Why are most murders caused by people of religions that most condemn it?

Question

When you look at history, why do so many Christians completely ignore the commandment, "Thou Shalt not Kill"? Did they think that if it was in war, power, money, etc., it was excused? Even now many Christian's believe in the death penalty, which is completely against the New Testament. And Murder is one of the things that society holds as the number one worse thing anyone can do. I am not sure about in the past, but I am sure it was still pretty serious if someone be put to death for something that harmed no one. And it is not just Christians. Look at the Middle East. How come so many deaths/murders are caused by people of religions that most condemn it?

I could give tons and tons points in History where murders caused by a power-hungry, money hungry, ignorant, or closed-minded person who was part of a religion that condemned all of that.

Truly(1st poster), I did not say or mean anything anti-religion.

Answer 1

First, let's make some distinctions -- not all killing is "murder". I think you know that. Murder is the malicious, willful taking of life.

As for the command "Thou shalt not kill". You are being misled by the change in meaning of an English word over the centuries. The key word is translating a Hebrew word meaning 'murder" NOT a general word for "put to death". (Thus, modern English translations render the verse "You shall not murder")

That's PART of the Law. Elsewhere in the law the death penalty itself is commanded for certain offenses, esp. for murder.

I'm not taking a position on the death penalty here, just trying to clarify what THAT command refers to . And beyond that, it isn't very helpful to lump every taking of life (from accidental killing to self-defense to war to the death penalty to murder) as if they were all the same!

In any case, there certainly are many who have claimed to follow a religion that condemned some act (such as murder) who fail to follow the teachings of that religion. Some of this is due to hypocrisy, some to human failing, some to only PRETENDING to follow the religion.

But you seem to be suggesting that these religions themselves DRIVE people to kill ? And further that these particular religions do so more than others? Did I read that right?

In that case I think you are missing some facts., including the many wrongs that people of OTHER religions have committed (including Hindus and Buddhists whom you probably think of as peaceful). That's not to mention the millions of deaths in the 20th century at the hands of governments that OPPOSED religion and promoted atheism.

I'm not exactly trying to turn the tables all the way --to say that 'this other group' (other religions or atheists) is MORE guilty. That may or may not be the case. But I DO suggest you make an effort to get a fuller set of facts. I think you'll find that PEOPLE kill -- out of selfishness, greed, fear -- and MAY use some belief-system to excuse it.... That does not itself show that the particular belief system somehow caused it. That is a question to be approached very carefully, and humbly.

As fpr the debate about whether the New Testament specifically opposes the death penalty. It is hardly as easy as you make it. Certainly the New Testament (and the Old!) decries PERSONAL vengeance. But the death penalty is supposed to be a carefully weighed act of justice by the state. So how are they connected? Christians have legitimate differences on that point.

(Note: if you really press the NT passages some use to oppose the death penalty, you may end up disallowing ALL legal penalties... and sanctioning anarchy! Yet the NT speaks of the PROPER authority of the state to punish [Paul calls it 'the power of the sword'!])

Answer 2

Many people support the death penalty because of understandable concerns about dangerous criminals being released into their communities. Many haven't yet found out about how the death penalty system actually functions. I think the best thing for people like you is to reach out and explain why you feel about the death penalty as you do.

You don't have to condone brutal crimes or want the criminals who commit them to avoid a harsh punishment to ask whether the death penalty prevents or even reduces crime and whether it risks killing innocent people. Here are some facts with sources below.

Risks of executing innocent people-
124 people on death rows have been released with evidence of their innocence. DNA is available in less than 10% of all homicides and isn’t a guarantee we won’t execute innocent people.

The death penalty doesn't prevent others from committing murder. No reputable study shows the death penalty to be a deterrent. To be a deterrent a punishment must be sure and swift. The death penalty is neither. Homicide rates are higher in states and regions that have it than in states that don’t.

We have a good alternative. Life without parole is now on the books in 48 states. It means what it says. It is sure and swift and rarely appealed. Life without parole is less expensive than the death penalty.

The death penalty costs much more than life in prison, mostly because of the legal process which is supposed to prevent executions of innocent people.

The death penalty isn't reserved for the worst crimes, but for defendants with the worst lawyers. It doesn't apply to people with money. When is the last time a wealthy person was on death row, let alone executed?

The death penalty doesn't necessarily help families of murder victims. Murder victim family members across the country argue that the drawn-out death penalty process is painful for them and that life without parole is an appropriate alternative.

Problems with speeding up the process. Over 50 of the innocent people released from death row had already served over a decade. If the process is speeded up we are sure to execute an innocent person.

Answer 3

Have you read the Old Testament? There are times when God commands his people to kill. You can't say that killing is completely wrong in all Christian doctrine if there were times when God commanded his people to kill. Not to mention that the death penalty was mentioned in the Bible, as a fair and just way to punish those guilty of certain crimes. I don't know when someone has been put to death for something that hurt no one, since the death penalty is reserved for the most heinous of crimes, to my knowledge. Please give an example of this, if you do believe it happens.
Of course killing for power, money etc. are not righteous actions, but in the Old Testament, God's people declared war and God helped them win a lot of those wars. And I know that at least once the Jews of the Old Testament fought a people and God told Aaron to kill them all, not letting women, children, or even a single animal escape. If God says something like this, how can we say that killing for war is against Christian beliefs?

Answer 4

Well, people can see teh death penalty as punishment not so much murder. And I for one do not equate the DP, war, etc as murder.

Well thats easy. They used the religion to manipulate people, that happens all the time. Leaders use many things to manipulate the populace to gain popularity for their cause. Iraq, Global Warming, 9/11, etc

Its not that the religion made them killers, they were killers who used religion to fulfill a desire.

Answer 5

usually, I don't answer questions to do with religion. It's too controversial for me,and it tends to cause problems I try to avoid. However, I will answer this one.
People who kill in this way tend to find excuses as to make themselves feel as if they aren't really breaking the commandment. Similar to that when a kid is told not to eat a cookie, sees his little brother is about to eat the cookie, and eats the cookie before he does. The kid uses the excuse that he tried to prevent his brother from eating the cookie,when in fact the truth of the matter is that he STILL ate the cookie. Humans do this all the time,sadly, and with more dire results. It's a sad fault in the human race.

Answer 6

i like your sarcasm ! to commence, religions have been theory up by potential of human beings, with a extra robust intelligence point, to help deprived/non-sensible, or easy minded, take care of accordance's, that could desire to not be defined, i.e.; Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Floods etc. It became the thank you to regulate concern, by potential of conjuring up the sturdy vs EVIL theory, became a fashion of keeping those human beings below administration. slightly examine and an open techniques, and you'll be able to even have faith that alien craft's do exist. yet there is going that concern element returned. How might the standard working guy, raised on ideals, compelled upon him, react to a visitation from a "area guy" ? Orwellian ? So those that don't look like us, talk like us, or have an identical concept's,(as a results of fact the bible recounts) could Die ! it is MANKIND. that's in our gene's. perhaps, those visitors are those that planted our seed's, and are basically checking on our progression ? perhaps faith is nature's way of inhabitants administration ?

Answer 7

So do you think that if you generate enough anti-Christian or anti-religious sentiment, it will provoke people to kill Christians or religious people in general? Would that solve your problem?