Saturday, 07 November 2009
-
Capital Punishment: What Is The Christian Stance?
Capital punishment has been the center of a long debate. Do murderers, rapists, child molesters, etc. deserve to die? Should we use death as a punishment? I find many people divided on this issue, Christian and non-Christians. Some argue that these people did something horrible to someone else, so they they deserve to have it done to them. Some argue that we shouldn't kill another person, no matter what their crime may be. My own father has told me that if someone ever killed my mother or one of his children, then it would be for the killer's own safety that he/she be put in prison for life. If my father knew the killer were free, then he would seek justice on his own. While I know that if I was in that postition, it would take God himself to stop me from killing that person, hearing that my father would seek justice on his own terrifies me.
Why does it terrify me? Because I believe it is wrong to cut off a h uman life. Yes, murderers, rapists, and child molesters DESERVE to die, but if we should die for our sins, then all of us would be dead. I don't believe we should judge who lives or dies. It feels so wrong. In executing a criminal for taking a life, we commit the same sin as that criminal. That criminal will have his/her punishment, after his/her life ends, without our help. But then a person may repent of his SINS, and have forgiveness from God, yet we killed this person, and took away that chance.
But then I must also say a sin is technically different from a crime. They are the same except for punishment wise. There is always forgiveness for our sins, but not necessarily for our crimes. Also, God doesn't want us to wait for tomorrow, or the day after that, or whatever other chances we may recieve, he wants us to repent today, asap. We can't rely on being here tomorrow to get our heart right with God.
I do not want my father to seek justice for me by killing another person/person himself. I said before that only God himself could stop me in that situation. Well, God does stop me. If justice is to be had for the crime, then the criminal must be punished by the law, not a relative/friend/spouse/whatever. If justice is to be had for the sin, then only God may seek it.
My stance on capital punishment: not for it, unless there is absolute proof, such as a video showing the crime, or a public crime. Because I believe in eternity, I can trust that person to be punished for what he/she did. If you can't stand the fact that someone guilty of a crime such a murder/rape/child abuse only got life in prison without parole, then that's your problem. You need to move on, otherwise it will destroy you also.
What do think about capital punishment?
-
recommend
- recs 0
-
share
-
email
- sent 0
Related Posts
Post a Comment
- Back to revelife's Revelife Site!
- Note: your comment will appear in revelife's local time zone: GMT -05:00 (Eastern Standard - US, Canada)
About the Author
-
- From: pianokeysKTbug@xanga
- Name: Katie
- About Me: I'm just a 17 year old girl who so many think is innocent, and in some ways I am. But I've been through enough stuff to realize that life has some bad parts, but it's worth it in the end. Sometimes I need to write. Writing has helped me get through the toughest times in my life so far. I love sunsets more than sunrises, and I hate the idea of Prince Charming. He's just so fairy-tale perfect. I want my perfect-for-me guy, even if he's just a pauper. My friends and family are all amazing. I should listen to them a LOT more often:). Anything else you want to know( except for stuff like where I live, don't be a creep) just ask:^)
Stats: This Week All Time Posts: 0 1 Views: 0 570 Comments: 0 53 View all posts by pianokeysKTbug@xanga
Comments (53)
I agree with your overall position, but you can't really say on one hand that "I don't believe we should judge who lives or dies" but then say the death penalty is OK with "absolute proof". Proof doesn't really factor into a moral judgment. Either God is OK with it or He is not OK with it. There are many good reasons that people can give for supporting the death penalty, but ultimately we can keep people locked in prison forever, so there is no justifiable reason for the state to kill someone.
Right on, sister! Jesus forgave those guilty (even caught in the act) of the most heinous crimes when He walked the earth. How can we not do the same. Trust your heart...and relationship with the living God...even in the face of human authority telling you something that doesn't align with that. God has a hope for the earth...and will see the transformation (Rom 8)...and yet there's more transformation to come.
Praise the living God!
Because justice in America now depends on how much money you have, I am definitely against capital punishment.
I took a business law class at university and realized that businesses would sell their mother before going to the expense of seeking court room justice.
Also, after my own brush with the law I found that my ability to buy the services of a high priced lawyer made the difference between conviction and acquital. All the poor schleps on the docket who were accused of the same thing as me but who opted for free legal service, were sent up the river.
I was guilty as sin, beat a lie detector test, and then bought acquital with a high priced lawyer.
Risk your life on the legal system? HELL NO!
Justice requires balance. If something is taken than something must be returned. If a life is taken then one must be returned.
I did a 2 part blog on this.
Part I
Part II
@fallingraindrop@xanga - "If a life is taken then one must be returned."
What do you mean?
@scrambledmegsntoast@xanga - Beat me to it.
God hates evil because it destroys his children. What people don't understand is that God is against evil, not violence, simple enough?
Just on a side note: Why is the picture of a bunch of white guys strapping in the single black guy? Kind of fucked up. No?
@LauraG0929@xanga - Ha I was thinking the same thing.
As for the post, my main problem with capital punishment is flaws within the justice system. It is bad enough that people are wrongfully dealt prison sentences, sometimes for decades. The thought that someone can be wrongfully sentenced to death is inexplicably disturbing. And still there are others convicted of the exact same crimes who get let off easy.
I do believe we have no right to decide who lives or dies, regardless of their behavior, particularly in light of the wondrous grace and mercy God has bestowed upon us undeserving sinners. At the same time, capital punishment has always been around, and was even God-sanctioned in the Old Testament. Then again, if we were to base capital punishment on OT standards, we would be killing people for a whole lot of things.
I suppose it may be okay for the government to call for capital punishment for the most extremely dangerous criminals, however it is not something Christians should pursue or desire for anyone.
@fallingraindrop@xanga - Who would Jesus execute?
Just to keep yourselves honest, substitute in "imprisonment" for "execution" every now and then.
@sarahzthoughts@xanga - Who would Jesus execute?
That question is absurd. Absurdity is not a proper answer either. Human society must take care of its own affairs.
The application of justice is an affair that people, not Jesus, must deal with (see Moses in the Old Testament). Justice is about balance. If property is stolen then it must be restored. If that is not possible then the criminal must pay a penalty.
Murder demands the same balance. If a life is taken, a life must be given in return.
@fallingraindrop@xanga - It's not absurd, especially since this post is asking what the Christian stance should be. Therefore, the "What would Jesus do?" question is something we all should ask ourselves in this case, however cliche it may be. Other commentors got it right...taking away a life robs a criminal the chance of being redeemed through God's grace. The penalty that must be paid that humans can give out is one that doesn't put ourselves in the position of playing God. I find it extremely hypocritical to believe in unmerited favor through Jesus AND being a supporter of the death penalty.
@sarahzthoughts@xanga - I find it extremely hypocritical to believe in unmerited favor through Jesus AND being a supporter of the death penalty.
The judgement of God is for eternity. The balance in this world must nevertheless be maintained.
Other commentors got it right...taking away a life robs a criminal the chance of being redeemed through God's grace.
Other commentors are wrong, then. God's grace is possible at all times regardless of anything that happens in this world. It is our responsibility to maintain the balance of justice and not worry about what God would do. Such a worry is senseless since we cannot know the mind of God.
We can know right from wrong and we can apply the balance of justice.
A life taken demands a life in return. All crimes, all sin demand payment. Murder is no different.
@fallingraindrop@xanga - Okay, fine. Then what about those cases where innocent people have been placed on death row? What about the fact that black men are more likely to be executed than white ones, or that the more money you have to afford a better lawyer, the better chance you have of survival? That keeping someone on death row for up to ten years, who may end up being acquitted or found not guilty, demands tax payer's money? And what about the times where lethal injection fails, because a vein cannot be found and the prisoner ends up dying a not-so-humane death? And furthermore, what about the fact that "a life for a life" is not going to bring closure to a grieving family? The loved one they lost will never come back just because their murderer is dead. And what about the perpetrator's family? You can't close one cycle of pain by opening another one. "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."
@sarahzthoughts@xanga - "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."
That statement is silly! Establishing the balance of justice is salutory not blinding.
Societal decay may be seen in many ways. One of the best ways is in the system of justice. All of your objections pertain to the application of justice not the principle of balance that is justice.
Since American society is decaying its ability to apply the balance of justice has become impaired.
So you might argue that since American society is incapable of establishing fair justice it does not have the capability to determine questions of life and death (the death penalty).
That is a fair argument. But the principle of balance and justice remains nevertheless.
@fallingraindrop@xanga - I've already made my case about the principle of justice, and you dismissed it. That the death penalty robs a person of the chance to be forgiven and receive salvation. Christians are some of the first people to step up on the pro-life platform because we believe that every life is sacred. Why does this not apply to criminals? Because they killed someone? What happened to all sins being equal? It would make sense to me to see the death penalty as something like a late-term abortion, because the life of said criminal has not reached its full term...by means of having a natural death.
@sarahzthoughts@xanga - That the death penalty robs a person of the chance to be forgiven and receive salvation.
That simply is not true. A person can repent at any time and God forgives and saves always. In fact, impending death has a way of speeding up the process of repentence.
When people understand that justice demands balance then there exists a proper and strong sense of right and wrong and payment necessary to maintain balance.
@sarahzthoughts@xanga - Christians are some of the first people to step up on the pro-life platform because we believe that every life is sacred.
Life is sacred, indeed. That's why a murderer must pay for his crime with his own life.
Abortion is about the murder of innocent life. The murderer is not innocent and must pay for his crime with his own life.
What happened to all sins being equal?
All sins are not equal. Murder is much more serious than stealing a stick of gum, for example.
@fallingraindrop@xanga - In fact, impending death has a way of speeding up the process of repentence.
Not necessarily. Ever heard the expression "there are no atheists in foxholes"? Not every cry for repentance is sincere when a person realizes he/she is about to die. A lot of people probably do it just for the "get out of hell free" card. Not being God, obviously, I can't say this with absolute certainty. But it seems pretty plausible to me.
@fallingraindrop@xanga - All sins are not equal. Murder is much more serious than stealing a stick of gum, for example.
If we're talking about the consequences of certain sins while on earth, then absolutely. But "all have fallen short before the glory of God." Whether you've stolen a pack of gum or taken a human life, it doesn't matter, you're still in need of salvation. There is no "ranking scale" of sin but I'm sure you already know that.
@sarahzthoughts@xanga - There is no "ranking scale" of sin but I'm sure you already know that.
The topic here is earthly justice not a ranking scale for sin. Justice is normative (applicable to all)and must be applied to everyone regardless of belief. The topic of sin is a religious one and so must be dealt with in the privacy of one's own heart.
I really admire the Founding Fathers because they were able to distill out the morals and ethics necessary for good governance without creating a theocracy.
This same type of thinking is necessary in the area of justice.
@sarahzthoughts@xanga - Not every cry for repentance is sincere when a person realizes he/she is about to die.
It is not necessary for every cry from the fox hole to be sincere. The crucible of the fox hole is just as viable a concept as a life time spent wasted on death row.