Death penalty for fellow Christians

[webdog]

Wow, I would hate to hear your opinion of me.

A life without parole is still "life". It is not a death sentence, but simply a sentence to live out your life in relative ease with 3 meals, a clean bed, and showers and workout time. Sure, it's not as easy as life outside (for most anyway. See http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/man-robs-bank-medical-care-jail-143625999.html ) but it's still easy.

For those of you who keep touting that we should "show mercy", what about showing mercy on the victim's family (or victim, in the case of a class x felony)? When I was younger, an acquaintance of mine killed both his grandparents. He was a teenager, and admitted to shooting them both. Several people in the church he attended had the fear that he would get out with a light sentence, and then would come after them. For most people, the fear was irrational, he had no interest in them. But what about a rape victim? She/He would have to live with the fear that person will one day get out and come back to them. What about the family of a murder victim? They will have to live either with the same fear, or with the knowledge that the person who murdered their loved one now lives in ease (admittedly, a resticted ease, but ease none the less)?

If God decides to show mercy on a murderer, then that is His right. We do not have that same right, however. We must simply carry out what not only God has ordained (and I've seen no proof yet that this commandment was rescinded), but also what our laws have proclaimed. And our laws are different than those quoted before. Our laws have checks and balances to ensure with as much accuracy as possible that no innocents are jailed/killed. And it is my opinion that more often the guilty party is released than an innocent is condemned. (OJ Simpson, anyone? (Opinion, I know.))

Excellent post :thumbs:

 

[canadyjd]

Wow, I would hate to hear your opinion of me.

If you are referring to your military service, that is a different area of discussion. Perhaps you could start another thread.

For those of you who keep touting that we should "show mercy", what about showing mercy on the victim's family...

We are not limited in who we show mercy toward.

But what about a rape victim? She/He would have to live with the fear that person will one day get out and come back to them.

I don't know of any state that has the death penalty for rape.

What about the family of a murder victim? They will have to live either with the same fear, or with the knowledge that the person who murdered their loved one now lives in ease (admittedly, a resticted ease, but ease none the less)?

I can only imagine the horror of living through the murder of a loved one. I pray the comfort of Almighty God be upon them to give them peace and rest in the midst of the horror.

That doesn't change the fact that God has commanded Christians to follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ (I Tim. 1:16) and show the same kind of mercy with perfect patience which Jesus demonstrated with the murderer Paul. Support for the death penalty is contrary to that command.

If God decides to show mercy on a murderer, then that is His right. We do not have that same right, however.

Showing mercy is not just a "right"....it is commanded by God.

We must simply carry out what not only God has ordained (and I've seen no proof yet that this commandment was rescinded),...

It has been rescinded. Jesus changed the conditions for implementing the death penalty in John 8.

...but also what our laws have proclaimed.

Christians are not obligated to support laws that are contrary to the commands of our Lord Jesus Christ. Support for the death penalty is contrary to the command found in I Tim. 1:16.

peace to youraying: