]

I prefer the death penalty because it ensures that the law-breaker is eliminated and thus can't ever carry out any further violations, and second, it's more cost efficient to kill them instead of providing endless state funded room and board.

Regards.

 

[pro_odeh]

Of course it would be better. Kill is not the same as murder. The scriptures say there is a time to kill, they do not say there is a time to murder.

Okey.. well, personally I dont see any diffrence between kill and murder..
God bless!