Can a Christian who believes in the Ten commandments support the death penalty?

Question

It seems to me that most Conservative/Christian leaders in America are hypocrites by being against abortion but for the death penalty.
The ten commandments clearly states that it is wrong to kill, so why do they support it?

Although the bible does not say thou shalt not murder, Is murdering someone not killing them? .

Hmm, I don't think there is an easy answer to his question, the bible contradicts itself very much. But it is still a good discussion.

Democrats that are Christians are also hypocrites if they are for abortion, but from what I understand there are much more atheist liberals than conservatives.

Some of you may mistake this question as asking if killing can be justified, it is not. Regardless of the circumstances or reasons for committing the death penalty, can IT be justified.

Answer 1

That is a very good question. One of the Ten Commandments is Thou shalt no kill. So, in their twisted minds, they want to punish someone for killing another person by killing that person! That's like stealing an offender's identity because they stole someone else's. Just because you are doing it to punish them does not make it right.

hypofocus-I don't know if you were referring to me in that last bit, but I am not saying God is a hypocrite for killing people. God isn't the one who carries out the execution. So that does not make God a hypocrite, but the people who are involved in carrying out the execution, provided they are religious. That is because people who believe in God are supposed to follow the Ten Commandments, but one of the Commandments is Thou shalt not kill. That is why I say they are hypocrites.

alexg114-The Ten Commandments does not say Thou shalt not kill unjustly, it only says Thou shalt not kill. I am not saying that the rapist and the father are the same. I think, we as a society should show our civility by locking up the offenders like the rapist for the rest of their lives, instead of killing them to punish them for killing. The father, on the other hand, would be charged with voluntary manslaughter, and maybe serve 5 years, if that. There's a big difference in the punishments, even if the rapist isn't put to death.

sociald-Yes, it does say it is wrong to kill. What part of Thou shalt not kill don't you understand? The word kill is right in that Commandment. Unless kill somehow changes meaning between the two, it says it is wrong to kill, not that it is wrong to murder.

Answer 2

You pose a two part question, the first being that a stance against abortion and yet for the death penalty is hypocritical the second that the death penalty violates the ten commandments.
First there is an obvious difference in the taking of the life of an unborn child and the distribution of justice to a heinous murderor. Innocence can't be ignored if you attempt to compare the two.
Second, the bible also commands that Jews fight wars to gain land or other spoils for or from God. Hence, killing is obviously acceptable in some circumstances. Why would you argue that if you've already murdered, the taking of your life should be out of the question.

Answer 3

I expected the guy who blathers about it saying "murder" instead of "kill" Not in pretty much every translation out there, dude - or is it wrong? How many other parts of the Bible are wrong then? We've been told "thou shall not kill" for centuries and suddenly when you're confronted with actual killing you say that's not what it really says? Absolutely incredible.

I expected the guy who says you have to read more than the Ten Commandments, as if that somehow negates the Ten Commandments.

I expected the guy who adds hypocrisy to hypocrisy by talking about the Democrats, as if they make it somehow okay to break the Ten Commandments.

But the guy who says God would be a hypocrite because He kills people? That's a new one!

Answer 4

I am a liberal Christian. However the reason I am against the death penalty is common sense and taxes (oops, that sounds like an oxymoron)

it costs the taxpayers 3 times as much to put someone to death than it does to put them in prison for life. Also, it doesn't appear that the death penalty is that much of a deterrent. Might as well save us taxpayers some money.

Answer 5

There is the Old Testament..."an eye for an eye" ya know. Also it does differentiate between "thou shalt not murder"...which refers to taking the life of an innocent...versus "kill" which gets back to the eye for an eye mandate. But, hey, I'm not a Christian and I say, "kill the bastards" if they have killed an innocent.

Answer 6

Because the Commandment is "Thou shalt do no Murder", not "Thou shalt not kill."

And don't leave Jews out of your question. The Commandments were given to Jews long before there were any Christians.

Answer 7

yes you can believe in the Ten Commandments and the death penalty at the same time and not be considered a hypocrite.

The ten commandments forbids to kill someone unjustly.

Let us look at different examples shall we???

You go to rob a bank, and kill the bank teller... killing is wrong
You execute the bank robber/ murdered so they will not kill again.. killing is justified...

Someone breaks into your home and is raping your 11 year old daughter then kills her... Killing is wrong
You catch that killer yourself in your home and kill him before he does the same to your wife or other children.,. killing is justified....

A woman goes on a date, has a unprotected one night stand, gets pregnant and decides to kill the baby because she doesnt want it.. killing is wrong

Do you see the difference in the scenarios?

or do you feel that a rapist who also kills a girl is the same as the father killing that person to protect his family???

Answer 8

Considering that the Ten Commandments forbid murder. You could argue that capital punishment is the lesser of two evils compared to giving someone with no moral sense the oppotunity to escape and commit mruder again.

Answer 9

No. Any good priest will tell you, that only God has the right to take someone's life. Captial punishment is a jury trying to act like god. Personally i am a strong supporter of the death penatly. Though, it is against fundamental christian belief. Like you said, they are hypocrits.

Answer 10

They say they can, but if one actually studies the Bible instead of reads it, one cannot accept the death penalty as punishment for a crime!