I have to admit that I’m reflexively against the death penalty. Besides the fairly high probability of mistakes, I just can’t abide the notion of the state as a killer.<\/p>\n
However, I’ve been thinking about the question, anyway. In particular, I was thinking about what the Christian position ought to be. This, naturally, led me to thinking about what Jesus might say about the current proposal to amend the Wisconsin constitution.<\/p>\n
I’m no biblical scholar, but the only instance in the Gospels relating to capital punishment that I can think* of is in Chapter 8 of the Gospel of John, in which a woman accused of adultery is brought to Jesus for his judgment.<\/p>\n
According to the laws in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, she is to be stoned to death, but Jesus’ judgment is to simply say to the woman “I do not condemn you; go and sin no more.”<\/p>\n
I think from the words “do not sin any more,” we can surmise that Jesus accepts that she is guilty of the charge.<\/p>\n
But Jesus also clearly refuses to condemn her to death.<\/p>\n
So, if you’re looking for guidance on how to vote on the constitutional amendment to allow the death penalty, you can see how Jesus voted in John 8: 11.<\/p>\n
[In case the language of the amendment causes any uncertainty, the correct vote is “No.”]<\/p>\n
* [April 2, 2007] Doh! I just realized that each of the Gospels contains another reference to capital punishment: The execution of Jesus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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