How do you feel about capital punishment?

Too many innocent people have been killed
(yes, I know--people will disagree) and too
many innocent people have been recently
proven to be on death row. Too much DNA
evidence that would have freed many on
death row has been destroyed, irretrievably.
Too many retarded people have been killed.
With this set-up, I don't believe in it.

Until our laws follow Biblical principles, we
should abolish it.

 

Absolutely oppose it.

Wait, that battle is over in Canada and the UK, I don't have to march in protest anymore.

In truth, I would have no qualms with capital punishment if the legal system wasn't such a farce.

Cheers,

Jim

 

But if the Bible permits the death penalty and even commands it in some cases, wouldn't abolishing it be abolishing Biblical principle?

Personally, I agree with Dennis Miller:

We need fewer hung juries and more hung criminals.

Mike

[ October 22, 2002, 10:56 AM: Message edited by: Smoke_Eater ]

 

Hi, Smoke Eater!

We will just have to disagree on this one.
AGAIN?!? 8o)

Are you really my brother in disguise? What is
your name--Really? 8o)

You're another one I wish I could meet. We
could be at each others' throats for 30 minutes
then you and your family, with my husband and
I could go out for some barbecue. Then we
could part for a month or two in order to prevent
a murder!! (Yours or mine?) 8o)

 

Though capital punishment may irrevocably punish an innocent party it must be said that that is a risk worth taking.

If we fail to administer justice altogether because an injustice has been committed in the past, then we add wrong upon wrong and everyone knows two wrongs don’t make a right. People have been wrongly imprisoned, does that then mean we should not imprison anyone? Of course not.

Capital punishment is, when properly applied to capital crimes, a just penalty for certain sins. It is God’s penalty for capital crime. It is biblically based, and practical for all people in all places at all times. Therefore we should defend it and encourage our politicians to advocate it and vote for it when the occasion arises. For “Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.” (Genesis 9:6)

[ October 22, 2002, 12:55 PM: Message edited by: D Moore ]

 

Is that risk worth taking if the innocent one on
death row is your sister? your son?

Capital punishment cannnot even be compared
with a prison sentence. Death is a permanent
"solution "; prison is not. Two different things.

 

Approve, but I think the threshold of certainty should be high initially with expedited appeals.

Also, I believe that aggravated rape should be a death penalty offense. If I remember correctly over 90% of rapes are committed by someone who has done it before.

Rapists also tend not to reform during imprisonment. I think the figure was less than 7% do not repeat offend.

I can't imagine how a woman deals with the knowledge that her attacker might actually be released to rape again.

 

For. Should be expanded to include child molestation.

 

Why would a particular situation determine truth?</font>[/QUOTE]So you skip my real issue, picking out this one
answer to someone else, and call your side of
the isue "truth"? In other words, my side is a lie?

 

A risk worth taking? That would be state sanctioned murder, killing someone innocent of the accused crime is nothing but murder to satisify our thrist for blood.
If we as a country murder innocent people then we are the ones sinning against God.

The we'd better learn to get it right instead of murdering innocent people. If we murder the innocent what makes us any different from those doing the murders thats getting them on death row?

I recall Paul arresting and killing christiasn, yet Jesus lived him, forgave him, and sent him out to serve Him,a nd thenwhat did the christians do? He was accepted into the christian fellowship and was one of them. Yet by your standards he should have been excuted, God showed He could use anyone. Anyone is redeemable.

 

PTW remarked "Did not Jesus himself submit himself to him who judges in righteousness (1 Peter 2)?"

Yes, and not only that, but he submitted to the authority of Pilate to take His life. "Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin." (John 19:10-11).

 

Katie says "A risk worth taking? That would be state sanctioned murder, killing someone innocent of the accused crime is nothing but murder to satisify our thrist for blood.
If we as a country murder innocent people then we are the ones sinning against God."

If we are deliberately executing the innocent, then of course you are right, but this hardly constitutes "capital punishment properly applied."

 

I would differ with you, using the very Scripture
you quote. If His submission was to Pilate, then
it is under Pilate's authority that we are saved.
Rather, it was submission to the Father that
caused Him to lay down His life, for the power was
"given thee [Pilate] from above." Pilate had NO
power over our Lord.

 

When we throw away the DNA evidence and,
knowing that, kill someone, we are deliberately
ignoring the fact that the person could be
innocent.

 

I would differ with you, using the very Scripture
you quote. If His submission was to Pilate, then
it is under Pilate's authority that we are saved.
Rather, it was submission to the Father that
caused Him to lay down His life, for the power was
"given thee [Pilate] from above." Pilate had NO
power over our Lord.</font>[/QUOTE]I understand what you are saying and I agree that ultimately Pilate had no power to kill Christ, but that which was given to Him from God. But it is that same Divine authority that permits goverments to exercise capital punishment upon capital offenders. It is no more a case of murder than the soldier who kills others in war. Does not Romans 13 teach that God gives authority to the "higher powers" including the right to wield the sword against wrong doers?

[ October 22, 2002, 03:02 PM: Message edited by: D Moore ]

 

Abiyah says "When we throw away the DNA evidence and, knowing that, kill someone, we are deliberately ignoring the fact that the person could be innocent."

I agree. No one should be executed if there is the slightest doubt about their guilt, and it behoves those in authority to establish their prosecution beyond ALL reasonable doubt.

[ October 22, 2002, 03:07 PM: Message edited by: D Moore ]

 

OT, Genesis 9:5-6 - "Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; form the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man's brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man."

NT, Romans 13:4 - "For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil." (see also vv. 1-3)

The Scriptures affirm capital punishment. It is not something to be carried out haphazardly, however. Remember that in the OT the death penalty called for 2-3 witnesses to affirm the crime of the defendant.

Rev. G