Capital Punishment

[freelance lover]

So my university recently did a staged reading of the play adaptation of Dead Man Walking. The play/film is based on the memoir of Sister Helen Prejean, a nun who began counseling inmates on death row and is now an activist for death penalty abolition.

The play is interesting in that it doesn't just touch on the social and political sides of the death penalty, but it also talks on the religious. They consistently use the idea of "eye for an eye" vs "turn the other cheek", both which are obviously biblical references.

So, what are your thoughts on the death penalty, and how, as Christian should we respond to the "justified" killing of people as punishment?  

[Shadows-shine]

I am in favor of capital punishment. It is supported in the Bible. The two places I can think of off the top of my head are Genesis 9:6 and Numbers 35:16..  

[Zolof Keeper Of Souls]

The idea of capitol punishment, i guess, is a fair one. It is, for the most part though, unsupported by the new testament. I guess im all for it, since most people who are on death row are un-sympathetic/don't care about the fact that they killed someone.  

[freelance lover]

Shadows-shine

I am in favor of capital punishment. It is supported in the Bible. The two places I can think of off the top of my head are Genesis 9:6 and Numbers 35:16..

But the issue comes from the fact that, while capital punishment is very much supported in the OT, the NT has a very different message Jesus tells us not to take an eye for and eye, but to turn the other cheek. There's a clear contradiction in ideology, so you can't really say "The entire Bible support it" because it really doesn't.  

[freelance lover]

Zolof Keeper Of Souls

The idea of capitol punishment, i guess, is a fair one. It is, for the most part though, unsupported by the new testament. I guess im all for it, since most people who are on death row are un-sympathetic/don't care about the fact that they killed someone.

One of the big things I learned from the play and the talk backs associated with it was that capital punishment is a lot less cut and dry than we like to think. It's not a coincidence that pretty much every single convict on death row comes from a poor family, or that most are male and from and ethnic minority. One of the speakers also made the point that to support the death penalty you essentially have to accept the fact that every now and then someone innocent will accidentally be killed. It's happened before and it will inevitably happen again because the system is flawed. That creates the moral dilemma of the end justifying the means, etc. Some people are fine with that, but I'm personally uncomfortable with it. Not to mention there's really no humane way to kill someone. Lethal injection is just as bad as firing squads, hangings, etc;.

There are a lot of issues that play into the death penalty (and the justice system in general) that I find I can't really can't support. I was a pretty hesitant supporter until I actually learned about it, and now I just don't think I can support it. Not to mention it's actually more expensive to execute someone than keep them for life without parole, and honestly, I just don't see who benefits from killing them. All that coupled with Jesus' words in the NT really make me feel like it's outdated and no longer what needs to be done.  

[Testicular Diabeetus]

God says to not kill others, we are not suppose to fight amongst others because God will deal with them when their time comes.
We don't need to kill and fight because God will handle it.
Humans aren't suppose to be revengeful, there isn't any need for it.  

[Zolof Keeper Of Souls]

freelance lover

Zolof Keeper Of Souls

The idea of capitol punishment, i guess, is a fair one. It is, for the most part though, unsupported by the new testament. I guess im all for it, since most people who are on death row are un-sympathetic/don't care about the fact that they killed someone.

One of the big things I learned from the play and the talk backs associated with it was that capital punishment is a lot less cut and dry than we like to think. It's not a coincidence that pretty much every single convict on death row comes from a poor family, or that most are male and from and ethnic minority. One of the speakers also made the point that to support the death penalty you essentially have to accept the fact that every now and then someone innocent will accidentally be killed. It's happened before and it will inevitably happen again because the system is flawed. That creates the moral dilemma of the end justifying the means, etc. Some people are fine with that, but I'm personally uncomfortable with it. Not to mention there's really no humane way to kill someone. Lethal injection is just as bad as firing squads, hangings, etc;.

There are a lot of issues that play into the death penalty (and the justice system in general) that I find I can't really can't support. I was a pretty hesitant supporter until I actually learned about it, and now I just don't think I can support it. Not to mention it's actually more expensive to execute someone than keep them for life without parole, and honestly, I just don't see who benefits from killing them. All that coupled with Jesus' words in the NT really make me feel like it's outdated and no longer what needs to be done.

It's a hard question, but the truth remains that humans aren't perfect. The justice system will never be perfect, i heard a story of a man serving 40 years for a crime he never committed, later they found out and let him go, but he didn't have much of a life left to live after they took those years away from him. Yes there is discrimination, i know this better than most, but it is hard to say, because some have committed murders.And keeping them in prison sometimes isn't just enough, plenty of people break out. Or live a better life in prison than they did on the streets due to a hierarchy in some prisons. And yes, there is no humane way to kill a human. Killing is a inhuman act. But the fact remains that humans kill other humans. And capitol punishment is the way we punish those humans that kill other humans. Lethal injection is the most painless way to punish one though.  

[rmcdra]

Matthew 5

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.

Doesn't get any clearer than that. Capital punishment sounds like a "no" here. While I could see capital punishment as a form of atonement for crimes committed, in many cases it's often used as a form of vengeance and can be easily used as such.

Related to this topic, there was a study that I had read on capital punishment, that it did little to console the survivors of capital punishment crimes and actually made the recovery process for the victims more difficult.  

[freelance lover]

rmcdra

Matthew 5

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.

Doesn't get any clearer than that. Capital punishment sounds like a "no" here. While I could see capital punishment as a form of atonement for crimes committed, in many cases it's often used as a form of vengeance and can be easily used as such.

Related to this topic, there was a study that I had read on capital punishment, that it did little to console the survivors of capital punishment crimes and actually made the recovery process for the victims more difficult.

I've heard that as well. With each repeal and the setting of the execution date, the families of the victims are constantly being reminded over and over again about their loss. With life without parole, there's pretty much just one repeal, and then it's done. Also, the survivors are able to confront the killer and come to peace with their loss through life in prison, while once the person is killed... there's no chance for that. So really, it turns out keeping them alive is more beneficial for the survivors.

Not to mention what it does to the people who actually have to go through with and verify the executions. There are a lot of instances of people doing it once, and then asking to never being assigned to it again, because it traumatized them so much.

I dunno, the more I learn about it, the less benefits I see to it. Too many cons, not enough pros.  

[GENA0199]

freelance lover

So my university recently did a staged reading of the play adaptation of Dead Man Walking. The play/film is based on the memoir of Sister Helen Prejean, a nun who began counseling inmates on death row and is now an activist for death penalty abolition.

The play is interesting in that it doesn't just touch on the social and political sides of the death penalty, but it also talks on the religious. They consistently use the idea of "eye for an eye" vs "turn the other cheek", both which are obviously biblical references.

So, what are your thoughts on the death penalty, and how, as Christian should we respond to the "justified" killing of people as punishment?

 

[GENA0199]

Zolof Keeper Of Souls

freelance lover

Zolof Keeper Of Souls

The idea of capitol punishment, i guess, is a fair one. It is, for the most part though, unsupported by the new testament. I guess im all for it, since most people who are on death row are un-sympathetic/don't care about the fact that they killed someone.

One of the big things I learned from the play and the talk backs associated with it was that capital punishment is a lot less cut and dry than we like to think. It's not a coincidence that pretty much every single convict on death row comes from a poor family, or that most are male and from and ethnic minority. One of the speakers also made the point that to support the death penalty you essentially have to accept the fact that every now and then someone innocent will accidentally be killed. It's happened before and it will inevitably happen again because the system is flawed. That creates the moral dilemma of the end justifying the means, etc. Some people are fine with that, but I'm personally uncomfortable with it. Not to mention there's really no humane way to kill someone. Lethal injection is just as bad as firing squads, hangings, etc;.

There are a lot of issues that play into the death penalty (and the justice system in general) that I find I can't really can't support. I was a pretty hesitant supporter until I actually learned about it, and now I just don't think I can support it. Not to mention it's actually more expensive to execute someone than keep them for life without parole, and honestly, I just don't see who benefits from killing them. All that coupled with Jesus' words in the NT really make me feel like it's outdated and no longer what needs to be done.

It's a hard question, but the truth remains that humans aren't perfect. The justice system will never be perfect, i heard a story of a man serving 40 years for a crime he never committed, later they found out and let him go, but he didn't have much of a life left to live after they took those years away from him. Yes there is discrimination, i know this better than most, but it is hard to say, because some have committed murders.And keeping them in prison sometimes isn't just enough, plenty of people break out. Or live a better life in prison than they did on the streets due to a hierarchy in some prisons. And yes, there is no humane way to kill a human. Killing is a inhuman act. But the fact remains that humans kill other humans. And capitol punishment is the way we punish those humans that kill other humans. Lethal injection is the most painless way to punish one though.

 

[Matt Pniewski]

It is my belief that our Criminal Justice System has three goals.

Protect the Innocent.
Punish the Guilty.
Reform the Guilty.

Capital Punishment does nothing to punish nor does it do anything to reform. Sure, it protects the innocent, but so does a cell. Killing them is a simple cost saving measure. Death is death. Sure, this is a Christian Guild and we all assume "Hell" is involved. Since we are talking about law, we must assume it is not. Seeing that that is the case, death is death.

For certain offenders who cannot be reformed, Life in prison is a stronger punishment than Death as it actually is punishment.  

[freelance lover]

Matt Pniewski

It is my belief that our Criminal Justice System has three goals.

Protect the Innocent.
Punish the Guilty.
Reform the Guilty.

Capital Punishment does nothing to punish nor does it do anything to reform. Sure, it protects the innocent, but so does a cell. Killing them is a simple cost saving measure. Death is death. Sure, this is a Christian Guild and we all assume "Hell" is involved. Since we are talking about law, we must assume it is not. Seeing that that is the case, death is death.

For certain offenders who cannot be reformed, Life in prison is a stronger punishment than Death as it actually is punishment.

The thing is, it's actually more expensive to put someone to death than it is to keep them for life. The appeal process becomes so expensive, it's about four times more expensive in the end. gonk  

[Matt Pniewski]

freelance lover

Matt Pniewski

It is my belief that our Criminal Justice System has three goals.

Protect the Innocent.
Punish the Guilty.
Reform the Guilty.

Capital Punishment does nothing to punish nor does it do anything to reform. Sure, it protects the innocent, but so does a cell. Killing them is a simple cost saving measure. Death is death. Sure, this is a Christian Guild and we all assume "Hell" is involved. Since we are talking about law, we must assume it is not. Seeing that that is the case, death is death.

For certain offenders who cannot be reformed, Life in prison is a stronger punishment than Death as it actually is punishment.

The thing is, it's actually more expensive to put someone to death than it is to keep them for life. The appeal process becomes so expensive, it's about four times more expensive in the end. gonk

It is potentially Cheaper, though.  

[freelance lover]

Matt Pniewski

freelance lover

Matt Pniewski

It is my belief that our Criminal Justice System has three goals.

Protect the Innocent.
Punish the Guilty.
Reform the Guilty.

Capital Punishment does nothing to punish nor does it do anything to reform. Sure, it protects the innocent, but so does a cell. Killing them is a simple cost saving measure. Death is death. Sure, this is a Christian Guild and we all assume "Hell" is involved. Since we are talking about law, we must assume it is not. Seeing that that is the case, death is death.

For certain offenders who cannot be reformed, Life in prison is a stronger punishment than Death as it actually is punishment.

The thing is, it's actually more expensive to put someone to death than it is to keep them for life. The appeal process becomes so expensive, it's about four times more expensive in the end. gonk

It is potentially Cheaper, though.

Potentially, true. But not in practice. Kind of like how communism sounds awesome in theory but kind of sucks in real life.