Would You Like a Side of Bible with Your Death Penalty?
By Jeff Mullen
With the tragic shooting in Colorado I found it interesting how quickly people started talking about the death penalty. Yes you have the right to oppose the death penalty – but my real hope is that if you are going to oppose it as a Christian you will make a serious study of the truths of the Bible rather than developing your opinion through some lame blogger, next door neighbor, CNN or the Huffington Post.
First a couple of thoughts regarding the shooting then we’ll get to the justification of the death penalty. As I watched the news today the very sad report of a mother who was shot in the theater lost her baby today. But according to the leadership of Colorado – no first degree murder charges for that baby. No, no, no – that baby has to be out of the mother’s womb before the Colorado legislature deems it an actual human being. Who are these idiots?!?
Second, this guy has the right to a speedy trial and a speedy death sentence. Why is he still breathing? Why after 9 days is he still burning up taxpayer dollars? He should have been given a free pass to the front of the “you’re just about to stop taking up space on this earth” line.
One hangman’s noose and game over. No more media – no more tax payer dollars wasted and he pays the price you pay for murdering people. It seems like Colorado is more concerned about this guys rights than the rights of the baby who just died today in her mother’s womb.
Pastors…Americans…it’s time to get fed up, rise up and speak up!
Romans 13 tells us the state serves a purpose to carry out God’s wrath, including through capital punishment. Within the first 7 verses of Romans you’ll find truths that would better support a statement that anyone who considers themselves a Christian/Follower of Jesus/Respecter of the Bible MUST believe in the death penalty or be living contrary to the teachings of the Bible.
At the very least they would need to shut their pie hole in regard to any statements like “the Bible says not to kill,” while attempting to use verses out of context like Exodus 20:13, (from the 10 Commandments for the newbies) “Thou Shalt Not Kill”. We need to remember that the Bible was not written in contemporary English. So the truth of the matter is that this verse is saying, “Do not murder”, or “ Do not kill with no excuse”.
Genesis 9:6 says, “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.”
Exodus 21:12-17 says, “Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death. However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place I will designate.
But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately, that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.
Anyone who attacks their father or mother is to be put to death.
Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death.
Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.”
That’s God telling the Israelites (Governing body) to git-r-done!
Yes, I hear some of you who are confusing INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY with CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY. WHAT?!?
Let’s jump back to Romans 13. In those first verses God (through the Apostle Paul) has established government under God’s control and they are to carry out punishment on people who do what is wrong.
Now that brings us to the folks who misunderstand the difference between individual and corporate responsibilities. There are some who oppose the death penalty who use verses like Romans 12: 17 – 19 which says, “Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD.
Romans 12 is totally talking about individuals. Yes it’s true and its VERY difficult for most of us to live this one out but we are not supposed to seek or repay anyone “evil for evil.” We are supposed to love one-another, which at times totally blows because the human side of me wants to smack people sometimes.
So keep the thread. Let’s meander back to Romans 13:4 and you will find that the state/government is “God’s servant” and his “agents of wrath to bring punishment to those who do what is wrong.”
If you want to oppose the death penalty because your guru said “you’ll get funk on your karma” if you don’t oppose it, or if you want to oppose it because your pot smoking college professor says “it’s the only way you’ll pass his class” or if you want to oppose it because the hot chick you’re dating will only give you what you want if you agree with her… that’s your call, skooter.
But don’t try to use the Bible to substantiate your desire to get your karma glowing, pass your philosophy class, or get into your girlfriend’s pants.
The Bible is clear. It’s the progressive liberals I don’t understand. You would rather pay millions of tax payer dollars to sustain reprobate murderers like Charles Manson, Major Nidal Hasan or James Holmes, to name just three of thousands, when we could simply terminate these reprobates and be done with them?
I don’t care if they were in diapers too long or they didn’t get affirmed enough from their parents or they got bullied on the playground. They murdered innocent people in front of other innocent people. They did it! Their ashes should be flushed down a toilet in less than 24 hours. And no, you don’t get a last meal… why should we waste good food on a murderer? We need to redefine the statement, “you have a right to a speedy trial”.
But that’s just me…
