how can chritians be for the death penalty when Jesus was put to death an innocent man?

Answer 1

What does Jesus being innocent have to do with someone else being guilty?

Your question does not make any sense at all.

Answer 2

One of your answers talks about this in terms of probability. I do not understand how a Christian is comfortable with including this in any statement about killing.

Here are some verifiable and sourced facts about innocent people on death row-

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. We will never know for sure if innocent people have been executed, but take a look at this short list-

1. Cameron Willingham- executed for setting a fire that led to the deaths of several people. The techniques of investigating fires in criminal cases have greatly advanced. They now show that the fire was an accident, not arson. Texas.

2. Carlos DeLuna- executed in Texas for a fatal stabbing. Sloppy police work, a failure to pursue a more likely suspect (who bragged of being the actual killer and about getting another man to pay for it.

3. Gary Graham. Texas. details available at Death Penalty Information Center
4. Calvin Griffiths. Missouri. details available at Death Penalty Information Center. The local district attorney has actually reopened an investigation into this case, because she has strong doubts about it.

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.

Answer 3

Why do you say that Jesus was innocent ? He was executed by the Romans for preaching that he had powers greater than the emperor. At that time and place, it called for the death penalty.
If anyone else made the same claims that Jesus made, he would have gotten the same treatment.

Answer 4

There is a great big division among Christians concerning this issue of the death penalty.
I go against it because Jesus gave certain commands, which for some odd reason, most Christians seem to think do not have any bearing on this.
God chooses mercy. He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. It is HIS place to exact revenge, repayment, if you prefer.
Who are we to stand in the place of God, and judge and punish?

Even in the Old Testament God gave direction for "cities of refuge" where the guilty could flee to and stay alive.

Answer 5

Possibly, because they presume that a criminal is found guilty by the State (courts?)

I find it interesting that certain political groups are pro abortion, but anti death penalty. And their opposite is anti abortion and pro death penalty. Its confusing. The probability of an innocent person being killed through abortion 99.9%. The probability of an innocent person being killed while on Death Row, much much less.


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Susan S-
Please don't think that I am condoning the death penalty. But one can't help but to wonder why 120 people (is that in a year or since 1980 or what) are more important that the MillionS, of innocent children that are sentenced to death a YEAR. I find it perplexing that we worry about Genocide in Sudan and in Iraq, innocent people on Death Row and turn a blind eye to the children exterminated a year in this country.

Look, I am all for giving better legal council to defendants. Putting more money into Judicial Oversight to make sure we don't condemn innocent people to death.

Answer 6

Well, many are. And I am sure that many innocent people have been put to death in the US. I find the death penalty to be absolutely barbaric. I find the majority of religious people in the US have absolutely no reservations about being immoral.

Answer 7

Surely the death sentence is the same as committing murder - no-one has the right to take another person's life, that is God's prerogative. The Ten Commandments state that thou shall not commit murder. By the way, I am not Christain

Answer 8

We are for the death penalty for the guilty not the innocent.

Answer 9

not all christians are for the death penalty, I believe it's up to god when someone dies

Answer 10

christains are not for the death penalty