Pinko, The Bible records that Jesus specifically spoke out against greed, lust, adultery, hypocrisy, lack of faith, and other sins. Yet even though the death penalty was widely used in his day, he didn't say a word about forbidding it. The Bible forbids the death penalty about the same way the Constitution says you have a right to an abortion---not at all.
"Yet even though the death penalty was widely used in his day, [Jesus] didn't say a word about forbidding it."
Umm...I'm just a lowly Catholic and so I don't have the bible memorized chapter and verse. But in the Gospel According to John, did't they capture a woman in the act of adultery? Didn't they bring her to Jesus? Didn't they ask Jesus what they should do? Didn't they want to stone her just like the Old Testament law prescribed?
And didn't Jesus respond that "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her"?
That sounds like a pretty strong condemnation of captial punishment to me. But then again, I'm just a lowly Catholic who doesn't have the bible memorized chapter and verse.
(Bible quote is from the King James Version as to cause a mimimum of consternation from the more evangelical members on this board. I prefer the more classic "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.")