Against the Death Penalty

In listening to discussions on the Death Penalty in the United States, I have the following question; Can I be against the Death Penalty even though God endorses it?  God has commanded his people to stone people for different offenses.  God has even placed people in authority over us so that they may execute punishments (including the penalty of death).  Jesus even recognized the authority given to Pilate to Crucify him was given to him by God.

This does not change over time.  God's endorsement of the Death Penalty has not changed over the past 50 or 2000 years.  So if God is in favor of the Death Penalty can I be against it?  I have long had a stance in favor of the Death Penalty, but lately I am coming to see it as inhumane.

Somebody recently said that there is no humane form of killing someone.  But I would disagree.  The Death Penalty today is sterilized and prolonged.  The death penalty which Jesus faced took place in less than 24 hours and was a full public display.  The Death penalty even in the (so-called) wild west was public and justice was dealt with swiftly.

It is not inhumane because we are killing someone, it is inhumane because we are not educating others. When God commanded the people of Israel to stone someone for their misdeeds, these deeds were public and the execution was public.  This was so that other people would learn and recognize what they have done is evil and wrong.  Hopefully when other people saw the punishment inflicted on the wicked people, they would not see themselves above them but in need of mending their own ways.

When you sterilize judgment of crimes and postpone sentencing for years, who learns and how is crime prevented?  The Death Penalty should be used only in cases where there is absolute certainty and can be carried out swiftly and publicly.  (You have a trial, and when he verdict is read, someone walks in a chops the persons head off.  You clean up the blood and leave.)

I would like it better if it was the good old days when all the town showed up for the hanging.  Plus, it would be a lot cheaper than keeping people in prison.  But if you are not going to do it publicly and swiftly, just put them in prison and leave them there.

I think it is simple.  God is not opposed to death penalty.  But we can certainly give concern to how it is carried out and whether it is beneficial for society today.  (But this is only the case in a democracy that makes up its own laws.)  Thank you.

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