Romans 13:1-6 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities,
for there is no authority except that which God has established. The
authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever
rebels against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment
on themselves. 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 you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant
for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword
for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on
the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not
only because of possible punishment, but also as a matter of conscience. (NIV)
The year was
1692. 2 young ladies became suddenly ill. The diagnosis as to the cause of their
illness was unknown—that was until a doctor by the name of William Greggs was
called in to look at the ladies. The diagnosis that would forever change a
village and would remain imprinted in the lives of many for centuries to come
was “Bewitchment.” Yes, these young ladies were said to be under the curse of a
witch. In an act of fear that spread throughout the village, many were put in
prison, went to trial and even executed due to being named witch. Just the
thought of someone not liking you, or in an attempt to save themselves from
execution, men and women were accused of being in league with the devil.
In today’s
time, we do not go around putting people in prison for witchcraft or strapping
them to the chair for the mere accusation of it. However, for many, the same
type of settlement has been said for those who believe in the death penalty.
Since 1976, there have been 1,366 executions of people accused of murder within
the United States as of February 5, 2014. Murder is not the only crime where
execution can be given as punishment, but it is the most common way of
increasing the odds of walking the green mile.
In the
movie, “The Green Mile” Tom Hanks plays a prison guard to a man innocent of
murder, but was on death row. This movie may have opened the eyes to many who
were for capital punishment. However, there are still advocated today who feel
that capital punishment is needed in order to deter crime. The question is, “Does
capital punishment actually deter criminal behavior or is a just a way to in
some part appease a wrong?” There are indeed individuals who take it upon
themselves to take the lives of innocents without any regard to their actions.
However, is the “eye for an eye” the best approach for this or can more be
done?
Law
professor David Baldus and statistician George Woodworth along with other
colleges in Philadelphia conducted a study on race and the death penalty. What
they found was that Black males were almost 4 times more likely to receive the
death penalty than their white counterparts who committed the same crime. In another
study, 98% of white males made the decision concerning the death penalty and
who would receive it. Now this is not to
make this subject a race issue, but the statistics were kind of disturbing.
To go a
little further, there is a foundation called the Innocence Project whose
mission is to help people who may have been falsely convicted of crimes to
receive justice. As of October 25, 2013, they have been responsible for 143
exonerations in 26 different states. These are people who were scheduled to be
executed and/or serve extensive lengths of time in prison. Wouldn’t it be sad
if these people, who were found to be innocent, had been killed due to an
imperfect court system? What if it is just a 1% chance that someone else is
truly innocent of a crime? Is that small percentage worth the chance of saving
what could be an innocent life? This is just food for thought.
There truly
is evil in the world and people are killing each other every day in the United
States. However, does it make you wonder where God stands on this issue? Maybe you
already think that you know. Well, let me raise this point. Jesus received capital
punishment for crimes He never committed. What if Pilate had found Him “not
guilty” and actually stuck to it? What if the religious leaders were not in
such a rush to kill, but to understand Jesus purpose for their salvation? Of course,
blood had to be shed, but what if man wasn’t so eager to get it done? This is
not to persuade you one way or another. However, it is just food for thought. I
would be interested in hearing your points of view on this subject and what you
think God’s perspective is on this matter. Take Care and God bless?
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