Capital Punishment and Biblical Inerrency?

Question

A common question put to Christians is 'If 'Thou shalt not Kill' why is the Death Penalty justified?'

The response is almost invariably, 'Because it is inaccuratly translated, when translated correctly, it says 'Thou shalt not do Murder', which is legitametly different.

There's just one problem.

This argument admits that the Bible is a translation and therefore not completely accurate and cannot be taken literaly, word-for-word.

So, statisticly speaking, if you're an Evangelical Christian who believes the Bible is the literal word of God.. how can you support the Death Penalty?

Which is wrong, The Bible or the Death Penalty?

Answer 1

neither.
The Bible is God's literal Truth.
The death penalty is "an eye of an eye."
"The wages of sin is death".
nice try.

Answer 2

The idea that a translation carries more weight than the source text is wrong. I won't dispute that some fundies believe that the King James Version is divinely inspired, but I have never met a Christian, fundamentalist or other wise, who does not admit the limitations of all translations.

A better question might be this: How can the Bible be inerrant if it the original manuscripts do not include a table of contents?

Answer 3

Two things.........the death penalty is wrong. And you're right, the death penalty is murder. Throughout His life, Jesus advocated non-violence (Matthew 5 talks about that in a few places).

As far as inerrancy goes, that doctrine states that the scriptures are inerrant in their original writings, not inerrant in translation. It's the same if you translate something from any language to English: it's difficult to capture every nuance of the meaning of the original language. You can get pretty close, though, close enough to take a good translation seriously.

Answer 4

Both are right. If you think about it, yes there are some translation errors, for example, When Jesus asks Paul (i believe) if he loves him, and Paul says yes, he does. Jesus was talking about love of God, Paul was saying loves him like a brother.

Anyhoo, back to the point. There is the "Thou Shalt Not Kill" thing, but what of the people who don't listen and do it anyways? Since there have been rules, there have been breakings of them and there have been punishments for breaking them.

It's like saying to your child, "I you do that, you'll stand in the corner." and the child does what you told them not to. Do you let them go, or punish them? People only tend to be sorry when they get caught.

I think the capital punishments way is "Well, you took that mother away from her loving husband and two kids...you should be taken away forever too."

I'll agree, it sounds kind of "two wrongs don't make a right." but does a wrong and a right make a right? Is it nuetral? If someone killed a loved one, would you let them die or let them live?

In the end I think it justice...I'm just glad I'm not the one that has to put the sentence on the bad people.

....Sorry if that sounded a little scatter-brained...little tired.

Answer 5

That is a very interresting question and would seemingly throw a monkey wrench into the whole program but you must remember the english language is much more simplified than the original texts language. Hebrew and Greek etc....are far more complicated languages than english, for example the words for "friend" or "love" each have 5 or more words that are very specific. If a christian realizes this they have one of 2 choices...
1. learn the original language
2. read several translations and/or read commentary from those who do understand the original languages.
I prefer #2 because it is the easiest for my puny brain at age 35 to wrap my mind around. I believe most christians understand this and don't get locked into one translation, but do their study if they truly want to know the meaning.

Answer 6

Good question. Most Evangelicals have moved on to saying that the bible in its original manuscripts (original language) is inerrant. This is on one hand a good move because no one has the very original manuscripts to prove its errant. However, no one has the original manuscripts to prove its inerrant. So... yeah. The bible no where claims that it is meant to be inerrant, only that "Words of God" or words that come from God are. And, the bible was written by people, and regardless as to whether they were writing quotations from God or not, they are still words that came from people. The bible is words ABOUT God, the only true Word of God was Jesus himself.

Answer 7

While I don't consider the Bible more than a sociologically interesting series of documents, I don't believe the death penalty can be justified in 21st century western society.

If the government can kill as a matter of justice, then private citizens can feel justified in killing when they feel wronged. The only way to ensure the value of life is to prevent the state from killing.

.

Answer 8

Very simple solution. Just go to another passage which supports it, there are many in the Bible. Try Genesis 9:6 "Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man." Now that is pretty clear isn't it?

If that one doesn't work try this one: Leviticus 24:17 `If a man takes the life of any human being, he shall surely be put to death.

Eventually you will realize that to reject capital punishment is to reject what God says. Do you know that all of these are direct quotes from God Himself?

Answer 9

Both the Bible and the death penalty are wrong. I'm against the death penalty because it's MURDER. People can call it what they want, but it's still murder. The only reason we don't call it that is because it's a bunch of rich white guys pulling the switch. Any killing of another person other than in self-defense is murder, be it war or capital punishment or a crime of passion.

Answer 10

The death penalty is wrong.

Paul was deserving of the death penalty, right? Executing Christians, and all?

He was used to write 13 books of the NT and gave His all to Jesus once he was touched by the spirit of G-d.


Message? Its never too late for anyone to turn around. If he is supposed to die, let G-d kill them not the death penalty.

Blessings,
David T

Answer 11

Killing is/would be justified in the bible. From a criminal case, a murderer would be tried and positioned to dying, if someone kills a woman and or kills the un-born toddler, ( which through how justifies a fetus as someone through how), that person would be positioned to dying as nicely. additionally in a courtroom if someone by twist of fate kills somebody, that person may well be positioned to dying additionally. those are some examples. So in accordance to Gods rules, there should be a criminal case with witnesses to make certain that elders to convict and then if the case meets the crime, would receive advantages dying. this occasion additionally replaced into justified whilst the rustic of Israel killed different countries which risk-free men, females, babies, or perhaps cattle. reason replaced into those countries have been committing gross sins, risk-free rape, adultery, homosexuality and different issues which God had made repeated warnings, and that they chosen to forget approximately God. those countries, have been destroyed, this risk-free Gods very own united states Israel.