Thou Shall Not Kill?

Question

An interesting question was just asked about abortion and if it's mentioned in the Bible. Almost everyone's response was that it was mentioned and used one of the ten commandments as evidence. "Thou Shall Not Kill"

But my question is how can Christians who are for capital punishment, disregard this commandment?

Or is there a verse in the bible about capital punishment?

Just wondering.

Answer 1

There are also other scriptures pertaining to the killing of an unborn child.
Read Exodus 20:13; 21:22, 23; Psalm 139:14-16. In God’s eyes the life of any embryo—including one conceived out of wedlock—is precious.

Answer 2

Dear Tania,

The Bible is where we have to get our answer. In Genesis 9:6 God says, "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man."

You see if a person murders another, that person is to give up his life. Let me say that there is a difference between murder and killing. Example is a lethal accident. Man chopping down a tree with an axe. Axe comes off and hits a bystander in the head thereby killing him. The man with the axe has "killed' the bystander but it was an accident. Therefore, the man who yielded the axe did not intentionally murder the bystander. However, this is not to say that he should pay a fine to the grieving family for the accident. The judge would determine this.

Christians have 1 vote when they do vote. If one lives in a state where capital punishment is used, it should not be a problem. Same thing if a christian lives in a state where capital punishment is not practiced--he should follow the rules of the government.

The probelm comes when government makes a law that is contradictory to the Bible. Because the christian loves God and desires to keep His commandments, he must obey the Lord; even if it means spending time in jail or paying a fine!

I hope this will help you.

Answer 3

Many of those people support capital punishment because they fear that killers will be released back into their communities and because they don't yet know the practical facts about the death penalty and it alternatives.
Here are a few facts, verifiable and sourced- I think it is important to get them out.

Re: Possibility of executing an innocent person
Over 120 people on death rows have been released with evidence of their innocence, many having 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 the real criminal is still out there and will have successfully avoided being charged.

Re: DNA
DNA is available in less than 10% of murder cases. It’s not a guarantee that we won't execute an innocent person. 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 about the consequences or even that 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. Much of these result from the unusually complicated nature of both the pre trial investigation and of the trials (involving 2 separate stages, mandated by the Supreme Court) in death penalty cases. There are more cost effective ways to prevent and control crime.

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: 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 partisan slogans.

Answer 4

Actually, "thou shalt not kill' is a misinterpretation. It actually says "thou shalt not murder", which makes a big difference. Murder is taking the life of an innocent, where killing can be construed as carrying out a death sentence on a criminal.

And yes, there are quite a few verses in the old testament about capital punishment, read the book of Leviticus.

Answer 5

This is a very good question, actually. The fact that thou shall not kill is spewed forth, and yet those same people support capital punishment is one of the ultimate hypocrisies. I suppose most will answer that those who are on death row may a choice to get there and babies can't choose to live or not. My response will be that everything that happens - every convict killed and every fetus aborted - happens for a reason. It is supposed to be that way.

But I would like to also note : those who are against abortion should also be against spermicide or chemotherapy - that kills cells, and cells are living things too.

Answer 6

There are no biblical verses about Christan laws systems at all, but in the Jewish law system, there is a such thing as capital punishment, in theory (It was almost never used, in fact, the only time I have heard of it claimed to be used off the top of my head is in that famous storybook of magic and adventure, the "new testament").. And as I said in the other question, "murder" is the sin, not "killing". Two different words, two different concepts.

Answer 7

Why would Christians be for capital punishment? I am just wondering that and I don't know a verse in the Bible about capital punishment probably because there isn't one about it in the Bible

Answer 8

The Commandment thou shall not kill is DIRECTED to you as a person. Not as a government. There are passages in the bible about submitting your self to the will of government because God has placed them above you.

Answer 9

You make a good point. No pro-lifer should be pro-capital punishment.

However people LOVE to draw a line there.

We are human. We have failings. SO many people on death row for crimes our courts "proved" they commited - are being set free when DNA or some other evidence is found to prove it was NOT them.

You should ask this same question at least once a month until people get it.

Answer 10

Lots of verses on capital punishment.