Of course a Christian can be pro-capital punishment. The Bible is full of death sentences for the most petty of crimes, like disobeying your parents or wearing red.
2007-02-28 02:19:23
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answer #1
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answered by grammartroll 4
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There are those appointed to judge, and there are those who are not appointed to judge. God has a system of judgement, and man has a system of judgement. If man's system of judgement is aligned with God's system of judgement, then the death penalty is just.
What is the standard of judgement? If man is the standard of judgement, then the death penalty may or may not be unjust, but if God is the standard, then the death penalty is just. Where do we get our standards? The atheist has a standard, and the spiritual have a standard. Sometimes they are the same, and sometimes they are not. Which is proper to use? A logical arguement can be made for the death penalty even without the spiritual standard. When someone says that a "true" Christian should be against the death penalty, they are not considering time, place, or circumstance. Jesus says the merciful shall obtain mercy, but He distributed mercy on even the unmerciful while he was being crucified. Is the judge supposed to be merciful? What is the duty of the judge? For what purpose is the postition held? Is the asker suggesting that there should be no such thing as a judge? Or is the asker suggesting that the judge should be merciful in every circumstance? Even the Christian will be judged. Will God be merciful in every circumstance, or will some people be judged harshly and sentenced to hell?
Jesus was speaking to ordinary people who were taking the law into their own hands. They were assuming the position of judge, and the society he was preaching to was tolerant of this type of civil disobedience. He was addressing the excesses of the law, not the duty of the judge. If you do not want to sentence people to death, then do not become a judge.
2007-02-28 10:34:02
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answer #2
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answered by Anonymous
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The bible is replete with inconsistencies. In the old testament capital punishment is prescribed for adulterous wives, back sassin' sons, gathering firewood on the sabbath, etc then there are passages such as the above referenced where Christ taught mercy and loving one's enemies yet condones slavery. In a literal sense likely a "true Christian" who follows all the gospels can't even thinks bad thoughts (same as doing it). So a thought of killing is the same as the act itself therefore ............. in history Christians tortured and executed those who were "heretics" coming up with notions like the earth orbits the sun. I would say yes, based on statements by leaders in the Christian community who also hypocritically condemn homosexuality (although some of the biggest offenders were some of those ministers themselves).
Because they are hypocrites, I would say yes. They would deny medical research in stem cell lines that would save lives are opposed to abortion yet have no issues with government approved execution.
2007-02-28 10:30:56
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answer #3
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answered by Rico E Suave 4
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I cannot answer this question directly, but, fyi, here are some verifiable and sourced facts about the death penalty that relate to your question.
Re: Possibility of executing an innocent person
Over 120 people on death rows have been released with evidence of their innocence. Many had already served over 2 decades on death row. If we speed up the process we are bound to execute an innocent person. No Christian should be willing to tolerate this.
Re: DNA
DNA is available in less than 10% of murder cases. It is not a miracle cure for sentencing innocent people to death. It’s human nature to make mistakes.
Re: Deterrence
The death penalty isn’t a deterrent. Murder rates are actually higher in states with the death penalty than in states without it. Moreover, people who kill or commit other serious crimes do not think they will be caught (if they think at all.)
Re: cost
The death penalty costs far more than life in prison. The huge extra costs start to mount up even before the trial. There are more cost effective ways to prevent and control crime. What is wrong with using the extra money for much needed services for victims and their families instead of vengeance?
Re: Who gets the death penalty
The death penalty isn’t reserved for the “worst of the worst,” but rather for defendants with the worst lawyers. When is the last time a wealthy person was sentenced to death, let alone executed??
Re: Alternatives
48 states have life without parole on the books. It means what it says, is swift and sure and is rarely appealed. Being locked in a tiny cell for 23 hours a day, forever, is certainly no picnic.
Re: Victims families
The death penalty is very hard on victims’ families. They must relive their ordeal in the courts and the media. Life without parole is sure, swift and rarely appealed. Some victims families who support the death penalty in principal prefer life without parole because of how the death penalty affects families like theirs.
Opposing the death penalty doesn’t mean you condone brutal crimes or excuse people who commit them. According to a Gallup Poll, in 2006, 47% of all Americans prefer capital punishment while 48% prefer life without parole. Americans are learning the facts and making up their minds using common sense.
2007-02-28 16:09:54
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answer #4
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answered by Susan S 7
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God believes in capitol punishment. Those references are there to help keep us away from the path that leads to those results, and if more people followed those teachings then we would not need capital punishment.
In Ancient Israel the Lord had commanded that only certain people should handle the Arc of the Covenant. Well some one ignored that commandment and you can read for your self (in the link in my sources) what happened.
2007-02-28 10:29:54
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answer #5
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answered by Joseph 6
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It also says in the the bible that if you do not own a sword you should sell the cloths from your back to purchase one.
Here is a couple quotes
Luke 22:36: "Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one."
"Blessed be the LORD my strength which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight," David writes in Psalms 144:1.
By the way i am not Christian but I do know that the bible is far diffrent then people in america read it as these days.
2007-02-28 10:24:52
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answer #6
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answered by hormoth 3
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The murderer can be saved by Christ and receive his heavenly place, but he still has to pay for the murder he committed on this earth. Face it, serial killers, child molesters and murderers, they don't stop until they're locked up. Do you want to pay for their medical treatment, their cable tv, and their endless appeals for 40 or so years? I don't. That's why there are laws, if you take a life, you should pay with your own life. Merciful, sure, I wouldn't do to the murderer what they did to their victims, that would be cruel and unusual. We execute as painlessly as humanly possibly, something the people on death row didn't much care about while they were busy torturing and killing.
2007-02-28 10:28:58
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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Christ was the first Christian martyr by a particularly cruel means of capital punishment. One would think that, and Christ's teachings, would make it very difficult for a Christian to reconcile themselves to the intitutionalized taking of someone else's life. I cannot believe that Christ himself would have approved.
2007-02-28 10:20:52
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answer #8
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answered by Bad Liberal 7
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God sent Joshua into battle many times and many others as well. Yes I am in favor of capital punishment.
2007-02-28 10:21:33
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answer #9
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answered by iwant_u2_wantme2000 6
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Christ is the end of the law(punishment): Romans 10:4.
Christ-ianity(Grace us) is not Jesus-ianity(Law them):
"Jesus": "made under the law": Galatians 4:4
"Christ": "the end of the law": Romans 10:4
Ye are not under the law, but under grace: Rom & Gal.
"Jesus": "division" and not peace: Mt 10:34; Lk 12:51
"Christ": "peace" and not dividead: Jn 14:27; Eph 2:14,15
Peace with God is notably "through Jesus -> Christ"
To wit: that God was in "Christ" reconciling the world.
(pst - that God was not in Jesus alienating the world)
We are not biblically called the body of Jesus.
We all are one are called the body of "Christ".
AD -> only goes ONE way, unto "the end" already written:
The GRACE of our Lord Jesus->Christ with you all. Amen.
2007-02-28 10:29:42
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answer #10
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answered by Anonymous
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