If the Bible specifically prohibited killing a person for ANY reason would you still favor the death penalty?

Answer 1

The bible dose say you shall not kill, but we do have those that will kill, so for me you bet I believe in the death penalty, unfortunately in Canada our government dose not have enough guts to carry out that needed law, this country is swamped with bleeding hearts, and tree huggers.

Answer 2

My opinions of the death penalty have absolutely zero to do with what the Bible does or might say. I believe the death penalty is pointless. It is not a deterrent to the crime. Most people committing such crimes are not worrying about the difference between being killed or put in prison for the rest of their lives. The whole argument about giving justice to the families of the victims is silly. Our government should not be in the business of revenge killings. The only benefit I can see is that it slightly eases prison overcrowding and the cost of imprisoning people. It's an obsolete form of punishment with very little benefit for the amount of risk involved (i.e. killing an innocent person, if the judicial system made a mistake, which happens way to often).

And of course, there's the argument that we shouldn't be playing God. But I don't have any thoughts to add on that.

Answer 3

The Bible encourages killing lots of people on many occasions...

This being said, the death penalty has been abolished in every modern civilized country in the world and it's a very good thing.

Answer 4

When the Bible talks about killing people I believe it is the intent of the heart that makes a difference. If you kill out of anger, hate, greed, or for a sinful reason then it's banned. War and justice is different. I'm not sure how I feel about the death penalty.

Answer 5

Many people who have answered this already are leaving out the facts about the death penalty. A couple are basing their answers on revenge. This issue is to important to decided without facts. Here are a few, verifiable and sourced-


This is an issue that needs to be considered using solid facts. Here are a few.

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. Life without parole incapacitates a killer (keeps him from re-offending) and costs considerably less than the death penalty.

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. Once someone is executed the case is closed. If we execute an innocent person we are not likely to find that out and, also, the real criminal is still out there.

Re: DNA
DNA is available in no more 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: Appeals
Our appeals system is designed to make sure that the trial was in accord with constitutional standards, not to second guess whether the defendant was actually innocent. It is very difficult to get evidence of innocence introduced before an appeals court.

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.) Note to lollypop- life without parole keeps criminals from reoffending.)

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.

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: 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, not revenge or an eye for an eye mentality.

Answer 6

THat's like asking, "If God is a God of love, why will he punish some people?"

Are you certain that the bible prohibits killing a person for ANY reason? Give me the verse - im interested, 'cause i have read the bible and i know God talks about facing consequences if you do evil.

Answer 7

Of course, but it doesn't so why are we even talking about what isn't reality? God HIMSELF is the one who put the death penalty in effect way back at the covenant He made with Noah. (Gen. 9:6)To be anti-death penalty is to be rebellious and disobedient. Such people need to repent. Those of us who are pro-death penalty, please know it's not with an attitude of haughtiness or "I'm better than you are!" Or "I'm more righteous than you are!" If a pro-death penalty person has those attitudes then they are wrong and need to repent! I'm pro death penalty for 2 reasons - 1). God said it. 2). What we do matters and should have consequences, especially if murder is involved because people are NOT animals. The victim mattered!! We must remember that mankind is the crown of creation, made in God's image. We are sub-lords of God's creation, not mere animals.

Answer 8

It doesn't. In fact, many things that are common in this age bore the penalty of stoning in the Old Testament.

For example, all adulteresses were stoned to death.

I see no reason in the Bible to be against the death penalty. there some people who can't be rehabilitated, and they should be dealt with.

Answer 9

The rules laid down in "the" Bible were written to apply to the "chosen" people only. The authors of the Mosaic law had no concept at all that they were making rules to apply to all people. Neither did any of the peoples of their time. It was not until St. Paul's confrontation with Peter at Antioch that religion began to be promoted as universal in application, in direct defiance of the Judaic presumption that the law was given to them as a mark of distinction from the despised "gentiles".

Then you say "the" Bible but there is no such thing as "the" Bible. There are dozens of bibles and "holy" books and the fact that you were raised to imagine that only one of them is "the" Bible is a sign of lack of awareness, that's all. A result of being raised in a hermetically sealed environment where all your understandings come from your family and your church etc., instead of all humanity and the big wide wonderful world out there waiting for you.

Answer 10

I don't favor the death penalty OR the Bible.