Can you be a Christian and Support the Death Penalty?

We are eternally grateful he was crucified cruelly and unjustly by man, since He did it for our salvation and all who will believe.

 

it would seem that 'technically", if you supported the death penalty, you would not be a christian, at least not in my understanding.

 

Yes, we can be Christian and support the death penalty. We're just hypocritical Christians when we do so.

I'll confess to being one of those hypocritical Christians. I believe that God doesn't want us to execute criminals.

But, contrary to God's will, I believe, at times, they should be killed.

 

It was my fault if that is what you mean.

 

First, it would seem a prerequisite that one would profess a belief in Christ as their Savior and Lord before answering this.

And furthermore, the Bible backs up the death penalty... in Judaic law, and in post Christian times.

So yes. On two fronts.

 

does the belief in christ render the legal implications of the old testament moot?

 

Eye for an Eye is so old school....

I think I read this from one of those Christian pamphlets...

"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will laso forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matt, 6:14-15)

We, at least, don't live under kings or dictators. There's a great window for public action in laws concerning the death penalty, so there's no moral excuse in hiding behind government sanctioned murder.

Tookie may not have repented, but we have removed any possibility for that. One could argue compassion from the savings in government resources he and other Death Row inmates burn yearly, but that's the result of the penal system we defined.

 

I voted yes primarily to see how the poll was playing out but honestly I'm not sure either . From what I understand the Old Testament would say yes but again it seems that "Turn the other cheek" would overrule that.

 

I agree with this statement.

 

Turn the other cheek means to find no offense or guilt. You can debate on how far you would like to take this proverb. I don't intend on turning my cheek to a murder.

I support the death penalty if a person is a risk of further killing someone else, regardless of the circumstance.

 

Why not just lock him up without parole and save the government some cash while you're at it?

It's possible to seperate the hardcore criminals from the general prison population, and restrict their access to reach the outside world and prevent them from making any actions by proxy.

 

Yes, it is. And that option means the state (and all of us) doesn't become a murderer too.

I would love to hear MadMax's take on this.

 

Oh, except the last part.

 

Can you be a death penalty and support a Christian?

 

Incidentally, the poll question's a little useless in a way. It could also say "Can you be a Christian and support pedophilia?" or "Can you be a Christian and support abortion rights?" or "Can you be a Christian and support birth control?" or "Can you be a Christian and support gay rights?" or "Can you be a Christian and support pre-emptive war?" or "Can you be a Christian and support cuts in services to the poor and cuts in taxes for the rich?" The answer in each case would be yes, because Christianity is about absolving sins, even though support of each of the things above is, apparently, considered sinful by Christians. So...

Pedophilia, abortion, condoms, homosexuality, preemptive war (or really war of any sort), aiding the rich, failing to aid the poor and the death penalty, or support of any of those things, is un-Christian. But, according to Christianity, you can be forgiven for indulging in or supporting any of those things, as long as you honestly and truly promise to never do it again.

 

Actually, the question should be worded "Can you be a Christian and support the death penalty without being inconsistent with the teachings of Jesus".

Well, no surprise that Borracho voted no. Batman, you just wanted to take the opportunity to throw in our faces that you believe that the Christians who lead this country engage in the ridiculous acts that you listed. Nice! Do you dislike Christians?

 

Now that you're done ranting for no particular reason, care to actually answer the question?