Jesus told us:
Matt. 5:38 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39 But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40 and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41 and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42 Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. ...
I find it hard to reconcile this with my desire to see this scum die, but our Lord might have better plans.
What if the prisoner kills a guard or another prisoner on Death Row? How many can he kill before we say "Enough"?
It's easy to reconcile.
Jesus says that we, personally, should turn the other cheek. But he does not say that we should submit to being tortured or killed! He's talking about insults or at the most a whack upside the head. To be a real follower of Jesus is to be humble, and look to God for our own protection, not enact revenge ourselves. But common sense also says that we don't submit to being killed or harmed.
Even more important, he does *not* say we should tolerate injustice or harm done to OTHERS!! We should stand up to protect others. He never says we should tolerate criminals hassling or hurting other people.
In fact, (not being a scholar so I don't have a verse!) the Bible is pretty clear, IIRC, about taking proper care of others, especially those under our protection.
Actually life imprisonment is rather a modern idea, and not a good one.
Jesus also said:
Mat 24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
The Bible does not teach pacifism. It teaches us not to take personal revenge for personal insults. The "smiting" or "striking" on the cheek referred to a slap with the open hand. It does not mean we should refuse to defend ourselves, our family or our country from those would destroy them.
Don't take one verse out of context ignoring what the rest of Scripture says on a subject.
The same Jesus you quoted also said:
Luk 22:36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
Does this person sound like a pacifist to you:
Joh 2:13 And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,
Joh 2:14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
Joh 2:15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;
Joh 2:16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.
Joh 2:17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
Don't be like the man who chose his daily Bible verse to read and to live by each day by opening the Bible at random and letting his finger fall on a verse without looking at it first.
One day his finger randomly landed on the verse which said:
"And Judas went out and hanged himself."
Not satisfied he tried his random method for a better verse to live by that day and landed on the one that said:
"Go thou and do likewise."
He decided to try one more time for a better verse and landed on this one:
"Whatsoever thou doest, do quickly."