CAPITOL PUNISHMENT A SATANIC RITUAL

March 4th, 2006

I know that most of you reading this want to know why I would put an article about capitol punishment in the religion section. The answer is quite simple. I want to talk about the moral and religious consequences of capitol punishment. I'm sure that I could go on and on about how it's wrong if we execute even one innocent person and I would just get the response that sometimes the innocent die to protect society. Or I could try and debate whether it is cruel or in human, but I unfortunately believe that it is intended to be so. Maybe you've heard that Amnesty International gives us a poor human rights rating because of it, but who cares what they think anyway. Those of you that hate seeing your taxes going through the roof might respond to the overwhelming monetary cost. Instead, I want to speak to Christians and Christians alone about their theological basis for government sponsored execution. I truly believe that through prayer and belief, we as Christians can come together and abolish this satanic ritual that brings no glory to God and only serves to massage our evil heart. That's right I said satanic! Christians of varying faiths and denominations will almost all agree that satan plays a terrible role in our lives. Primarily, he seeks to distort or beliefs and gradually pull us from the embrace of Christ through a series of systematic deceptions. Like most of you I used to agree with capitol punishment, quoting "an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth" from Exodus 21: 24. Unfortunately, as I hope you will see, that quote is probably one of the most misused quotes in the Bible. I hope that after reading this, many of you will also throw down this belief and follow the path that Christ has prepared for us. It is true that held within the book of Exodus, God laid down many strict laws, including the Ten Commandments. These laws were designed by God to help guide his chosen people through the wilderness after their release from slavery. Remember that these were people experiencing freedom for the very first time in their lives and strict order was necessary to avert anarchy. Much like we see going on in Iraq today. Two of the laws contained in the same chapter require a person to be put to death for either attacking or cursing their father or mother, Exodus 23: 15 & 17. The famous verse that we get the "eye for an eye" quote is actually about assaulting a pregnant woman. To get the context you have to read all of the verses containing the law:

22 "If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely [e] but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman's husband demands and the court allows. 23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. Exodus 21: 22-25 NIV

You see Christians look at the Law of the Old Testament in a different way because of Christ's great act of atonement. While much of it is useful for showing us how to live good and Godly lives, it is does not hold the key for our salvation. In fact the Law only serves to show us our sin so that we may repent and be saved. Now I want you to read another Bible passage that deals with the previous, except this one comes from the Gospel. This may be a little long, but God always seems to make his points better than I do.

38 "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' 39 But I tell

you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. 43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5: 38-48 NIV

So how does all of this apply to capitol punishment? Well now that we have seen what Christ really wants of us, it makes it easier to put away our selfish need for revenge. I didn't say it makes it easy, just easier. You see our tendency to say things like, "I hope he gets the chair" after we hear of some terrible crime isn't a reaction caused by love. It's a selfish motivation caused by our sin and satan. We are COMMANDED by Christ repeatedly to forgive our fellow man, yet we do not. Am I saying that this person, most likely a murder should be set free? Of course not, society still must protect itself, and incarceration for life easily fulfills that requirement. The second reason for not cutting short a person's natural life is because it takes away that precious amount of time in which he or she could confess their transgressions before God and be saved. Imagine if after you are taken to heaven, Jesus asks you why you killed so many people before they could be saved, why you were so hardened in your heart that you could not forgive when he gave up is life for you and did nothing to deserve it. I hear you grumbling… Well, I haven't killed anyone, I didn't flip any switch or stick a needle in anyone's vain. In a democratic society we are all Cesar, we are all Pilate. We make the decision to execute or to save every prisoner on death row with our vote. If every Christian in this country understood this, there would be no such thing as capitol punishment. And I promise you the angels would sing heaven.

1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Romans 2: 1

-Richard Okelberry - Managing Editor