Are you for the death penalty? If so, who should be sentenced to death?
Since the institution of the death penalty, there have been 1,099 (as of April 1, 2008) US executions since 1976.
Methods of capital punishment: States allow electrocution, gas chambers, lethal injection, hanging and the firing squad.
Capital punishment is still commonly practiced in Islamic nations. They tend to follow the O.T. mandates for it’s use.
In America, only murder and treason are punishable by death.
In a recent op-ed in the Chicago Tribune (March 2011) following Illinois’s abolition of the death penalty, author and attorney Scott Turow outlined three major conservative reasons for opposing capital punishment: it is a failed government program, it is a waste of money, and it doesn’t fit with the idea of limited government. In highlighting the failures of the system, Turow said, “For conservatives who believe government is too large, too inefficient and too unwieldy to deliver health care, or even the mail for that matter, it should come as no surprise that government efforts to justly select those worthy of death has been a moral disaster.” [He said] “if the death penalty clearly served a practical purpose like saving lives, these increased costs might be worth it. But in Illinois we have experienced a steady decline in our murder rate since Gov. Ryan first declared the moratorium on executions.”
“Washington state currently has eight men on death row, and has not had an execution since 2001. In almost 30 years, there has been only one non-consensual execution. Four defendants have been executed since the death penalty was reinstated in 1981. The Washington State Bar Association report noted that of the 270 convictions for aggravated murder since 1981, the death penalty was sought 79 times, resulting in 30 death sentences. The majority of those cases were overturned on appeal, and most of those reversals resulted in life without parole sentences. The Bar Association estimates that a death penalty case costs [about $750,000] more than other murder cases, not including the $100,000 associated with preparing for an execution.” (Walla Walla Union Bulletin)
(The following are excerpts from an article on Capital Punishment by an author with the initials of JPH. I was not able to locate the full reference…my apologies)
Does the Bible support capital punishment? Few would answer this one in the negative and fewer can cite any Scripture that works against it. It is patently obvious that capital punishment (hereafter CP) was practiced in ancient Israel and was not repudiated in the NT at all.
One must carefully distinguish between saying that the Bible mandates CP and saying that it merely permits CP. This relates to an important sub-issue:
▫ Examples of CP appear overwhelmingly in the OT law and it is prescribed for such things as adultery and witchcraft. So should we be enforcing it likewise today? No, not on that basis. Deuteronomy is laid out in the form of an ancient treaty between a king and his vassals. It is in essence a contract between God and Israel. They “signed on” and agreed to enforce the penalties. What’s the equivalent now? We now have a new covenant or contract between Christ and the individual and the believer. The sins are paid for by Christ’s blood, and he takes on the punishment for the transgression of those who break God’s law and accept his payment.
The old covenant and our enmity with it is now abolished (Eph. 2:15). The non-believer, the witch, et al. aren’t covered by this, but nor does our new contract contain specifications of enforcement — that is now God’s domain, with regard to each individual, on the basis of the new covenant terms.
On the other hand, when a superior writes a contract, even if you are not a party to it, the contract will still give you an idea what values the superior holds to. We, [as children of God], no longer enforce the penalties, but we still know what actions displease God, and the NT does say that God has given authority to human governments. So, it is now up to those bodies to decide whether CP is necessary.
▫ Why did these laws demand the death penalty? Obeying such laws [in ancient Israel] was a matter of survival, of ensuring that what there was of civilization did not slip over that fine line from order into chaos. CP was a necessary element to social order and survival.
A primary pro-CP argument is that CP serves as a deterrent to crime. Anti-CP responses claim there is no evidence of a deterrent effect. The lack of deterrent effect may be [due to the fact that] we don’t see the death penalty as real in our minds. Executions are far removed from all but a few witnesses, and only one person pulls the switch or administers the drug. In contrast, CP by the OT law was enforced by the community picking up stones and taking part after the condemnation of guilt. One might suggest that the deterrent effect would be greater (and that we might be more cautious in other areas) were CP more in our face and personal, as it was for the Israelites.
So what now threatens society? In our present state, many of the OT crimes are not threats to society in a broader sense. Things like adultery weaken a family unit, but not, society as a whole; if enough people become adulterous, though, that may change. If a behavior like adultery became a threat to such an extent, one might argue that CP should be instituted for it at some point, but because our society is individualistic rather than collectivist, it is unlikely that that will ever happen. A thoughtful determination would therefore have to be made in terms of what behaviors might threaten society to the level that CP is needed as a deterrent.
▫ Are there any [examples] in the Bible against capital punishment? To be sure, some efforts have been made to find Biblical support for this position, but these have tended to commit “hermeneutical homicide” in the process:
Ex. 20:13, Thou shalt not kill.
This has no application to judicial execution. [Murder (killing) is the taking of an innocent life (in this context). Thus, the death penalty is the taking of a non-innocent life. It is dealing solely on the individual context. It is speaking of ‘thou’, you singular, killing someone…like your neighbor. It is not referring to the government.]
John 8:3-11, Jesus [did] not endorse stoning of the adulterous woman.
A good point, but invalid in context. Because the Romans held the rule of life and death and the right to implement CP, this was a challenge to Jesus to commit sedition. If he had said, “Go ahead,” he would have been arrested. Jesus’ reply indicates, “If we are to enforce it this time, some of you are next.” [Jesus didn’t nullify the O.T. law against adultery; He stated that those that were without sin could cast the first stone… thus, promoting the law; but on an individual basis noone was worthy to enforce it. Also, this may all be in a religious (or church) sense, and not in a civil governmental sense.
Matt. 5:38-9, Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
This is one of several passages cited of a type which encourage not resisting evil, not taking revenge, and so on. But they are all in the context of personal relationships and have nothing to do with the judicial functions of the state.
Certainly persons should forgive others who commit criminal acts against them, but this does not oblige the state to “forgive”. If it did, then we could not even imprison a person or so much as exact a fine for a parking ticket.
▫ Well, how about other arguments?
CP is unfairly enacted overwhelmingly on the poor and minorities.
To whatever extent this may be true, it is an argument against applying CP unfairly, but hardly constitutes an argument against CP itself. I ask those who ply such an argument: if this were rectified, would you still have an argument against CP? [Could it be that the poor and minorities commit the vast majority of CP worthy offenses?]
CP has the potential to kill someone who is actually innocent.
One might suggest that the answer is to increase the standards of evidence before CP can be imposed, not to simply delete CP from consideration. [Mankind, in their judgment, will rule in error at times. But, that doesn’t mean that we throw out the whole judicial system.]
CP is not a solution. Providing answers to root social causes of crime is the solution.
One can hardly disagree that the root causes need to be addressed, but this is still not an argument against CP itself. [We need to improve society’s morality, no doubt; but, there still needs to be punishment for crime. Just because we have failed some as parents, doesn’t mean that we let our teenage son do whatever he likes without just recompense.]
It would be more humane to keep someone in prison for life than to kill them.
If one of the reasons for CP is to deter the person from committing the same crime again, this won’t do much good unless you lock them in solitary, which in other contexts is admitted to be cruel and unusual punishment. Those on the “outside” tend to forget that while society as a whole may be safe, inside prison walls a murderer has hundreds of potential victims to choose from.
Life imprisonment does not solve the problem here, it merely moves it out of sight.
[Some would argue conversely; that it is more humane to end someone’s life painlessly and suddenly rather than have them suffer for untold years in an iron cage.]
(end of JPH article)
2 Sam 12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
The Lord forgives…shouldn’t the government legal system?…. Well, no. Also, God can influence the decision of the government in any legal judgment that He wants to. David was a very unique man, the king of Israel, and therefore this situation should not be used as a wide spread principle.
Rom 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
This is in the context of a local church. Christians should be for saving lives. However, the government is to be for keeping society safe and peaceful.
In the O.T., what was a ‘capital’ offense?
Murder — Lev 24:17 And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.
This is referring to killing by intent, not accidental manslaughter. The Bible does not support a prolonged ‘death row’ status…it is to be done quickly… and publickly. The people should see it; thus, it all the more would enforce deterrance to would be assassins.
Adultery — Lev 20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
It is speaking of one committing adultery specifically with another man’s wife. Today, this is almost the ‘norm’! Maybe if that law was enacted and enforced, adultery would disappear?
Homosexual acts — Lev 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Lev 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
There are ‘sodomy laws’ on the books in certain states (i.e. Texas). But, today we have moved to “don’t ask don’t tell”, and even to the legalization of ‘same-sex marriage’! If we moved to such a position as Leviticus states, we would have a civil war.
Witchcraft — Ex 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. (Lv 20:27)
Wicca is a recognized religion. Most Americans are facinated by witchery; just look at Harry Potter.
Cursing Dad or Mom — Lev 20:9
Kidnapping Slave trading/stealing) — Ex 21:16
Beastiality — Ex 22:19
False Prophet — Deut 13:5
Thus, the O.T. approved of Capital Punishment for: murdering the innocent, adultery, comitting sodomy, being a witch, cursing a parent, kidnapping, beastiality, being a false prophet.
Gen 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
This is way back long before the O.T. law was enacted. This is a principle that I believe is still for today. The ‘man’ that should shed the murderer’s blood is the government, not the relative of the victim. Killing an animal is not the same offense, for the animal is not made in the image of God.
Rom 13:4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
This seems to imply that the government (NT times) is allowed to ‘kill’ (sword, execute wrath).
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
There are wages for the sin in which a person does; the intentional killing of another ‘innocent’ human should have a ‘wage’… but, what should that wage be? Life imprisonment?… Lethal injection?… 20 years?… Well, the Bible states that the wage for any sin, even lying or stealing, is both physical death and spiritual death (i.e. eternal hellfire). So, it is wise for us to understand just how God feels about sin. He has no problem with capital punishment.
Personally, I am for the death penalty in all the instances that the Bible supports in the O.T.. I am even for it to be enforced as extreme as the Muslim nations do it! A few public executions and I believe there would be a huge drop in serious crimes….
