Death Penalty

[ayin jade]

The adulterous woman forgiven. Death was the punishment.

Jesus told the crowd that whoever had not sinned to cast the first stone.

Jesus was the only one left standing there and He was the only one without sin , therefore it was His right to stone her to death but He chose to forgive her.

Jesus also said to look at a woman with lustful thoughts was the same as committing the act.

He said the same about vengeful thoughts about another- it's the same as committing murder. Murder, adultery were all offenses met with the death penalty.

All those men surrounding the adulterous woman were probably all worthy of death by their lustful thoughts at one point.

She was unjustly accused. By their law, both he and she had to stand to be accused and stoned. The man was absent so it was unjust for her alone to be stoned.

[ayin jade]

Wrong person executed?

Where does a Christian juror stand concerning that?

Well,in todays world they have DNA.That is really helpful in finding the real culprit.But a long time ago lots were persecuted wrongly.

It still happens

[ayin jade]

The twist of all this is that she would prefer the death penalty over spending the rest of her life in prison. Does she have the right to request such a sentence?

Arizona law does not permit her to request the death penalty. She can however refuse to appeal, although Ive heard in some cases the lawyers have filed appeals anyway.

[ayin jade]

Yet you were forgiven of your sinful actions.

I used to agree with capitol punishment but I don't anymore.

I like the next person don't accept crimes against humanity.

There is a greater above us that will be the judge.

I am curious. Do you think jail time should be forgiven? By your reasoning in your first sentence, it could extend towards no jail time or any other punishment.

Im not trying to argue lol. I am tending against the death penalty lately anyway. But I dont think it is because of our sins being forgiven. My reasoning, besides what I posted earlier about how unfairly administered it is, is also because I think every possible chance should be given to someone to get saved. Cutting a life short seems wrong to me in that case.

[ayin jade]

God doesn't just give humans the 'right' to judge criminal matters in a court of law. He gives us the responsibility to do so wisely and carry out appropriate punishments,....

Psalm 82, while refering to bad judges, does show how judges were considered representative of God in passing judgments on criminals.

[ayin jade]

As for an evil government - do we as Christians support it?

Romans 13

1 ¶ Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities. For there is no authority but of God; the authorities that exist are ordained by God.

[Guest HisG]

Maybe that verse should have been included in that Obama thread AJ.

[Guest HisG]

No AJ, I agree with jail time. That is the earthly consequence of the crime.

I err at taking a human life -

[Guest HisG]

I actually agree with you in that jail time ( to me) is a better option than death penalty.

Like I said before, God is patient - allowing time for one to turn to Him.

[Tinky]

man: The fact that innocent people have been wrongly convicted and executed tells me that God doesn't endorse that proccess of justice.

What? God uses imperfect people all the time! People who make mistakes.

David = Murderer/adulterer

Solomon = Adulterer

Moses = Murderer

Noah = Drunkard

Rahab = Prostitute

Peter = denier of Jesus

Etc.

God used the Jews over and over again for His purposes, and they messed up over and over again.

People will always make mistakes but God still uses them/us. You seem to forget that God was the one who instigated the death penalty in the Old Testament for various offenses (including being disobedient to parents) and He used human beings to carry it out. Do you believe innocent people weren't executed by false testimony back then?

You don't toss out the whole system when, unfortunately, mistakes are made or deception is used.

God gave everyone a system to live by (the 10 Commandments) and nobody has kept those - does that make the system bad? Does it mean God didn't actually "endorse" those commandments?

man: Why would He command us not to avenge ourselves and then turn around and have us do just that?

Were the people who carried out the death sentences for those offenses in the Old Testament "avenging themselves?" No. They were doing as God willed. God used them for His vengeance. The same as when God used people (the Israelites) to obliterate entire nations - from adults down to their children and livestock. (Midianites, Canaanites, anyone?)

Would those children be called "innocent" by you?

When Capitol Punishment is used today, it is not a tool to "avenge ourselves" either. It is used to punish the guilty for breaking the law, and to protect the rest of society.