Capital Punishment And The Bible

[Johnv]

Against:
Stubbornkelly
Johnv
InHim
Rev Josh
Candide (may jump up here to make a point)

Gentlemen (and ladies)....Start your engines please!

I didn't say I was against. I'm not morally against capital punishment used in the most extreme cases. However, it's also not morally wrong to not have a death penalty one day.

 

[tyndale1946]

I see that one accepted Christ before they were executed but does that make the execution wrong? They still committed a capital offense and according to the laws... "THAT GOD ESTABLISHED"... A life for a life if taken for reasons other than protection of that life or another or on the battlefield.

Though I have not studied this out fully there are circumstances in the Old Testament that excused someone of the accidental death of another. To be accused of taking anothers life because of hatred for another brought the swiftest judgement.

I hear the old axiom the death penalty never solved anything?... What about the two that went on a killing spree recently?... We are to slow to execute those that care not about human life as in San Diego recently David Westerfield for kidnapping and killing Danielle. Give him life in prison?... Why?... Give him death and the sooner the better. There needs to be a cleansing in our society and the sooner it happens the better off we will all be. We need to pass laws to clean house and the sooner the better brethren... Here is something I heard from a Christian the other day... Well these are the last days and we can do nothing about it as it is prophecy fulfilled?... What kind of talk is that and maybe that is why nothing is done to change things!... IMHO that is the wrong attitude to take!... Brother Glen Of The Primitive Baptist Brethren

 

[Johnv]

There needs to be a cleansing in our society and the sooner it happens the better off we will all be.

I recall Hitler saying this same kind of thing circa 1938.

 

[Johnv]

I'm greatly amused how so many will argue that keeping the Sabbath is legalism, but keeping the death penalty is not.

 

[LadyEagle]

Johnv: I didn't say I was against. I'm not morally against capital punishment used in the most extreme cases.

Well then, OOPS!! Sorry. Apologizing profusely!

However, it's also not morally wrong to not have a death penalty one day.

According to the Bible?

 

[Ben W]

If a Christian chooses to show compassion to a murderer, they are well within their rights to do so. There are many other options than murdering murderers.

There is a lady in our city whose daughter was abducted, raped and then murdered by a man who took her daughter from a shopping centre. I can well understand that lady wanting to see the death penalty applied. However she has become a Born Again Christian and actually Forgiven this person. God has certainley worked a miracle here. If you want somebody killed who has hurt you deeply, have you really forgiven that person, We all are well aware of how hard something like this would be to even comprehend, and in the same position it would be likely that I would want revenge also, such is the carnal nature of man.

A point has been brought up that there are many people murdered by government officials that are innocent of any crime. How many of these are Christians, being given capital punishment for things they are innocent of. there guilt being that they choose to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

No-one that knows God intimatley and has lost the "Hard Heartedness of Men" that Jesus spoke of could ever murder. Even if the government told them to do it.

King David Murdered an Egyptian and did not recieve the death penalty as described in the Old Testament, either did Cain. There is always room for a compassionate heart. Slavery is spoken of much in the bible, Yet the compassionate hearted know that selling somebody into dlavery is an awful thing to do, yet if we applied the scripture you could do it. Like Slavery the death Penalty should be done away with, in favour of a life term inprisionment.

The Compassion shown in God by sending his Son Jesus Christ to die for our Sins suggests Jesus was the Last sacrifice. This Compassionate God who we know is what sets us apart from Islam. Who certainley do apply the death penalty.

 

[Daniel David]

Jesus and Paul both endorsed capital punishment.

 

[Abiyah]

Where, Preach?

 

[Bible-belted]

The death penalty is certainly permitted. But it is not required. Compassion is not wrong according to the Bible. The fact that God did not execute such people as Moses, Cain,David and the woman caught in adultery certainly proves that.

 

[tyndale1946]

Would any of you preacher brethren like to comment on the Ammalakites... and why God told Israel to kill man, woman, and child and not leave one person alive. Yet the Ammalakite king was left alive who then killed the one that spared him. I see no compassion from God here and should we also not carry out Gods decrees or we shall also suffer as we have done in the past.

I can hear the cry now... but that was the Old Testament... So does that mean the Old Testament for modern man is out of date? Did not our forefathers build the constitution on it?... I guess it is out of date they keep taking it from our schools. How many do you have to murder before the death penalty becomes effective?... Wayne Gacy who murdered 33 men?... Or David Westerfield who murdered one little girl?

What about those involved in 911 who murdered 3,000 in the world trade center?... Why should we give them the death penalty when we will give someone who murders his wife for her insurance policy life in prisonment?... Is not murder... murder?... In some countries maybe some who are on here are from that country they don't mess around a drag their feet like the do in the good old USA... You are found guilty of murder you meet your maker shortly after that.

Did you know that David Westerfield at the earliest after all the appeals to spare his life and keep him from the executioner will go on for at least ten years? Ten years he will be alive while little Danielles lifeless body will be in the ground and to gratify his carnal evil desires he put her there!... I am a christian but make no mistake about it... it is time for christians to clean house by legal means at our disposal... We never seem to be at a loss for action when it comes to abortion... The murder of babies but seem to have a different attitude and turn the other cheek when the murder is an adult!... IMHO that is my take on the situation for now!... Brother Glen Of The Primitive Baptist Brethren

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by Latreia:
The death penalty is certainly permitted. But it is not required. Compassion is not wrong according to the Bible. The fact that God did not execute such people as Moses, Cain,David and the woman caught in adultery certainly proves that.

My point exactly

Amen to that!!!

 

[Johnv]

Johnv: ...it's also not morally wrong to not have a death penalty one day.

SheEagle: According to the Bible?

Yes. See Jesus with the adulterous woman.

 

[ChristianCynic]

Originally posted by Ben W:
There is always room for a compassionate heart. Slavery is spoken of much in the bible, Yet the compassionate hearted know that selling somebody into dlavery is an awful thing to do, yet if we applied the scripture you could do it. Like Slavery the death Penalty should be done away with, in favour of a life term inprisionment

Explain how a "life term inprisonment" shows anything like a "compassionate heart." In my view the death penalty and life imprisonment are the same thing-- in either case the prisoner is held until death, with death coming [in all probability] much faster the first option.

 

[ChristianCynic]

[ December 11, 2002, 07:54 PM: Message edited by: ChristianCynic ]

 

[Baptist Vine]

Capital punishment is prescribed for first degree murder I would agree.

But administering the death penalty has to be carried out with the utmost responsibility, that means no faking evidence and killing some one because you want a quick conviction. This has been done. If you do it - death penalty for the people involved. Killing an innocent person is first degree murder all over again, and no, the cleansing effect from the execution of truly guilty persons does not make up for the crime of executing an innocent.

And you no what else? No hiding evidence that would clearly have exonerated a person. Thats murder too. Capital punishment for the attorneys office that engages in that crime. And this has been done. There are examples. Truth should be the goal. Truth - not conviction. Take the time to truly find guilt. Take the time and strenght it takes to be moral. Do it. It is the command of almighty God!

If a society cannot be entrusted with this responsibility God, who controls everything, will wrest the responsibility away so that innocent blood is not shed. Maybe this is what is happening when laws involving murder move away from the death penalty.

 

[2peter1_10]

In the capital punishment debate, many will bring up the need for compassion. Each and every individual person needs to be and is commanded to be compassionate. However, this debate has nothing to do with individuals. No one here (especially myself) has the authority by God to execute anyone. That authority is given to government (if it was individual then we could kill anyone we thought broke God's commands).

Please keep your compassion, but let government exercise their solemn responsibility according to God's command (Gen. 9:3-7). It will never be perfect, but no system performed by fallen man will be.

(As far as giving a life sentence in order that the murder might get saved. Jeremiah 29:11 makes the promise that God will give them the chance to be saved if they look for the truth. Man is guilty before God. God gives every man a chance a salvation. They are without excuse Romans 1:19-23.)