An honest question about death penalty and anti-abortion position.?

Question

I struggle with this one as a Chrisitian. I understand the point of view on the murder=abortion issue. But in order to hold santity of life dear does not the death penalty fall in the same realm?
Loigically for me it does but I'm willing to entertain objections backed by the Bible. New Testament only please as am not a strict constructionist. I have struggled with this for a long time. I can see forgiveness for a taking of life in a moment of passion. If not, we are all condemned for we sin daily. However to premediate the taking of a life is an issue i have desparate feelings about. Is it about revenge? Or does this make society safer?

This is your chance for a well thought agruement either way to be appreciated. I will not slam your opinion as I am testing my own morals not my brother's!

Thank you for your well considered responses. What I find difficult to understand is why in the 4 Gospels whhich for me are my core resources Jesus does not directly speak to this issue. In fact he implies the opposite (Roman soldier---ear episode). Am I wrong here? what are your thoughts?

Again thank you

Answer 1

I do not think the death penalty as just as life without parole. The worst criminals want to die, and the death penalty is irreversible.

Answer 2

The death penalty issue is a touchy one. Personally, I think that because of the intense controversy that surrounds it, the death penalty ought to be done away with; instead, criminals can be given sentences to remain in prison for the rest of their natural life. Some might say that this will only worsen the problem of overcrowding in prisons, but very few prisoners are given the death penalty. Besides, my understanding is that most of the problems with overcrowding are caused by repeat offenders.

As far as the sanctity of life is concerned, I think that there is a difference between abortion and capital punishment. Abortion is ending the life of an innocent unborn child, or for those who don't believe that an unborn child is a person yet, abortion is preventing a fetus from coming into existence at birth by terminating the process that would lead to a new life being born. Capital punishment is ending the life of a person who has of their own free will committed a heinous crime, usually murder. I suppose one could argue that because a murderer didn't value the life of his or her victim(s), he or she has forfeited the right to live. Some will say that as humans we don't have the right to choose when people die, whether or not they are criminals; only God should control when life ends. I think that lifelong prison sentences are a better option than the death penalty simply because it avoids the moral objections to the death penalty while still allowing justice to be served.

Answer 3

I have never had an issue with the death penalty or abortion. Both have been around forever practically and both are now applied more humanely.( I say humanely because it is true, back in the day any crime commited meant the death penalty now only if you kill someone or persons, back in the day mother's would wait sometimes after the child was born and would poison the unwanted child or worse.)

Why I don't feel abortion is murder ? There are several reasons for this. If the woman feels that she wants an abortion she has her reasons and she should be able to get an abortion safely,legally and without judgment. People can say what they will but Americana's are not going out to adopt in droves and they usually aren't adopting American children. Foster homes/adoption agencies are over crowded and in some cases are not treating the children well there are still issues of sexual abuse, physical abuse and emotional abuse (try talking to a child that has been through all three of those abuses and see if they want to be here. and release them into society with all of these issue under the assumption you where doing them a favor because they are alive. if they don't die in the care of the care givers which happens frequently.) To me society is murdering children everyday who have to live in an abusive environment who the heck is fighting for those children, It would be nice if some of those people that can find time for rallies against abortion could pop in unannounced from time to time at foster and adoption facilites and in on homes that are known to have abuse going on in them, it would be marvolous if those same people would check on child molesters and arrange for them to get the help they need to keep children safe, It would be nice to see churches start a mother program that offer counseling and such to new mothers to help them through possible post partum depression. My how we waste energy on something we can do nothing about turning our back on issues that we can and should do something about.

I am so tired of every election year the politicains want to bring up abortion like that is the biggest problem we have and a bunch of suckers fall for it. Those poor helpless defenseless unborns what about the children that are already here how can you enrich those lives is what should be done. Maybe we can eliminate the need for abortion if we just focus on the here and now and let the other thing women who get abortions go.

As for the death penalty I don't struggle with that one. I just wish that people that deserve to die keep going there.

Answer 4

I believe the death penalty is just, but only in cases where the evidence is incontrovertible, such as video footage backed by DNA evidence or a confession. In this case it about protection of society as a whole. When there is less than that it is unjust. Life is precious and we only get one shot. Taking life should never be taken lightly. I also believe the right of a woman to choose abortion is her's and her's alone. I don't believe it should be taken lightly, but I believe it should be an option. Then, I am an atheist so what do I know...

Answer 5

As a Christian, how could you support the capital punishment system when your messiah was a victim of such a system?

As long as the death penalty exists, we run the risk of the state sanctioned murder of an innocent person. With the benefits of such a system being dubious at best, is keeping this system worth the risk?

If you want to end abortion, you must address the issues which lead people to seek abortions. Making them illegal will not end them, and will not serve anyone.

Answer 6

Paul tells the Roman believers that human governments, as agencies instituted by God for the control of sin in society, "do not bear the sword for nothing" (Ro 13:4). More significantly, the same verse adds that government is "God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer." This passage has been taken by most to imply government's right and responsibility for carrying out God's established principles of justice, which would include carrying out the punishment the OT indicates is appropriate for murder.

But the word "imply" in the preceding paragraph raises an important question. Why does the NT not include the same kind of social legislation that forms such a large block of OT teaching? The answer is simply that Israel was a nation under God. The church is a community that has no existence as a nation or state. Instead, the church exists across the ages as communities of God's people within many different states and subject to the laws of their respective states.

The Christian church does not control society, nor are the church's standards necessarily the standards a state will adopt. So, most simply put, the issue of how the state is to deal with murder or, for that matter, with embezzling is simply not vital or relevant to the NT.

Does this mean that OT social principles provide sufficient guidance and are still in force? Or does the spirit of the NT, which emphasizes forgiveness now but judgment to come, demand new social attitudes and a new approach to the reality of murder? Those who answer yes to the latter question must do so only after careful consideration, for God's OT commands concerning putting a murderer to death are stated in the strongest possible way. Those who answer no must likewise do so only after careful consideration, for the law that guided society in OT times was careful to protect the innocent by setting up evidential safeguards. Are we as careful today to condemn only murderers whose convictions are based on incontrovertible evidence?

This article cannot resolve the debate and is not intended to do so. But one who seeks to develop his or her own position must note that the NT harmonizes with the OT in certain significant respects: (1) The NT term for the murder of persons is different from other words for killing. (2) Only the murder of persons (which may be done by a group as well as an individual) is said to flow from the sinful heart, or to be a work of the flesh. Other terms, used more often of killing, are not so identified. (3) The existence of governing bodies with responsibility for punishing wrongdoers is an established and assumed fact in the NT. Thus, no instructions as to how society should deal with murder are found in the NT, nor would they be appropriate there.

7. Conclusions. The Bible distinguishes between killing and murder. Murder is a conscious, hostile act against another person (or persons). The OT emphasizes the death penalty as society's only responsible way to punish the murderer. But safeguards are provided that are designed to protect the rights of the killer. Only on clear evidence, involving the testimony of more than one person, can a person be convicted of a premeditated act. One should not ignore the OT data in setting up a new standard that is thought to be in closer harmony with the "spirit" of the NT. Our judgments of morality may not be as wise as those of God.

Answer 7

Here is the way the scriptures deal with soldiers, police and captial punishment. We appear to already be in agreement that abortion is murder so I won't cover that. There are Old and New Testament examples here.

“You shall not murder” does not mean that it is wrong for a soldier or a policeman to perform his duty in a justifiable cause. Paul wrote in Romans 13:4, "For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil." In the Old Testament, the same God who said, "You shall not murder," told Israel to destroy her enemies. "Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey” (1 Samuel 15:3). That was God's divine judgment upon those people who had opportunity to know God; yet they rebelled against Him, and God destroyed them. Thus, the execution of the duties of a soldier or a policeman in a justifiable cause are not condemned by the command, “You shall not murder.”

Also, this command, "You shall not murder" does not mean that capital punishment is wrong. An Israelite who suggested serving other gods, for instance, was to be killed (Deuteronomy 13:6-9). A person who practiced homosexuality was to be put to death (Leviticus 20:13). Adulterers and adulteresses were to be killed (Leviticus 20:10). Murderers were to be put to death (Numbers 35:30,31). It is still God's will that those who commit murder shall be put to death. This is capital punishment. There is an eternal principle established in Genesis 9:6. "Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man."

The apostle Paul understood that the government had the right to put offenders to death. In Acts 25:11, he says: "For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying...." Paul, by implication, endorsed capital punishment. The world needs to appreciate, accept, and apply this Biblical teaching today.

Answer 8

Personally, I believe that it should be up to God to make the final judgement on life and death. We can keep society safe by keeping a criminal in prison...but wouldn't it be better if that man lived many years, eventually found God and became a living testament to others than if he was executed?

I'm strongly in favor of pro-life advocacy and and I am strongly against the death penalty. And I am Christian.

Answer 9

You've hit the nail on the head. Many fundamentalist theists are inconsistent on this issue. Personally I don't think you'll get an answer from someone who doesn't embrace the vengeful god of the OT because that seems to be the no-nonsense, my way or the highway, conservative fundementalist position.

Answer 10

it form of feels that you're for the possibility free, no? i'm professional selection no longer because I help abortion yet because it truly is an unlucky actuality of our society. i can't administration human beings. i will furnish practise and opportunities yet i can't administration the options others pick to make with their lives. i'm on the fence about the shortcoming of existence penalty.