shk75 Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Now let me start off by saying this is NOT a bashing thread so please just educated debate. Now to the point, I was having a discussion with my friend about some guy who was found innocent after he was put to death. I was like the thing I don't get is that most states that have the death penalty are part of the Bible belt. I just never understood how a Christian would support the death penalty but my friend says the people deserve it if they do not want to die do not commit a crime, however, I said Chirst Himself said turn the other cheek and do not use an eye for an eye. I mean isnt the whole point of being Christian following Christ and doing what He would do????? Anyways he said different times different ballgame we do not do a lot of the things the bible says but it doesn't mean we are not Christians.....anyways my two cents I think its wrong but hey who am I to judge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brave Little Toaster Oven Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Now let me start off by saying this is NOT a bashing thread so please just educated debate. Now to the point, I was having a discussion with my friend about some guy who was found innocent after he was put to death. I was like the thing I don't get is that most states that have the death penalty are part of the Bible belt. I just never understood how a Christian would support the death penalty but my friend says the people deserve it if they do not want to die do not commit a crime, however, I said Chirst Himself said turn the other cheek and do not use an eye for an eye. I mean isnt the whole point of being Christian following Christ and doing what He would do????? Anyways he said different times different ballgame we do not do a lot of the things the bible says but it doesn't mean we are not Christians.....anyways my two cents I think its wrong but hey who am I to judge. I thought that's where the idea of the death penalty came from? I remember all the stories of people being stoned to death, and the "eye for an eye" thing too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portisizzle Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Why not?................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebornempowered Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Because life has so much value that there has to be a price to be paid for taking it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrockster21 Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Because people are religious only when its convenient for them to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techboy Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 It's pretty easy, really. "Turn the other cheek" is a code of personal conduct, while the death penalty is administered by the state. It's the same reason Christians can be in favor of war (usually in limited cases). I'm a Christian, and I'm against the death penalty, but it's not because I think the State has no right to execute people. As far as I'm concerned, Saddam Hussein (for instance) got what he deserved. Since someone always asks, my reasons for opposition are basically financial and efficiency issues. As it stands now, it is way too expensive to administer the death penalty, taking into account all the appeals and stays and such. The standard response to this problem is to streamline the process and eliminate/ severely reduce the appeals, but there are too many cases of people being acquited of crimes 15 years later for me to be comfortable with this solution. If there was a system that was quick, cheap, and certain, I'd be in favor of it. There isn't, so I'm not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popeman38 Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 The deatch penelty is a touchy issue for Christians. I feel that the death penelty should only be invoked when there are 2 or more eye witnesses to the crime. Of course, now that DNA testing is so advanced, this is worth more than an eye witness. It is a difficult issue to wrap your mind around. The people that subscribe to the rehabilitation standpoint of prison almost universally oppose the death penelty. Those that see prison from the punitive standpoint are more apt to suppport the death penelty. Add to this the different religious perspectives just among Christions and you can see how this is a slightly complicated issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilmer17 Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 I oppose it because I havent been able to grasp how executing a person helps society as a whole. It's more expensive than life in prison, it doesnt act as a deterent, and it has unfixable consequences if there is a mistake. I'd rather see reform int eh penitentiary system making it harder, more sever and essentially a living hell, rather than actually sending someone to hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsOrlando Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 I feel that the death penelty should only be invoked when there are 2 or more eye witnesses to the crime. Of course, now that DNA testing is so advanced, this is worth more than an eye witness. Our views are strikingly similar, someone convicted with circumstantial evidence should not face the death penalty IMO. Witnesses, DNA and other solid evidenceis a death penalty case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKINS@THEGOALLINE Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Why do we kill people, who kill people, to prove that killing people is wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenaa Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Now let me start off by saying this is NOT a bashing thread so please just educated debate. Now to the point, I was having a discussion with my friend about some guy who was found innocent after he was put to death. I was like the thing I don't get is that most states that have the death penalty are part of the Bible belt. I just never understood how a Christian would support the death penalty but my friend says the people deserve it if they do not want to die do not commit a crime, however, I said Chirst Himself said turn the other cheek and do not use an eye for an eye. I mean isnt the whole point of being Christian following Christ and doing what He would do????? Anyways he said different times different ballgame we do not do a lot of the things the bible says but it doesn't mean we are not Christians.....anyways my two cents I think its wrong but hey who am I to judge. "turn the other cheek" is my pet peeve. To turn the other cheek, meant if slapped on one side of the face, offer the other as well. It was a form of defiance in that culture. Now, I support the idea of the death penalty, but I'm finding myself less supportive of it's implementation because of it's current flaws. Too expensive, takes too much time and the possibility of executing an innocent person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portisizzle Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 I oppose it because I havent been able to grasp how executing a person helps society as a whole. It's more expensive than life in prison, it doesnt act as a deterent, and it has unfixable consequences if there is a mistake.I'd rather see reform int eh penitentiary system making it harder, more sever and essentially a living hell, rather than actually sending someone to hell. At what point, when Capital Punishment is banned, would someone come along and argue that life in prison is cruel and unususal. My guess is that a man committed to a life in prison would BEG for death before it is all over with. In a way Capital Punishment is a kinder way of dealing with the absolution that a person must face with the prospect that he will never see the free world again. To illustrate my true opinion on this I would say a prison in the desert or Alaska would be a suitable alternative. Question is would the man or woman living in that environment NOT want death? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Judges Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 I have to say, there has not yet been a satisfactory response from the Christian right. Many evangelicals are against abortion for religious reasons, and they don't seem to hold back when it comes to legislating morality on that subject, so why don't evangelicals ever try to legislate the murder commandment? Maybe it happens sometimes but where are the Dobsons and the Fallwells on capital punishment and what are their biblical reasons? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrockster21 Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 I have to say, there has not yet been a satisfactory response from the Christian right. Many evangelicals are against abortion for religious reasons, and they don't seem to hold back when it comes to legislating morality on that subject, so why don't evangelicals ever try to legislate the murder commandment? Maybe it happens sometimes but where are the Dobsons and the Fallwells on capital punishment and what are their biblical reasons? Because people are religious only when its convenient for them to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsOrlando Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 ^^^ people on death row made decisions that put them there, an aborted fetus made no decisions at all. 2 completely different subjects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portisizzle Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 I have to say, there has not yet been a satisfactory response from the Christian right. Many evangelicals are against abortion for religious reasons, and they don't seem to hold back when it comes to legislating morality on that subject, so why don't evangelicals ever try to legislate the murder commandment? Maybe it happens sometimes but where are the Dobsons and the Fallwells on capital punishment and what are their biblical reasons? If anything the contradiction is with the liberal left. Keep mommy killers alive - kill unborn babies. From a moral standpoint I know where I feel more comfortable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrockster21 Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 ^^^ people on death row made decisions that put them there, an aborted fetus made no decisions at all. 2 completely different subjects. But killing people is killing people, right? And the bible clearly says, in bold, red ink, Thou shalt not kill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebornempowered Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 But killing people is killing people, right? And the bible clearly says, in bold, red ink, Thou shalt not kill. The Bible does not say "Thou shalt not kill". A correct translation is "Thou shalt not murder". VERY big difference. Also, unless the whole Bible is in red ink you wouldn't find it in red ink because Jesus didn't say it in the New Testament. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Judges Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Ugh. Thank you multiple :obvious: but I was asking for biblical reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portisizzle Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 But killing people is killing people, right? And the bible clearly says, in bold, red ink, Thou shalt not kill. Tell that to the death row inmate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Because people are religious only when its convenient for them to do so. Easy now JRock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrockster21 Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 The Bible does not say "Thou shalt not kill". A correct translation is "Thou shalt not murder". VERY big difference.Also, unless the whole Bible is in red ink you wouldn't find it in red ink because Jesus didn't say it in the New Testament. But if only god can judge us, wouldn't the justified killing of someone involve judging them? In fact would it not be the ultimate judgment - something we're supposed to leave to god? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrockster21 Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Easy now JRock. I'm not saying that to agitate - its a fact, and a reasonable argument in any biblical debate. Some Christians read the bible and live by what is most convenient for them; its a fact of life. As a preacher, I'm sure you see this every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popeman38 Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 I have to say, there has not yet been a satisfactory response from the Christian right. Many evangelicals are against abortion for religious reasons, and they don't seem to hold back when it comes to legislating morality on that subject, so why don't evangelicals ever try to legislate the murder commandment? Maybe it happens sometimes but where are the Dobsons and the Fallwells on capital punishment and what are their biblical reasons? The Christian right is not against abortion for "religious" reasons. They are against it because they view it as legalized murder, much the same as the view euthanasia as legalized murder. Dobson has been quite outspoken on capital punishment. It is just not a major issue/lightning rod, as abortion is. As it is legal in a large number of states, there is no need to move this issue into the national spotlight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 i'm a christian, and i am one that is completely undecided on the death penalty. lately i've been leaning more towards being against it, but you can't convince me that people that kill kids, saddam hussein, and others don't deserve it. i know if anyone hurt my son, i would kill him. whether that's right or wrong, i guess my day to find out would come soon enough. it has nothing to do with religious convenience for most christians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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