For the past couple of days, a fairly big news story has been Stanley Tookie Williams. He is the co-founder of a gang that was convicted of killing four people and sentenced to death. He was put to death early this morning.
I usually try to stay away from politics and volatile issues here, but I am actually going to venture into this one. I don't agree with the death penalty. I used to. And then I wasn't sure, but now I am sure. I just can't agree with a government choosing whether or not a person can live or die. It seems like God should be the only one who can take or give life. We can't give life so why should we choose to take life. What if we are wrong.
What is wrong with the option of putting the criminal away for life. That will keep the person off the streets and keep our lives safer. The person can choose to do something positive with their life in prison or not. That shouldn't change their punishment, but in the example of Tookie Williams, he did many positive things from behind bars.
I have a lot of trouble finding anything positive coming out of the death penalty. We are not God so we shouldn't try to play God. I know that many of the readers of this blog will most likely disagree with me on this. You are even welcome to leave comments stating why you disagree, but let it be known that this is a position that I did not arrive at lightly. Or an opinion that I throw around lightly.
12.13.2005
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Ro 13:1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Ro 13:2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
Ro 13:3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.
Ro 13:4 For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
God ordained execution in His theocracy I see no reason why we cannot wield the same power. Prison time is expensive and if we could expedite the execution process, by limting appeals, it would reduce costs. Everyone knows the rules, those who choose to break them reap their reward.
We are not a theocracy
No but our government is ordained by God, the same God that allowed execution in His country.
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