I think you mean those who ARE against the death penalty. As one of those, I’m against the death penalty on religious grounds - I don’t believe that Jesus would have anyone executed. Stick him in a cage where he can’t harm anyone else and have him wave goodbye to life. Maybe he’ll accept the grace of God and be forgiven in the next life. Would I be able to say the same if it was one of my family? No idea.
Not meaning to pick on you, but your statement reminds me of the old joke; Ask a girl to go to bed with you for a million dollars and she says yes, we'll what about fifty? She replies what kind of girl do you think I am? The reply is "We've already determined that, we're just haggling over the price".
I understand the issue of WWJD because he's a friend of mine as well.
That said, I believe that some people give up their rights to breathe by their own actions. I say Hang 'em from a large tree and how's tomorrow afternoon?
This is an easy one...
If Jesus is against the death penalty, why did he pay it for us?
Jesus didn't seem to have a problem with it for the two that were crucified with him. He was concerned about their souls, but didn't question their punishment.
"Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's."
I did correct myself. You are right about what I meant. I think you brought up a good point. I don’t think you would feel the same if this were your family. I have read some pretty horrible cases. If a man is to be put to death, he has plenty of time to get right with Christ and receive salvation. Putting him in prison for life does nothing to increase the odds of this happening. In fact, if anything,being at death’s door is much likelier to move a man’s soul in such a way, so even on that, I believe you are wrong.
I think one of the points most missed with the “against” mentality is that they never seem to factor in the possibility that the murderer could get out again- either if the laws change in some weird way or if the person is to break out of prison. Additionally, someone who has “life” in prison has nothing to lose and is far likelier to commit murder while in prison - whether of another prisoner or of a prison employee. They are also more likely to attempt escape - nothing to lose, in other words.
I have never understood the “against” mentality. Ever. There is no logic to it and it really is not even humane.
Food for thought. The first murderer was Cain. God did not cause Cain to be put to death. Later, God dealt the death penalty to various nations and for certain acts done by individual Hebrews under the Law of Moses. The difference may be that God's use of the death penalty is for preventing further sin by separating His people from evil and by providing an penalty so great it is avoided.
In non-religious terms, the death penalty is best argued as a deterrent to future acts either by the perpetrators or by those who follow them.
God is the one who instituted the death penalty for murder. Jesus came to fulfill the Law, not abolish it.
The only people who can forgive him for what he did are dead, those he killed. It's not the place of the government to forgive him for them. It's the place of the government to execute justice.
Romans 13 1Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.
This guy committed this crime knowing full well that he raped and murdered and that it's wrong and there are penalties for it. It's a risk he CHOSE to take.
It's not worth the risk to society that these animals could get loose, or be freed, and go out to do it again. What will you say to the next victim and the family of the next victim by protecting the criminal?
The death penalty is a protection for society since so many of these people will do it again given the chance. It needs to be enforced and God can still grant him mercy, even if he doesn't have years left on this planet.
If there’s even the slightest chance that men like those two were ever allowed in public again, there’s too much of a chance they will harm someone else. As it is, they might spend a lifetime sentence murdering inside prison. What if one of your loved ones were incarcerated with them? Wouldn’t prisons be at least a little less full and a whole lot less dangerous if violent criminals were executed?