How can a God of love allow stoning as a death penalty ?

[Grungekid]

You know, they had warnings, they were told what not to do and they did it. It's the same as our justice system, yet his ways are better than ours.

this was the most severe penalty one could incur...for the most serious crimes of endangering the entire nation. THis is why the entire nation was to be involved with the punishment. To ensure that everyone understood the seriouness of these particular sins and that there would be less chance of it happening again.

One thing you can say with 100% certainty about the death penalty....the offender will never do it again.

Sad but true.

[Arthur Durnan]

Uhh, "Sad" that the penalty EXISTS, or "sad" that they'll never do it AGAIN? Can't quite follow you. If the former, why? If the latter, why not REJOICE?! And, of course, the guillotine would probably be the least painful of all....quik, decisive, immediately final! Does anyone know Sarkozy's private phone number?

http://arthurdurnan.freeyellow.com

[Grungekid]

Uhh, "Sad" that the penalty EXISTS, or "sad" that they'll never do it AGAIN? Can't quite follow you. If the former, why? If the latter, why not REJOICE?! And, of course, the guillotine would probably be the least painful of all....quik, decisive, immediately final! Does anyone know Sarkozy's private phone number?

http://arthurdurnan.freeyellow.com

Lol. Sad that they have to die.

[artsylady]

In these days very, very few wanted to believe in God. It was only the Jews who observed him at all, and they certainly failed at it many times. If you read the books in context, you'll see that over and over, God performed amazing miracles to save them over and over, and too many times, the people would lose faith and pagan practises of countries surrounding them would creep in. Pagan practises including child sacrifice and sexual acts performed on the altars, worship of carved idols etc.

God did what he needed to do to preserve the Jews, so that they could preserve his word and eventually bring us the Messiah.

All things considered, it doesn't seem so harsh, especially given how many times the Jewish people almost failed.

[Arthur Durnan]

Ah, but your answer, kind sir, begs the question: Why be sad that convicted murderers actually die? The truth is that they, themselves, CHOSE to be executed by their nefarious crimes! They KNEW the law re the crime of murder. They SAW many others paying the stated price. They CHOSE to rebel & to EXCERISE their horrendous deed against an INNOCENT person! "Sad" that the law will be carried out as CHOSEN by the convicted killer? Not here! Not ever!

http://arthurdurnan.freeyellow.com

[artsylady]

From a Christian point of view, capital punishment is more humane than putting a murderer in prison for the rest of his or her life. They know the exact day and the hour of their death and they can prepare for that, meaning they can reconcile with God. When they know they're facing God, they're more likely to own up to what they've done.

If they are merely imprisoned in the general population, they could be stabbed and killed at any moment and go straight to hell.

[Grungekid]

From a Christian point of view, capital punishment is more humane than putting a murderer in prison for the rest of his or her life. They know the exact day and the hour of their death and they can prepare for that, meaning they can reconcile with God. When they know they're facing God, they're more likely to own up to what they've done.

If they are merely imprisoned in the general population, they could be stabbed and killed at any moment and go straight to hell.

It's definitely more fair to the victim: who didn't even have a fair trial.

[Guest Zablorg]

How can you people seriously claim that god is still loving and caring after he commands the stoning of people, the destruction of cities that his men were passing through, the killing of men, women and children in said cities the raping of virgins, and slavery? How can you possibly convince yourself that this behavior is no better than that of a psychopath?

[Arthur Durnan]

The biblical declaration is that man has rebelled against the Creator-God and CHOSEN to follow his own secular-humanist pathway minus God. The Garden of Eden (with our first parents, the representaive pair) was God's gift to humankind, but man openly rebelled, hearkened to the devil and paid the price of horrible expulsion from Eden.

One major point always overlooked by self-concocted "atheists" is that the Creator-God is holy. He is perfect, clean and righteous. He really hates sin, because it's so contrary to His nature. Sin is diametrically opposed to Him; there can be no compromise with it. Sin corrupts, degrades, and like leprosy it separates. "Sin when it is finished, brings forth DEATH." James 1:15. And, of course, ALL have sinned....and ALL were born in iniquity! NONE are exluded!

So, what does God's severity say to us? If we're ready for the Bible answer, here it is. First, God is saying that He's holy (1 Peter 1:16). He will not tolerate sin or sinners. He'll have no fellowship or alliance with spiritual darkness and a life lived apart from Him (Ephesians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 10:21).

Second, we're advised in no uncertain terms that because He is holy, so WE must be holy (1 Peter 1:16). If we expect to live and enjoy God's fellowship & blessing, and to live with Him in eternity, we must MEET His requirements. It requires holiness to be with God in heaven, and it demands OBEDIENCE here on earth. OBEDIENCE, mind you, NOT self-will!

There is no easy way of dealing with sin. It must be destroyed, and God is the only One Who can do it. Only He can (a) take sin out a person's life via the blood of Jesus' cross; or (b) cause the sinner to CHOOSE his own destiny....death & hell. THAT'S the very point: we CHOOSE to disobey God and to follow our own sinful path in life. We CHOOSE to break His holy commandments and to live according to our own dicates. We CHOOSE to curse God & to take His holy Name in vain. We FORGET that God's last Name is NOT "damn," and we FORGET that Jesus' last Name is NOT "Murphy"! Nor do we care!

God clearly warned Israel in Old Testament times (Exodus 15:26 & Joshua 24:20)that sin would bring upon them the afflictions that fell upon the Egyptians. He tells US TODAY that He "Changes NOT", Malachi 3:6. In view of quite direct & succinct warnings, the REAL question is not why is God so severe, but quite rather why does He put up so much with our blatant hatred of Him as seen by our continuous rebellion against His Holy Word & His sacred principles?

Mercifully, God has sent Jesus Christ to die on a Roman gibbet of shame to pay the eternal price of our total & ongoing rebellion against Him. Forgiveness of all our sins & a return to "The Land Of Beginning Again" awaits us in Christ Jesus thru personal repentance & the receiving of His Son. Eternal judgment has now been delayed to give us yet another opportunity to receive God's offer of eternal forgiveness & salvation. O, how so very CONSIDERATE of Him! Will I now CHOOSE Jesus as my personal Savior or will I CONTINUE in open rebellion against His love? "Turn ye, Turn ye, for why will you die, O House of Israel?" Excellent question. Why not resolve it in your own life today? Your personal CHOICE determines your personal destiny. There it is again: "CHOOSE ye this day Whom ye will serve!..." (JOshua 24:15). CHOOSE life, not death! CHOOSE liberty, not licentiousness! CHOOSE rightly, not wrongly! CHOOSE the Savior of sinners, not the coming Judge of humankind as seen in Acts 17:31!

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your marvellous everlasting deliverance & salvation thru the blood of Calvary's cross!

http://arthurdurnan.freeyellow.com

[Grungekid]

How can you people seriously claim that god is still loving and caring after he commands the stoning of people, the destruction of cities that his men were passing through, the killing of men, women and children in said cities the raping of virgins, and slavery? How can you possibly convince yourself that this behavior is no better than that of a psychopath?

Because I know a few psychopaths, and there really is a major difference, especially in that none of them are followers of Christ. Nah, when I think of injustice, its difficult for me to direct it at God. We've all seen what people can do; if Sodom and Gamorah, the Canaanites, and even some of the children of Israel were even half as evil as what is said of them, then I can't say that I pity them. God's judgment is righteous; and frankly, I wish there were more of it to go around these days.