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toldailytopic: Is the death penalty unchristian? -
April 16th, 2012, 09:50 AM
The TheologyOnline.com TOPIC OF THE DAY for April 16th, 2012 09:46 AM
toldailytopic: Is the death penalty unchristian?
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God certainly gave governments the authority to carry out the death penalty. I think that God rather expects that governments should use it.
Should Christians be so vocal in calling for the death penalty? I think not.
Galatians 5:22-23 (New International Version)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Slogan/motto:
II Timothy 2:15, Psalms 6:5, I John 3:1-2, Romans 5:1 I John 4:18, I Timothy 2:4-5, II Corinthians 9:8,11, III John 2
Reputation:
April 16th, 2012, 10:01 AM
The death penalty is Christian
Acts 25:11
"For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar."
Love your neighbor as yourself. That is what Paul was saying.
He loved his neighbor, so if he did anything worthy of death, the loving thing would be to accept the death penalty.
oatmeal
"And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers." Acts 2:42
"For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?" Psalm 6:5
I don't think character of Christ was blood thirsty, like some Christians here.
If we follow in his footsteps, do we wish to condemn the world or save it?
I think a Christlike character is quick to grace and slow to judgement, this includes the death penalty.
There are time when it would feel just to me, and would seem a black and white decision, but for the many more times when we live in a we world of mistakes, uncertainty and ambiguity I cannot hold with it.
I can't say its unchristian due to no known clear chapter and verse, but I would say I don't feel outside the will of God opposing it.
No. It is unchristian to give murders and rapists a slap on the hand and let them go to victimize more people. This culture's sympathy for criminals is a big reason why it is in the trouble it is in. It is no longer blame the criminal anymore. It blame his parents, blame his food or his genes. That is very unchristian.
I think the death penalty is completely contradictory to Christianity.
Not only are we not subject to the Old Law, we are not even supposed to live by it. In doing so, we pretty much omit any reason for Jesus coming in the first place.
And also, if we say that the Old Law should be followed in any way, then we have already failed because it requires near perfection of following it.
So all one is really left with is the NT, and Jesus said himself to let the one without sin cast the first stone. Adultery was punishable with death, but do we send adulterers to the chair?
Therefore, if one executes murderers and rapists, execute adulterers as well. And homosexuals, and those who use God's name in vain as well.
Otherwise, you are stumbling by that one thing and are guilty.
That's sort of the contradiction with all defenses used for the death penalty, including Acts 25:11 as oatmeal prescribed.
The Bible says to be subject to government. It does not however say that Christians should condone the death penalty. These are two entirely different gambits. And it's not as if God doesn't send signs- the Church got a hold of government and it failed. American Christians are failing at putting their beliefs into government. Two entirely different things- they are meant to be separate.
Hybrid Mode
