Capital Punishment

WHEREAS, The Bible teaches that every human life has sacred value (Genesis 1:27) and forbids the taking of innocent human life (Exodus 20:13); and

WHEREAS, God has vested in the civil magistrate the responsibility of protecting the innocent and punishing the guilty (Romans 13:1-3); and

WHEREAS, We recognize that fallen human nature has made impossible a perfect judicial system; and

WHEREAS, God authorized capital punishment for murder after the Noahic Flood, validating its legitimacy in human society (Genesis 9:6); and

WHEREAS, God forbids personal revenge (Romans 12:19) and has established capital punishment as a just and appropriate means by which the civil magistrate may punish those guilty of capital crimes (Romans 13:4); and

WHEREAS, God requires proof of guilt before any punishment is administered (Deuteronomy 19:15-19); and

WHEREAS, God's instructions require a civil magistrate to judge all people equally under the law, regardless of class or status (Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 1:17); and

WHEREAS, All people, including those guilty of capital crimes, are created in the image of God and should be treated with dignity (Genesis 1:27).

Therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting in Orlando, Florida, June 13-14, 2000, support the fair and equitable use of capital punishment by civil magistrates as a legitimate form of punishment for those guilty of murder or treasonous acts that result in death. [http://www.sbc.net/resolutions/299]

Here is some material from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops about The Church's Anti-Death Penalty Position: https://tinyurl.com/88uw793

And here: https://tinyurl.com/y9ua59v5

I used to be a supporter of the death penalty and perhaps I still am for terrorism or other crimes of heinous nature.

I am unclear as wether the death penalty is supported in scripture and appeals to the OT do not move me anymore than the idea of stoning homosexuals moves me.

I have found it increasingly unnerving how some of the Christians in this forum will struggle to acknowledge that it is NOT right to stone homosexuals, or that it was not right back then, because their interpretation of biblical scripture is cemented in literalism and a miscomprehension of the covenants and morality. The OT is a tough read.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA): "The Death Penalty stands in the Lutheran tradition recognizing that God entrusts the state with the power to take human life when failure to do so constitutes a clear danger to the common good. Never-the-less, it expresses ELCA opposition to the use of the death penalty, one that grows out of ministry with and to people affected by violent crime."

Full statement and argumentation: https://tinyurl.com/yc6t3whx

Originally posted by @fmf
[quote]WHEREAS, The Bible teaches that every human life has sacred value (Genesis 1:27) and forbids the taking of innocent human life (Exodus 20:13); and

WHEREAS, God has vested in the civil magistrate the responsibility of protecting the innocent and punishing the guilty (Romans 13:1-3); and

WHEREAS, We recognize that fallen human nature has made imposs ...[text shortened]... he question: Do you support the use of capital punishment in a secular [non-theocratic] society?

Originally posted by @fmf
[quote]WHEREAS, The Bible teaches that every human life has sacred value (Genesis 1:27) and forbids the taking of innocent human life (Exodus 20:13); and

WHEREAS, God has vested in the civil magistrate the responsibility of protecting the innocent and punishing the guilty (Romans 13:1-3); and

WHEREAS, We recognize that fallen human nature has made imposs ...[text shortened]... he question: Do you support the use of capital punishment in a secular [non-theocratic] society?

Originally posted by @rajk999
I consider myself a religious practicing Christian. However I live in a very violent third world country. Crime is destroying the lives of decent people here. There are some people who do not deserve to be living among decent people and the cost of incarcerating them permanently or rehabilitating them is prohibitive. They need to be executed.

Originally posted by @fmf
[quote]WHEREAS, The Bible teaches that every human life has sacred value (Genesis 1:27) and forbids the taking of innocent human life (Exodus 20:13); and

WHEREAS, God has vested in the civil magistrate the responsibility of protecting the innocent and punishing the guilty (Romans 13:1-3); and

WHEREAS, We recognize that fallen human nature has made imposs ...[text shortened]... he question: Do you support the use of capital punishment in a secular [non-theocratic] society?

Originally posted by @thinkofone
Yet another topic that illustrates the wide gulf between many Christians and followers of the gospel preached by Jesus during His ministry.

[b]WHEREAS, We recognize that fallen human nature has made impossible a perfect judicial system

Evidently despite the fact that they recognize that the innocent will no doubt be executed, they come out in s ...[text shortened]... capital punishment. Yet another example of seriously flawed "thinking" by the "Christian right".[/b]

Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-duke
Yes, it is the possibility (and reality) that capital punishment will sometimes be inflicted upon the innocent that makes it unacceptable, in my opinion.

Originally posted by @rajk999
Come spend a month in my shoes and then talk. What you suffer from is a mindset peculiar to developed countries where life is relatively safe. i have lived in both and I understand how you think about these things. But unless you have lived among vicious murders rapes and child abuse you will not understand. The authorities are powerless to act. The vast m ...[text shortened]... t in any way they think fit to sort these problems out. Let me know if you need some references.

Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-duke
It is true that I can only speak from my personal context, though would imagine an innocent person being put to death is a bad thing in any country.

Originally posted by @thinkofone
Yet another topic that illustrates the wide gulf between many Christians and followers of the gospel preached by Jesus during His ministry.

[b]WHEREAS, We recognize that fallen human nature has made impossible a perfect judicial system

Evidently despite the fact that they recognize that the innocent will no doubt be executed, they come out in s ...[text shortened]... capital punishment. Yet another example of seriously flawed "thinking" by the "Christian right".[/b]

Originally posted by @suzianne
However, I am not part of the Christian right. If I have to have a label, how about Christian left?

Yet I am also aware that there are some horrible people in the world, people beyond salvation, people who are truly evil. I fully support capital punishment for these people, when convicted of their crimes.

People like the guy in this news item:

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/apos-burn-hell-apos-fla-184750598.html

Originally posted by @thinkofone
Evidently though you side with the "Christian Left" on many issues, you side with the "Christian Right" when it comes to capital punishment.

From what I've seen from Romans I'd guess that the opposite is true of him.

That you fall on the side of the "Christian Right" on this issue should give you pause.

[b]"...people beyond salvation..."
...[text shortened]... y are you able to JUDGE with absolute certainty that any given individual is "beyond salvation"?[/b]