Essay on The Bible and Capital Punishment - 1432 Words

The Bible and Capital Punishment What Does Christianity Tell Us To Do In Case Of Extreme Crime? Capital Punishment, commonly known as the death penalty, is one of the most controversial problems of our society today. There are many stands you can take with it: yes; no; maybe; only in this situation; only if this doesn’t happen. Even the Bible is undecided about what to do with people who commit such horrendous crimes. The Bible first mentions what to do in case of extreme crime in Genesis 4:11-15. In this passage, the Bible is talking about two brothers, Cain and Able, who have presented gifts to God. After God denied Cain’s gifts and instead accepted Able’s, Cain became outraged and killed his brother. The Bible tells us†¦show more content†¦The only way that you can change that is to kill the murder (25:3334) (‘Biblical Penalty for Murder’). Murder is not the only thing that the Bible allows death as a punishment for. According to an outline called ‘The Bible and Capital Punishment,† the old Testament gives twenty-one â⠂¬Ëœcrimes’ in which the death penalty is an okay form of punishment. There are only three out of the twenty-one listed offenses that we would categorize as crimes by today’s standards. Six of the listed are for religious offenses, including proselytizing (trying to convert an Israelite to a different religion, Deuteronomy 13:1-10) and for practicing black magic (Exodus 22:18). There are ten crimes listed which are now classified as moral issues, including working on Sunday (Exodus 35:2), abusing parents (Exodus 20:15), and blasphemy (uttering the name of Jehovah while cursing, Leviticus 24:16). Two of these listed are in relation to ceremonial practices, including communicating with the dead (Leviticus 20:27). But only three of the twenty-one offenses are categorized as capital crimes by the standards of today’s justice system (‘The Bible and Capital Punishment’). For this reason, many people think that the Bible is an out-of-date way to govern our lives,Show MoreRelated Capital Punishment and the Bible Essay1355 Words   |  6 PagesCapital Punishment and the Bible      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Capital punishment has always been an arguable issue and for good reason. The Old Testament clearly calls for the death penalty on many occasions, whereas; many of the teachings of Jesus and others in the New testament readily denounce it.   Therefore, both advocates ands opponents of capital punishment have Biblical references to support their beliefs.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Opponents use the creation story to show that all are created in Gods Read MoreCapital Punish Relating to The Old Testament Essay1430 Words   |  6 Pages Why do some christians agree with the capital punishment? Some Christians feel that the Bible has spoken to the conflict, but many believe that the New Testament replaces the Old Testament law. 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I will explore both sets of view, whether they are for or against it. I will say which bible verses may have swayed their opinions of capital punishment, and what they think God has to say about the whole issue. I have opinions from Christians today, who I have asked their opinions on the matter. I will also include churchs Read MoreThe Death Penalty in America Essay996 Words   |  4 Pageslaw of God is, Thou Shalt Not Kill (Bible 79 ), and every system of ethics and rules of our society echoes that law. For decades, state and federal leaders have struggled with opposing views of the death penalty. Many minds have endured this difficult question-Who says it is right to take another humans life because of an act that he/she committed?   Ã‚  Ã‚   The death penalty is the most severe sentence that can be administered to a criminal (Capital Punishment 1). 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Almost all Christians believe everyone has a potential for eternal life and can receive salvation in the name of Jesus Christ; those who have achieved salvation before death will live forever in Heaven but for the rest they will spend eternity