Kelly Fryer at Reclaiming the F Word posted an article from the news wire service that discusses an irony of capital punishment in that; Southern states with a large conservative Christian base tend to execute more prisoners.  Ironic because Christians are those who preach love your neighbor and forgive those who sin against you.  Yet, Reuters journalist Ed Stoddard reports that more death sentences are carried out in Texas because of the high numbers of evangelicals.  Mind you, Stoddard does not say (thankfully) that all Christians whole heartedly support capital punishment, merely the conservatives.

 

One of the things I dislike most is how we attach labels to people by how we think they think.  If someone says they support smaller government, have membership in the NRA, and supports capital punishment; well then they must be conservative.  If another person says they are pro-choice, an environmentalist and supports higher taxes for the rich; well then they must be liberal.  There are a lot of arguments to me made in these few examples alone, and I don’t really want to get into them right now…or ever for that matter.  But clearly there are exceptions to every rule.  Getting back to Stoddard’s article, I’m convinced that there are plenty of (politically) liberal Christians who are supporters of capital punishment and plenty of (politically) conservative Christians who are not.  I know of at least one anyway; namely me.

 

I am fairly conservative but have never been one to demand such justice for a victim as to support the execution of the one convicted of murder.  I don’t see the argument that capital punishment stands as a deterrent to violent crime, nor do I see a scriptural mandate that makes such a claim.  What I do see is a Savior who stands in the center of an angry mob that is ready to take the life of one who is condemned, and says to them, “ you who is without sin be the first to throw the switch or administer the injection.”

 

The argument that death penalties deter violent crime is ridiculous.  What deters violent crime is parents teaching children right from wrong, modeling such behavior, and taking an active part in their children’s lives BEFORE they travel down the wrong path.  Many who find their selves on death row are younger men who had no supervision or guidance as they were growing up.

 

I struggle with my politics sometimes, as I hope many do.  I continually ask questions weighing options from both sides against my personal beliefs.  One question that comes up so often in “conservative” circles when talking about issues such as death penalties is, “what if you were on the jury?”  Actually, I was selected to serve as a juror in a capital case, but thankfully the defendant pled out and we were dismissed.  But what would I have done had this case gone to the jury and I had to vote yes or no?

 

Where I stand on this, for now at least, is that I would have to support the judicial system, and if the facts of such a case met the criteria, I would follow the law.  Being a conservative I would fit the stereotype.  Again, I am so glad my one time in this position didn’t go that far.  I don’t know that I would carry the guilt very well.  But what kills me is how others would see such an opportunity as “carrying out justice” and “doing their civic duty.”

 

Just a few nights ago a man was killed, shot to death in a neighborhood just outside Charleston.  As a car passed by on a residential street shots rang out.  A 14 year old, thinking he was the one being shot at returned fire killing an innocent man.  Did either of the shooters even think about the death penalty before firing?  I doubt it.  A better question might be “what was a 14 year old boy doing carrying a gun as he walked down the street at night?”

 

I’m sure that when this case comes to trial, the “conservatives” will ask for the death penalty and the “liberals” will say that it is wrong to demand the life of this 14 year old boy.   I wonder where the “Christians” will stand.

 

death penalty capital punishment conservative liberal