Hoping there is a fate worse than death
I tend to be against the death penalty for all kinds of reasons, but basically because I just can't picture Jesus pulling the switch on Ol' Sparky and saying: "You're gonna ride the lightning now, son.''
But sometimes it's hard.
There are people who seem evil and cruel and without remorse. Take Charles Cullen, the nurse convicted and sentenced for 22 murders. If that isn't a case when the death penalty shines like a beacon of justice in dark world, then I don't know what is.
But then I think, the state kills him and, presumably, then his suffering is over -- unless, of course, you believe in a literal sulfur fire and brimstone hell, in which case his torment would just be beginning.
But you can't be sure of that.
So, the guy gets a kind of mathematically ludicrous sentence: 397 years in the slammer.
I don't think the guy's gonna serve the full term.
On the other hand, the rest of his life lived in a very small cell, surrounded by the noise and madness and regimen of hard time in the big house, seems a little like justice and a lot like hell.
He'll never, ever be free. And maybe the knowledge of that might provide some small measure of freedom for some of his victims' families.
But sometimes it's hard.
There are people who seem evil and cruel and without remorse. Take Charles Cullen, the nurse convicted and sentenced for 22 murders. If that isn't a case when the death penalty shines like a beacon of justice in dark world, then I don't know what is.
But then I think, the state kills him and, presumably, then his suffering is over -- unless, of course, you believe in a literal sulfur fire and brimstone hell, in which case his torment would just be beginning.
But you can't be sure of that.
So, the guy gets a kind of mathematically ludicrous sentence: 397 years in the slammer.
I don't think the guy's gonna serve the full term.
On the other hand, the rest of his life lived in a very small cell, surrounded by the noise and madness and regimen of hard time in the big house, seems a little like justice and a lot like hell.
He'll never, ever be free. And maybe the knowledge of that might provide some small measure of freedom for some of his victims' families.
posted by Michael Riley at 5:26 PM
5 Comments:
I think the reason you feel in Cullen's case that the "death penalty shines like a beacon of justice in a dark world" is that you kind of missed the point of the New Testament. In your heart, you're still in revenge mode. You go on to say there are other good (perhaps better)punishments. But the sweetness of revenge, even to folks opposed to the death penalty, is too great a temptation in some cases, isn't it?
I agree with Nick. You have no hope this man will be helped or feel remorse, only that he suffer. You acyually are wishing the punishment of hell on him. Frankly, I think the statement "the death penalty shines like a beacon in a dark world" from a supposedly religious man is more than a little frightening. You feel that the solution for our flawed, 'dark' world is killling, a form you claim to oppose?
Mr. Cullen, a guilty murderer will be safe and warm in his jail cell, while unborn innocent babies will have their skulls crushed while still in their mothers' warm womb.Don't confuse revenge with justice.Besides the death penalty for murderers does not exist in NJ.
its not like jail is paradise. he's locked up for life. and the fact that it doesnt exist is not the point, the fact that you adn mr riley are wishing datrh on him is disturbing.
The point of the New Testament was not about saving murderers from the just and fair punishment of death. Once God imposed the duty on mankind to execute murderers, he restated it several times. That makes it more difficult for heretics to sustain their false claim that the moral duty to execute murderers doesn’t exist. However, the initial requirement should be sufficient for those who don’t wish to consider themselves greater than God.
In Genesis Chapter 9 God spoke directly to all the humans then living. In verses 5 and 6 God established a clear requirement for the execution of murderers: “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man”.
Modern heretics have attempted to corrupt God’s word on capital punishment. Therefore, my daughter’s King James Study Bible (page 23) must provide a brief clarifying note: “The God-given right of executing murderers involves the establishment of human government following the Flood. This right of capital punishment has not been rescinded during the Christian Era (Acts 25:11; Romans 13:4). The really terrible thing about murder is that it strikes at the very image of God in man, which makes man of vital importance to God”.
Jesus discussed the death penalty for murder in only one parable, it is presented in three Gospels. One presentation is in Luke 20: 9-16
Jesus: (14) “But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
(15) So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?
(16) He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others.”
See also Matthew 21: 33-41 and Mark 12: 1-9
One thing that is interesting about this parable is that Jesus affirmed the execution of several participants in the murder of one victim with minimal aggravating circumstances.
There is no revenge in killing a murderer of even 2 people.
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