To Christians and others who belive in God: Do you belive the death-penalty is moral?

Question

Why?
Why not?
How do you reconcile it with your faith?


Would be interested in your wiews.

I'm catholic.
Basically that means you can support the death-penalty in theory but not in practise today in this day and age when there are other ways to keep the community safe (life incarceration).

btw how can you as christians say An eye for an eye...that's revenge.. and immoral

Would it not be better to let them live incarcerated for the purpose of repentance and salvation?

to Shepherd:

Nice analogy.

But Jesus was explicit on the immorality of divorce that's why the catholic church does not allow it.

Answer 1

To be honest I'm not sure one way or another. I learn things as I go. Haven't been confronted with this issue in my personal experiences. Am a Christian!

Answer 2

In a perfect world, there would be no need for the death penalty in the same way there would be no need for divorce. However, it was permitted for the people of Israel in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 24: 1-4), then clarified by the Lord Jesus Christ to why it was permitted as follows:

"Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard." " - Matthew 19: 8, full context in Matthew 19: 1-12

Thus, because the world has fallen so far from the grace of God (you can see how far by reading Romans 1: 18-32), some laws have been permitted as a means of preserving some semblance of civility and order... The same can be held true for the death penalty.

In the end, whether a law be moral or immoral, we must abide by the following for the time being: "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities..." - Romans 13: 1

Answer 3

Death penalty in some cases are moral.

Let's start with a small example.

A child dosn't bring his books to school. He gets a warning look from his teacher. A child starts bullying. He gets more than a warning. A child starts bunking from school and starts doing serious offense, he is sometimes expelled from school. I know, in some European schools, they think that is not the way, but almost 8 times out of 10, they r not successful.

Same goes for crime. Big crimes such as murder and rape r common things in such an 'advanced' country like US n Europe n places. But what is their penalty?? Go to jail. Serve a life sentence. By next year, the crime rates r higher still.

So, what's the solution?? U have to take drastic actions. If one child sees that the 'big guy' got a very bad punishment and was disgraced infront of the whole school 'for beating up those other people', but naturally, he will not want to 'beat up those other people' even for the thrill. Same goes for bigger crime n criminals. If one criminal is given a death-penalty for muder or rape or something really really serious, than no one else would dare to that crime. Even if some people did, how many people would want to do it out ten people. Hardly two.

I'm a staunch Muslim but I don't think I stand in a position to rattle out all the principles of Islam. Yes, I know many people condemn Islam and says it is terrorists n everything but no one said the same thing for christianity because of the 'holocaust' do they????

if u want questions, y don't u contact these people. they have a very good way of answering people especially answering non-mulsims. the website is: http://www.irf.net

Answer 4

Deuteronomy 30:19 I do take the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you today, that I have put LIFE and DEATH before you, the blessing and the malediction, and you must choose life in order that you may keep alive, you and your offspring, by loving Jehovah your God, by listening to his voice and by sticking to him; for he is your life and the length of your days, that you may dwell upon the ground that Jehovah swore to your ...

The governments of the land have the God given right to decide punishments. Romans 13:1..

Many of the dead will be raised up for judgment; Revelation 20:13,13.

Answer 5

im not a real proponent of the death penalty, but i have no moral issues with us having one as a christian... my faith dictates that there really is evil in the world...and there are also evil ppl in it-- i can as a christian forgive someone for murder because it is required of me by my faith... putting a needle in someones arm that has done a horrendous act is not an eye for an eye in my thinking...it is more a price that has to be paid ...(u can pay now-or you can pay later) .. i believe that there are ppl that really should be put to sleep because they are a danger to society and anyone they come in contact with... how many parolee's have gotten out and killed someone else?? do i think that the d/p reduces crime or deters murderers...not really... as far as morality.. I'll let God sort that part out... i just know there are evil ppl in the world and they need to go ...i can forgive them.. but they still need to go--- and i say i can forgive them because its not my child or my mother that they have raped,sodomized and cut up in little pieces...if it was even as a christian.. i probably would have a hard time doing that ..

Answer 6

I'm Jewish, and I support the death penalty.

Basic observation tells me that there are people who are not safe to leave alive (baby-rapers come to mind). It's also clear that there are some offenders whose acts were so depraved that the only proper thing to do is to get them out of the world with all haste.

God said not to murder, He didn't say not to kill.

I have no moral dilemma whatsoever with the removal of the likes of John Wayne Gacy, Ed Gein, Ted Kazinsky, or Osama bin Laden (may we have the opportunity soon).

Answer 7

I believe the death penalty is moral and right. I believe so because I believe that punishment should equal the crime and there are many people out there who should die for the crimes they have committed.

It's easy to reconcile with my faith, as the bible says "an eye for an eye"...etc.

Answer 8

i am a believer god,jesus,...depends on the crime i think , and the jury in court,if they have reached the death penalty for some one then they must have good cause..evidence..and as far as my beliefs..on the matter there is only one real judge...and that's our father..as for while we live here on earth we the ppl have to live like humans..and i believe we r left up to makin decisions and hopefully the right ones...ask ur self this, is a hitious crime moral??

Answer 9

Christians who believe in the death penalty will find a way to justify their stance, just as all christians defy the bible in some way every day and justify it to themselves. Secretly they all know it's fiction.

Answer 10

I am not a believer in a 'divine/human' savior, or a creator of humanity, as the human 'construct' is explained . . . but, I do not feel that the death penalty is moral, or effective to curtail negative human behaviors. . . there is no need for me to 'reconcile' this with my 'faith' . . .