General Discussion

liberalhistorian

(20,906 posts)

104. I am a Christian and a student at a

Tue Jan 13, 2015, 09:45 PM

Jan 2015

liberal, progressive, social-justice-oriented seminary and I, and the vast majority of my fellow students as well as the faculty, most assuredly do NOT support the death penalty. Many of us actively work against it, including with Sister Helen Prejean's (the nun of Dead Man Walking) organization. Some are chaplains for death row inmates and prisoners, or plan to be.

Jesus himself suffered the death penalty. The book Jesus on Death Row, by a Christian law professor (and former federal prosecutor) at Baylor University Law School details the similarities between his death row case and our modern practices (including use of paid informants and treating their word as, well, "gospel", prosecutors and trials that withhold exculpatory evidence, etc.). It's a truly fascinating read that I've used as a resource for some coursework.

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So question: how can Christians support the death penalty since the Prince of Peace [View all] closeupready Jan 2015 OP

what other place started about 2 weeks ago? and I agree, should be against uppityperson Jan 2015 #1

You cannot call yourself a christian and expect to be taken seriously if you are pro death penalty. onecaliberal Jan 2015 #2

And yet, that's just what they do - even here on DU. closeupready Jan 2015 #4

Indeed. onecaliberal Jan 2015 #6

There's no objective standard phil89 Jan 2015 #21

You know by their deeds. onecaliberal Jan 2015 #82

Well, I think the objective standard is reasonably easy to define. Maedhros Jan 2015 #83

I completely agree with you. onecaliberal Jan 2015 #112

DU has many many right leaning types...many many randys1 Jan 2015 #34

It seems worse now on issues relating to bigotry against muslims closeupready Jan 2015 #66

Oh really? Here's the first OP I read the morning after the last election on DU: Bluenorthwest Jan 2015 #93

I remember that. Self delete. Disgusting.nt bravenak Jan 2015 #111

"You will know them by their fruit" is the quote. (nt) PotatoChip Jan 2015 #70

That is such TOTAL hogwash PeaceNikki Jan 2015 #36

Well, now you are getting into some of those lovely Kelvin Mace Jan 2015 #65

To many MANY Christians it is exactly that. PeaceNikki Jan 2015 #67

Which is why I left it behind Kelvin Mace Jan 2015 #69

Amen, brother. PeaceNikki Jan 2015 #71

Irish Catholic, altar boy Kelvin Mace Jan 2015 #86

Well, the answer is that they can't Kelvin Mace Jan 2015 #3

Didn't christ phil89 Jan 2015 #22

Yeah, I have kind of pointed that out to Kelvin Mace Jan 2015 #42

I Thought The Fact That Christ Got Executed wellst0nev0ter Jan 2015 #79

The Jews Sgent Jan 2015 #76

Yes, excellent point Kelvin Mace Jan 2015 #84

he also said render unto cesar that which is cesars and if you commit a crime you become cesars belzabubba333 Jan 2015 #5

I don't know about the Cesar arguement but the he accepted the death penalty is the arguement jwirr Jan 2015 #8

How do you know he could have fled (let alone that he existed)? closeupready Jan 2015 #10

he wasnt under arrest and he wasnt being held down therefore he was capable of leaving belzabubba333 Jan 2015 #15

Pretty sure Render unto Caesar refered to money (taxes) Marrah_G Jan 2015 #16

he spoke in parables and yes he used taxes as an example but it could be seen as a metaphor belzabubba333 Jan 2015 #28

Shitty plan. n/t A HERETIC I AM Jan 2015 #37

Perfect symbolic plan under the law, glad he gave the sacrifice and not me uponit7771 Jan 2015 #47

As a motif and a reflection of the ancient "scapegoat" idea... A HERETIC I AM Jan 2015 #51

Would be if the effects weren't seen in my life, opposite of a spiritualist and do understand uponit7771 Jan 2015 #53

Belief in the Jesus narrative.. A HERETIC I AM Jan 2015 #60

Everyone answers to something higher, even their own bodies... "primitive thinking" is ascribed to uponit7771 Jan 2015 #115

Various people have various answers to age old questions Tsiyu Jan 2015 #121

Yes, kind of a stupid plan Kelvin Mace Jan 2015 #55

Can it be applied justly and without error? i believe it can and belzabubba333 Jan 2015 #64

I would love to hear how you insure that Kelvin Mace Jan 2015 #68

was there any question of jeffery dahmer's guilt, ted bundy's , ted kazinsky's belzabubba333 Jan 2015 #72

Cameroun Todd Willingham Kelvin Mace Jan 2015 #78

again the anwer is zero belzabubba333 Jan 2015 #81

Does not only apply to money, basically saying keep church out of state and vice versa ... uponit7771 Jan 2015 #45

If you follow Christian dogma Kelvin Mace Jan 2015 #46

Render on to Caesar is a metaphor that can be applied across context of government... uponit7771 Jan 2015 #50

Well, there you run into a bit of a paradox Kelvin Mace Jan 2015 #61

Most of them are being told what to think and not reading the book for themselves... uponit7771 Jan 2015 #114

Well, I have read the book myself Kelvin Mace Jan 2015 #116

That is a REALLY good metaphor. closeupready Jan 2015 #117

You're welcome Kelvin Mace Jan 2015 #119

I've read it with and without the understanding of dispensations and the illumination of the uponit7771 Jan 2015 #118

Well my point was... Kelvin Mace Jan 2015 #120

Well I think it just goes to show that all Christians are hypocrites. nt el_bryanto Jan 2015 #7

Did you forget the sarcasm tag? Maedhros Jan 2015 #87

I think you are missing the point. el_bryanto Jan 2015 #88

Ah - so the sarcasm tag WAS missing. [n/t] Maedhros Jan 2015 #89

"Thou shalt not kill" has no exceptions AFAIK Nye Bevan Jan 2015 #9

That's not exactly true. It really is "You shall not murder" PeaceNikki Jan 2015 #20

Fascinating! riqster Jan 2015 #32

Textual criticism, and dynamic and formal translations are one of the major reasons I rarely discuss LanternWaste Jan 2015 #54

The Duality of Man FSogol Jan 2015 #11

separation of church and state is one way explain the conflict alc Jan 2015 #12

Poll: Younger Christians less supportive of the death penalty (RNS) pinto Jan 2015 #13

Because... love the sinner, hate the sin. DawgHouse Jan 2015 #14

But that's not in their Bible, not at all. Not even close. Bluenorthwest Jan 2015 #94

Some people take parts and pieces and try to make it fit their agenda. nt DawgHouse Jan 2015 #95

I used to be fb friends with a rabid christian Sheepshank Jan 2015 #17

I come from a Christian background former9thward Jan 2015 #18

Well then don't expect muslims to be, nor atheists, nor Bhuddists. closeupready Jan 2015 #19

Why in the world would I expect other religions to be pacifists? former9thward Jan 2015 #25

Don't take everything so personally. That comment was general. closeupready Jan 2015 #29

John 8:7 Tierra_y_Libertad Jan 2015 #26

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that public authority has the right & duty to. PeaceNikki Jan 2015 #30

I used to be a Catholic. Tierra_y_Libertad Jan 2015 #31

And I am a reformed Lutheran (WELS) PeaceNikki Jan 2015 #33

My wife, after 70 years of being a Catholic is now a Quaker. Tierra_y_Libertad Jan 2015 #38

You're a Lutheran, and I'm a confirmed Catholic, and you neglected closeupready Jan 2015 #39

No, I am an atheist leaning agnostic. PeaceNikki Jan 2015 #40

Okay, thanks - anyway, I posted the Vatican declaration on edit - closeupready Jan 2015 #41

Super. Nah, I will leave it and your rebuttal to my statement there for the world to see. PeaceNikki Jan 2015 #43

Your statement still stands: and your interpretation of the doctrine is still incorrect. pnwmom Jan 2015 #105

Once the police have caught someone and have him in custody nichomachus Jan 2015 #57

Agreed. I was quoting text from Catechism of the Catholic Church. I am 100% against DP. Always. PeaceNikki Jan 2015 #59

That is the correct text but you are misinterpreting the clear meaning. pnwmom Jan 2015 #106

This would be the same Catholic Church Kelvin Mace Jan 2015 #73

Read what you just wrote. The Church effectively OPPOSES the death penalty, pnwmom Jan 2015 #103

They're not really Christians Man from Pickens Jan 2015 #23

Bollocks. A HERETIC I AM Jan 2015 #48

This is true. treestar Jan 2015 #109

Rather than turning "the other cheek", they turn a blind eye. Tierra_y_Libertad Jan 2015 #24

I am utterly opposed to the death penalty, and I'm not a Christian. SheilaT Jan 2015 #27

Such people focus on worshipping a magical Christ. riqster Jan 2015 #35

The Catholic Church is fairly against it. Prism Jan 2015 #44

Which Western nations are Christian? closeupready Jan 2015 #52

Most of them, unofficially Prism Jan 2015 #75

For starters, many so-called Christians are not familiar with the New Testament. ladjf Jan 2015 #49

I'd say this belongs in the Religious Forum. 2banon Jan 2015 #56

When you believe in man made fairy tales, anything is possible seveneyes Jan 2015 #58

this is regularly brought up when discussing things like social welfare JI7 Jan 2015 #62

How can Christians support war? KamaAina Jan 2015 #63

folks can justify ANYTHING no news there dembotoz Jan 2015 #74

religion, lol KG Jan 2015 #77

he died for our sins. like a get outta jail free card. i am serious. elehhhhna Jan 2015 #80

Can't, logically, elleng Jan 2015 #85

There is no single hard definition of Christain. The Klu Klux Klann is Christain organization. Agnosticsherbet Jan 2015 #90

Yes - but that's the point you see? el_bryanto Jan 2015 #91

Yes, pointing the finger and mocking is not a valid method of critique of a anything. Agnosticsherbet Jan 2015 #92

Trying to explain how religious people of any religion can maintain the vast hypocrisy required to Bluenorthwest Jan 2015 #96

hypocrisy librechik Jan 2015 #97

Yes- that's why only Christians are hypocritical nt. el_bryanto Jan 2015 #98

Yes, that, OR, like going from cave etchings to Van Gogh, elevating to an art form closeupready Jan 2015 #99

establishing a dogma will automatically generate heretics and hypocrisy and sophistry librechik Jan 2015 #113

Many Christians are already living in Christian hell... hunter Jan 2015 #100

I am a Christian and do not support the death penalty. hrmjustin Jan 2015 #101

I stand with ... GeorgeGist Jan 2015 #102

I am a Christian and a student at a liberalhistorian Jan 2015 #104

we don't support the death penalty. quaker bill Jan 2015 #107

Cause Jesus was executed and that turned out OK for him aikoaiko Jan 2015 #108

'thou shalt not kill' no asterisk that i'm aware of. spanone Jan 2015 #110