The death penalty

[ArtsieSteph]

Ooooooooooooooh man..........that one's difficult. I think I prefer having the prisoners be in prison for life. The death penalty is literally that...death. I mean I wouldn't consider it "murder" but it is ending someone's life. You take away their ability to repent, to change, to make things better. God can turn anyone around, be it a murderer or rapist.

 

[Blain]

It's not something to easily be able answer, some might consider it justice and never believe ppl like that can change and sometimes they never do. On the other hand I take into consideration the value of a human life and the value of a lost soul and that alone is why i say no to death sentence

 

[JonahLynx]

I'm only for it on treason convictions.

 

[Socreta93]

I do not like the death penalty. Say that a person is being sentenced to death, how do we know that person won't change and get saved later on in life?

How do we know that person is really guilty? No comming back after that person is dead

 

[Blain]

How do we know that person is really guilty? No comming back after that person is dead

Sadly sometimes the innocent are put to death but for the most part people are smart enough to have actual evidence of a person guilt

 

[Test_F_i_2_Luv]

I do not like the death penalty. Say that a person is being sentenced to death, how do we know that person won't change and get saved later on in life?

Say that the person who was murdered by the murderer wasn't saved at the time s/he was murdered. How do we know s/he wouldn't have gotten saved later in life had s/he not been murdered?

 

[joefizz]

difficult to answer eh? true for us but not for God,two scriptures come to mind at first thought,the commandment,"thou shalt not kill" and the scripture"vengeance is mine sayeth the lord" so both of these bits from the bible tell that killing is wrong for us, because only God is justified in slaying anyone, because if you think about it,we are his children so it's only fitting that he be the one to decide upon if anyone of us is worthy of death because it is a hard thing for a father to lose even one child to evil yet God as our father is still long suffering for us all to be led to repentance and be saved,if you doubt this read of the destruction of sodom and gomorrah,Abraham be sought God to not destroy it for the sake of the righteous particularly Lot,pleading that if there were a certain number of righteous people in the city that God would not destroy it,Abraham pleaded til God agreed at the least that if there were a mere "ten" people in the city that were righteous that he would not destroy it,yet not even that small number of righteous people could be found,but the main point is God Loves Us and is not as hasty as we are to think on killing yet when it comes to this point of unavoidance he will act upon it swiftly and justly when there is a need,upon the wicked.

 

[Blain]

Say that the person who was murdered by the murderer wasn't saved at the time s/he was murdered. How do we know s/he wouldn't have gotten saved later in life had s/he not been murdered?[/QUOTE
The say an eye for an eye and a life for a life, however we are commanded not to kill in the bible.

 

[Test_F_i_2_Luv]

Say that the person who was murdered by the murderer wasn't saved at the time s/he was murdered. How do we know s/he wouldn't have gotten saved later in life had s/he not been murdered?[/QUOTE

The say an eye for an eye and a life for a life, however we are commanded not to kill in the bible.

In Exodus 20 we are given the 10 commandments.

In the very next chapter are given penalties for not obeying the commandments.

My view of Matt 5 and the "Eye for an eye" text is summarized fairly briefly here.

 

[Socreta93]

I know many here support it because the Bible does, doesn't mean I have too. Why repay killing with more killing? Why stoop to their level?

 

[Test_F_i_2_Luv]

I know many here support it because the Bible does, doesn't mean I have too. Why repay killing with more killing? Why stoop to their level?

Perhaps the better question you should ask is "how is it that some see the Bible justifying the death penalty"? If you disagree, counter those claims/positions with something you feel is Biblically sound.

Using the thought process you've given in this post, it seems Christians can reject anything the Bible teaches and still be a Christian because "just because the Bible says so, doesn't mean I have to agree with it or do as it teaches"?

Better to live our lives by Scripture than by a picket/protest sign.

 

[notbythesword]

I honestly used to be for it when I was younger. I am not for it now. The only thing that I don’t like about giving them a cozy spot in the cell forever is the tax burden that is incurred on the people. However if I am judged according to how I judge others, then I choose to show mercy and forgiveness to my enemies and let God judge them. I pray for my enemies, not execute them.

I know that they stoned people to death for various crimes in the OT, but they also didn’t really have the technology at the time to house dangerous murderers and the like. Escape proof, steel prisons, capable of housing an inmate for life wasn’t that common back then. It’s not like you could just let a murderer or rapist go free in your village and trust that he would never come back. However, if I do have the ability to show mercy, I will.

When Jesus was being murdered on the cross, he forgave those murderers. I choose to follow his example.

 

[Test_F_i_2_Luv]

I honestly used to be for it when I was younger. I am not for it now. The only thing that I don’t like about giving them a cozy spot in the cell forever is the tax burden that is incurred on the people. However if I am judged according to how I judge others, then I choose to show mercy and forgiveness to my enemies and let God judge them. I pray for my enemies, not execute them.

I know that they stoned people to death for various crimes in the OT, but they also didn’t really have the technology at the time to house dangerous murderers and the like. Escape proof, steel prisons, capable of housing an inmate for life wasn’t that common back then. It’s not like you could just let a murderer or rapist go free in your village and trust that he would never come back. However, if I do have the ability to show mercy, I will.

When Jesus was being murdered on the cross, he forgave those murderers. I choose to follow his example.

However if I am judged according to how I judge others, then I choose to show mercy and forgiveness to my enemies and let God judge them. How about those who feel that it's God's judgement that if we take another's life it means the losing of our own?

but they also didn’t really have the technology at the time to house dangerous murderers and the like. Morality is based on technology?

When Jesus was being murdered on the cross, he forgave those murderers. He didn't demand that anyone get taken from the cross and get a reduced sentence, either. His actions do support eternal justification for horrible sins for the repentant, though.

 

[Huglife]

I am honored to see that my thread is still clinging to life.... yay

 

[Huglife]

Oh and a fun fact :In the 1940s (I think that was the date) A 14 year old boy was executed via the electric chair for murder (I think). He was the youngest person to ever be executed in American history.

 

[Socreta93]

What I get from Christians is that if I want to call myself a Christian I therefore must support the death penalty. Believe it or not, I never use the bible in counter arguments. I'm not againt punnishment whatsoever, just feel there are better ways. Plus, innocent people have been executed later to find out to be innocent. How is that fair?

 

[Rockrz]

I was curious on your alls take on the death penalty. Should it be banned, or not?

No, it should not be banned as per God's Word...

Romans 13:1-6
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.


A lot of people don't realize it but civil law enforcement... is part of the ministry of the Lord.

You can look at different countries around the world and see that those which have decent law enforcement have much better societies than those that do not.

This is yet another reason why I could never be a liberal (baby killin is the first reason), because liberals try to protect those that engage in lawlessness and think they are doing a good thing.

They are just destroying society which is why the end of this age is at hand.

If ya don't wanna do the time, don't do the crime... and if ya wanna live, don't go around murdering.

 

[notbythesword]

However if I am judged according to how I judge others, then I choose to show mercy and forgiveness to my enemies and let God judge them. How about those who feel that it's God's judgement that if we take another's life it means the losing of our own?

but they also didn’t really have the technology at the time to house dangerous murderers and the like. Morality is based on technology?

When Jesus was being murdered on the cross, he forgave those murderers. He didn't demand that anyone get taken from the cross and get a reduced sentence, either. His actions do support eternal justification for horrible sins for the repentant, though.

Hello Test_F_i_2_Luv. I can actually see strong positions from both sides of the isle on this issue. I have flipped on this issue myself. If we were having this conversation about 5 years ago, I’d probably tell you that I was for capital punishment.

To answer your first question… I think that God will get his judgment regardless of whether or not we execute him/her.

To answer the second question…No. Morality within oneself, exists in the same form with or without technology. However, with technology we can more easily implement a more moral environment for others, including prisoners than we ever could have done before.

To address your last point…I remember Jesus comforting him on the cross saying, “today you will be with me in paradise”…sounds even better than being taken off the cross if you ask me.

Listen, I still have respect for Christians regardless of which side of the fence they stand on. It can be a complex topic to go into. Both sides can bring up some excellent points. For me though, I just feel that showing mercy, even in the face of the evil, makes one a better person. But to each his own I guess.

 

[Magenta]

I know many here support it because the Bible does, doesn't mean I have too.
Why repay killing with more killing? Why stoop to their level?

I don't get how you can call it stooping to their level. We had one guy here who raped, tortured, and murdered multiple children. Would sentencing him to death really be "stooping to his level"?

 

[mj007]

In the West I like to think that we are more evolved, civilised, and intelligent. If you believe in the death penalty, then it's not so much different from Sharia Law in Islam. I mean if you are hoping that the state will kill someone, for the self-justified murder and hate you hold in your mind, then maybe you are still in your carnal mind. Maybe love is of little importance to you, because you feel it holds no power compared to fear and death? God is... what is God? I always remember it is one thing in particular.

However if you want to live in the ancient past, then why are you even reading the new testament?