The Ugliness of Cheering for Capital Punishment

Real Clear Religion ^ | 09/11/2011 | Rod Dreher

[SeekAndFind]

I said here last night that the California GOP audience cheering the announcement that Texas has executed 234 condemned murderers under Rick Perry was a vile, repulsive thing.

Even when I was for capital punishment, I believed this.

Justice may require execution, but we should never rejoice in taking the life of another human being. At best, capital punishment is a necessary evil. I quit believing in capital punishment when I became convinced that the state is not trustworthy to use this power responsibly.

It happened about 10 years ago, when it emerged that a forensic scientist in Oklahoma whose testimony had been key to many convictions, including capital convictions, was actually quite incompetent. I lost track of the story, so I don't know if any of the prisoners executed thanks in part to her testimony were later exonerated. Even if they hadn't been, the fact that men were sent to their death based on the expert testimony of an incompetent scientist is chilling.

In Texas, If you are a conservative inclined to trust Rick Perry's remarks about its soundness, I invite you to read the New Yorker's long report about the Cameron Todd Willingham case. When this became a controversy in Texas, Perry went out of his way to block an official inquiry into the facts. I don't believe this hurt him, either. People have a strong need to believe in capital punishment, and they will accept anything that allows them to support it with an untroubled conscience.

I understand why people believe in capital punishment.

Personally, I believe that if you take a life cold-bloodedly, you should have to forfeit your life. But I do not believe that the government is capable of delivering the ultimate punishment in a fair, accurate manner, 100 percent of the time.

[jerseyrocks]

That is why need Perry. He doesn’t give a sh#t about PC. It was refreshing to see the debate last week and finally have an electable candidate say the truth and not worry about the pundits.

[Little Ray]

Dreher can shove it...

What is TRULY DISGUSTING is how, in this a day and age, murderers have so many sympathizers and cheerleaders.

Personally, I’d like to see us go back to executions in the public square. They can sell sausages and soft drinks, too.

[LowOiL]

It's interesting that the death penalty for a variety of non-homocide crimes (cursing one's parents, picking up sticks on the Sabbath, bridal non-virginity, etc.) in practice has been repealed, and its restoration has little or no support among contemporary religious Jews or Christians. There seems to be a development of doctrine here--- unless I am mistaken.

That is an interesting question. Jesus discusses aspects of this very question at one point.

Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying... `He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' But you say..." Mat. 15:3-4

"For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men..." [Jesus] said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother; and 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' But you say..." Mark 7:8-11

I will leave you/me to ponder a few points. Was Christ ashamed of his father's commandments? Are we to be embarrassed that such laws exist/existed at all? Is there wisdom in such commandments (not just for murder, but for cursing one's parents)? I personally know I would at one time would of been guilty of death under this very commandment. Does that cloud my judgement, knowing that perhaps I am guilty? Did cursing one's parents mean out loud and publicly or in one's heart (as adultery)?

[potlatch]

You’re right about that Phil!

[altura]

That’s all very well, but let’s face it, God himself gives the death penalty to mankind.

Eventually we all get it.

Some people prove themselves not worthy to live among others.

If Texas had a life without parole option that would be okay with me. It would be a lot less expensive than the many appeals and litigation that goes along with the death penalty.

But it’s a little holier than thou to jump on the people cheering because they were not cheering for death but for justice.

[dixiechick2000]

Perry appears to have the original...and real...Straight Talk Express.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I was thinking about your question of whether Jesus was ashamed of His Father's commandments. I say no.

When you look at the section of the Gospel of Matthew known as "The Six Antitheses" (Matthew 5:21-48) I think you can see the general trend: that Christ fulfills everything --- fills them up to their full meaning --- in ways that look contradictory, but are not.

It is only with Christ that I can with any profit read the OT ---seriously! --- because I believe that Jesus is the true point of every lesson, the way through the maze, the inner meaning of every OT law. And when there are things that look obscure or difficult (and frankly, that's a lot of it), it is Jesus who has, or rather, who IS, the true interpretation.

I really think Jesus is the only "lens" that makes sense of the OT. What would I do without Him? I would be an agnostic at best. I could not be a believer without Him.

The OT teachings were (by God's intent) gradual, partial, fragmentary ---and in the limited minds of mortal men, garbled. They never reached their true meaning, their true articulation, until Christ.

The book of Hebrews discusses he replacement of the Levite priesthood with the priesthood of Christ. And then it says,

"For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also....The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God."