So people who are for the death penalty, should they then be given the death penalty?

[Gregory Thompson]

So people who are for the death penalty, should they then be given the death penalty?

Who then will cast the first stone?

 

[dobyzheee]

If its in whatever country or state you are in..im all for it

 

[SkyWriting]

So people who are for the death penalty, should they then be given the death penalty?
Who then will cast the first stone?

I' d prefer an island.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I' d prefer an island.

Nah, then they'd just take over the world.

 

[Albion]

If its in whatever country or state you are in..im all for it

I agree. People who are for the death penalty are, I'm pretty sure, willing to have it apply to them as well as to anyone else.

 

[1213]

So people who are for the death penalty, should they then be given the death penalty?

Who then will cast the first stone?

Bible tells that the wage of sin is death. So everyone who sin deserves death. If I would judge, I probably should judge myself first.


For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23

 

[Basil the Great]

I have been against the death penalty for as far back as I can remember. I find it hard to believe that many/most conservative Christians in the U.S. (Protestant and Catholic alike apparently, though less so probably with conservative Catholics) support capital punishment, despite the fact that the God they worship was put to death by the Roman State while he was a man on Earth. (I cannot readily tell if most conservative EO and OO also favor the death penalty.) We will never know how many innocent people were put to death by the State through the centuries, but there must have been a lot.

 

[Albion]

My guess is that most people support the death penalty under the very rare instances in which it's used now...and also favor making every effort to be sure that innocent people are not put to death, just as they favor making every effort not to sentence innocent people to long jail sentences. However, when the issue is discussed, it's always boiled down in the talking to "Do you support the death penalty?"

 

[Stillicidia]

.

 

[Jack Terrence]

"They bear not the sword in vain" Death penalty is supported for the christian rulers.

That statement does NOT support the death penalty. The "sword" there was NOT what the executioner used. It was a dagger and it served the same purpose that the policeman's sidearm serves today. It was used as a terror for obedience if necessary, not to execute.

 

[abysmul]

My guess is that most people support the death penalty under the very rare instances in which it's used now...and also favor making every effort to be sure that innocent people are not put to death, just as they favor making every effort not to sentence innocent people to long jail sentences. "

That would describe me.

 

[EatingPie]

My guess is that most people support the death penalty under the very rare instances in which it's used now...and also favor making every effort to be sure that innocent people are not put to death, just as they favor making every effort not to sentence innocent people to long jail sentences. However, when the issue is discussed, it's always boiled down in the talking to "Do you support the death penalty?"

I have a friend who has been in prison for almost 10 years now. I sat through a trial that had him unjustly convicted, and even more unjustly given a life sentence. He is innocent of the crimes he's been accused of, and he remains in prison to this day.

I agree that people favor every effort to to make sure innocents do not get sentenced. But one of the lessons I learned is that we more assume every effort is made -- and we do nothing about it. And what can we do? I told a newscaster my friend was innocent, and she fired back "but he was just convicted and found guilty!"

I saw a blatent failure of our justice system -- due in part to charismatic personalities, as well as it being better to err on the side of caution (guilty verdict) rather than allow a potential very, very bad criminal (which he isn't) get away with his crime (which he did not commit). My friend suffers daily. But if he were put to death? Even more unbearable than it already is!

And the worst part is, my friend is not alone as an innocent in prison.

-Pie

 

[abysmul]

All a society/government can do is strive to do their best and be the most just/fair as possible. Humans make mistakes, we can not simply allow crime to go unchecked for fear of a rare mistake. Yes, mistakes are made, yes sometimes tragically, but that should not deter a nation from trying to protect its citizenry from criminals.

 

[BukiRob]

We are ALL under a death penalty. Not one of you will get out of here alive short of the return of Messiah. The person under a death penalty by execution is merely having his day of death scheduled. Yes, it is a horrible injustice if an innocent man is executed. Yes it does happen but the % of those who are innocent of the crime they are being executed for is very, very low.

 

[sparow]

We are ALL under a death penalty. Not one of you will get out of here alive short of the return of Messiah. The person under a death penalty by execution is merely having his day of death scheduled. Yes, it is a horrible injustice if an innocent man is executed. Yes it does happen but the % of those who are innocent of the crime they are being executed for is very, very low.

Yes but you are talking about the first death, which is unpleasant but it is the second death which we are condemned to unless we are redeemed, and this is the fundamental essence of God's covenant, the second death penalty unless a reprieve is arranged. The death penalty should be to do with justice which is outside of mans domain; denial of justice is man's domain.

 

[BukiRob]

Yes but you are talking about the first death, which is unpleasant but it is the second death which we are condemned to unless we are redeemed, and this is the fundamental essence of God's covenant, the second death penalty unless a reprieve is arranged. The death penalty should be to do with justice which is outside of mans domain; denial of justice is man's domain.

Pure rubbish. G-d instituted justice with the Torah and indeed all of western civilization and its laws are loosely based off it.

 

[TaylorSexton]

It is helpful, even crucial, to make sure we are making a distinction between government and individual people in regard to the scriptural command to love one's enemies. It is plain from Scripture that governments are permitted—even charged—with powers that no individual—Christian or otherwise—is given the right to do. This includes "wielding the sword" (whether or not executioners used a sword to execute criminals is irrelevant, because this is figurative language for power to take vengeance on evil doers; besides, it is hard to imagine that Paul was beheaded with a dagger). Governments have the divine right to take vengeance on its (and society's) enemies; individuals are not permitted to do so. Therefore, the command to love one's enemies clearly and scripturally does not refer to the behavior of the government.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

So people who are for the death penalty, should they then be given the death penalty?

Yes and yes.
I believe in the death penalty and if warranted it should also be given to me.
Note --easier said than done.
M-Bob

 

[Jack Terrence]

We are ALL under a death penalty. Not one of you will get out of here alive short of the return of Messiah. The person under a death penalty by execution is merely having his day of death scheduled.

I couldn't disagree with you more. Your view has many problems. When Christ was executed for all men he took away sin. When sin is taken away there can be no death penalty legally.

Look at king David who committed adultery and murder which were both punishable by death. After he repented of his adultery and murder Nathan the prophet said to him, "Your sin is taken away. You shall not be put to death."

The taking away of sin on the cross legally abolished the death penalty along with all of the punishments of Moses. This means that governments cannot legally put other men to death for any reason. Therefore, we should be practicing the pre-Mosaic penalty for murder which was banishment. Imprisonment is the modern equivalent of banishment. Murderers should be put into prison and the church should go into the prisons and minister to them.

The death penalty is thoroughly illegal.

 

[Jack Terrence]

It is helpful, even crucial, to make sure we are making a distinction between government and individual people in regard to the scriptural command to love one's enemies. It is plain from Scripture that governments are permitted—even charged—with powers that no individual—Christian or otherwise—is given the right to do.

Governments have no legal right to put men to death. See my post above.

Btw, it is true that Paul was beheaded with the executioners sword. But the law enforcement officer on the street did not carry the executioner's sword on his person just as the officer today does not carry what the executioner uses. They carried the dagger (sword) which is the equivalent to the police officer's sidearm today. It is to be used only if necessary to force obedience. But if a murder suspect peacefully surrenders himself and goes through the judicial process and is convicted he is to NOT to be executed. He is to be put into prison and the church is to go into the prison and minister to him.