I had an interesting conversation with a lady today in relation to Christianity's form of punishment from the OT (stoning) and Muslim's form of punishment (beheading). She had no understanding of Christianity and how either one of these punishments were justified enough to put someone to death. She then continued to explain how both religions were just as bad as the other if they both teach to murder. As a Christian how would you explain to someone who is non religious, who does not understand the difference between the two punishments and how they compare?
There are a number of distinct systems in the Bible. There is the Garden of Eden, there is the antediluvian world, there is the world after the flood, there is the Law of Moses, there are the teachings of the earthly Lord Jesus, and there are letters written to the Church founded on Pentecost.
The Church has no duty whatsoever in executing murderers by any means. The government has been given that responsibility. After the flood man was given the duty of executing murderers. Under the Law of Moses a number of crimes had the death penalty. One way of executing criminals was stoning under the Law of Moses for Israel. I suppose that while it seems cruel, it gave the criminal a little time to repent & trust YHWH for salvation leading to eternal life. Where does the Bible call "the Law of Moses" Christianity? The Law of Moses is not the system of behavior prescribed for the Church.
Executing criminals is not murder. Murder is essentially hating someone and taking their life with forethought (as opposed to being careless as in driving too fast).
The Brits came up with a number of ways to execute, including drawing & quartering. The old chopping block was used, along with burning, and hanging. This has nothing to do with Christianity in the Church.
The current Islamist method of chopping off the heads even of children and persons who did no crime against them whatever, is an abomination, a horse of a different color altogether. Certainly Christians have no mandate to kill persons who refuse to convert.
The comparison is absurd.