Capital Punishment: Beliefs within Religions?

From a Christian perspective, you can find Biblical support for either side if you look hard enough (as is true with most topics).

Shakespeare once wrote, “the devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.”

That said, there are many passages in the Old Testament that support capital punishment, often for relatively mild offenses:

- Adultery (Leviticus 20:10)

- Blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16)

- Breaking the Sabbath (Exodus 31:14 & 15)

- Disobedient children (Exodus 21:15 & 17; Leviticus 20:9)

- Homosexuality (Leviticus 20:13)

- Not being a virgin on your wedding night (but only if you're a woman - Deuteronomy 22:20-21)

The New Testament (starring Jesus) is primarily ANTI-death penalty. For example, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus praises mercy (Matthew 5:7) and rejects “an eye for an eye” (Matthew 5:38-39). James 4:12 says that GOD is the only one who can take a life in the name of justice. Romans 12:17-21 warns us against answering evil with evil, and assures us that God will see to justice in the afterlife. In John 8:7, Jesus points out that all humans are imperfect, and therefore unqualified to decide whether someone lives or dies.

There are many, many practical problems with capital punishment (that I won't get into here), but purely from a moral standpoint, it is pretty clear that Jesus did not support it. True CHRISTians shouldn’t, either.

I think it would be more the attitude of people than the strictness in which they practice. It is the same with religion as with anything else in life when it comes to how we approach people, and whether or not we make a difference or turn them off completely by what we are saying. Those who genuinely want to see another person do right will show it in a way that makes a person think, and consider their words with importance. But if judgement is more important than seeing the other person do right, it's not likely the other person will take notice, and much more likely they will want nothing to do with the advice. It is the difference between your best friend coming to you and telling you she is worried about you, or yelling at you and calling you an idiot. It is usually only the first example that causes us to listen, and the second which has us turning our back. Perfection isn't the problem. It's a good goal to have, even if unreachable. It's just that people need to understand it takes kindness and respect to show someone that it is a goal worth striving for.

The best place to find out about this is at http://www.religioustolerance.org/execut7.htm You'll find the positions of most of the world's major religions there.

My own view is that anyone who believes in any religion has to know that human beings are fallible and that any system set up and run by them is bound to get it wrong some of the time. And the death penalty system buries its worst mistakes.

"Permit" is not the best word here as the government decides such things - not the church. Maybe "endorse" would be better. I know of no such endorsements however. It is typically a personal view. Certainly there are both Christians and non-Christians on both sides of the fence. As for me, I do not endorse/support the death penalty. Neither did Jesus. That's why I don't.

I can see to some how a murderer would be double punished by capital punishment, both by being killed and by being judged in their belief and sent to hell.

And quite a few Conservative Protestant Churches are pro-death penalty.

Huh? The right wing christian value system in the US seems to be very much aligned with Capital Punishment.

Heck, just read the bible. Plenty of capital punishment there. God seems to like killing people- but only those who deserve it.

Being non denominational I hold no beliefs but my own

Being a fundamentalist, evangelical , bible thumping Christian I think it is wrong to steal one breath from a person that they may use to repent.

That being said , I am a weak man and would happily pop a cap into the head of any child molestor

I can not answer for any others.My opinion, and I am a reborn man, is that the punishment society puts on the crime is the value of the life taken. Give him 8 years, and that is the value of the life taken.In Texas they put a premium on life.The law, and its penalties are all that keeps the unregenerated,or ungodly, in line untill Jesus returns.

Church and state are separate in the US. Or so I thought they were. It is up to government to make the laws not our religions.

Interestingly Romans 13 states:

"Let every soul be in subjection to the superior authorities, for there is no authority except by God; the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God. 2 Therefore he who opposes the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God; those who have taken a stand against it will receive judgment to themselves. 3 For those ruling are an object of fear, not to the good deed, but to the bad. Do you, then, want to have no fear of the authority? Keep doing good, and you will have praise from it; 4 for it is God’s minister to you for your good.....

***** But if you are doing what is bad, be in fear: for it is not without purpose that it bears the sword; for it is God’s minister, an avenger to express wrath upon the one practicing what is bad.****** "

(Asterisks added)

So clearly the Bible says that the superior authorities that we are to remain subject to will bear the sword, to express wrath upon the one practicing what is bad. This authority is acting as 'God's Minister.'