Capital Punishment

Here’s the problem I have with capital punishment. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t mash the button, flip the switch, or pull the lever to kill an individual. And if I can’t do it, then I’m certainly not going to ask someone else do it for me. If someone has absolutely zero problem flipping the switch and executing a person, then I believe that someone needs to pay a visit to a healthcare professional and do so rather quickly.

Sometimes three people are responsible for pulling three separate switches for the execution, with only one switch actually performing the task. This is done so that no one individual can feel responsible for the actual execution. Even still, if reducing the probability of you being the executioner down to 33.33% doesn’t give enough cause for remorse and a few sleepless nights, then you need to pay a visit to a healthcare professional and do so rather quickly.

Whether or not to participate in an execution as an executioner is a decision. Once you have made the choice to do it, the sin has been committed. The act is simply the manifestation of the sin committed in spirit.

“For out of the heart (the spirit) proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man” (Matthew 15:19-20a).

The point is not to overly focus on the act, but on the condition of the heart, the spirit. Issuing a death sentence in spirit is the sin. Listen to what Jesus had to say about it.

“Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” (Matthew 5:21-22).

Letting someone else do it after the decision has been made does not absolve you of the sin. There is a great example of committing the sin of murder but having someone else carry it out for you with the Catholic Church during the middle ages.

The Roman Catholic Church, as a precursor to the Protestant Reformation engaged the British Crown to perform its dirty work of execution. Countless people were burned at the stake as well as other heinous acts and torturous deaths were done primarily for the sin of reading and teaching the Bible. It sounds bizarre I know but it is a sad truth and reality. At the time the Catholic Church heavily guarded the Bible and its contents, even prohibiting priests from reading and teaching from it in some cases. Bibles were literally chained to the pulpit. Parishioners were forbidden to have a Bible much less allowed to read it. Read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs by John Foxe. In it, Foxe details, often as an eyewitness, the many pastors, priests, and ministers that were put to death, as an offense to the Roman Catholic Church but executed by the British crown.

The Roman Catholic Church wanted people dead, but it was a sin. So the church had the Queen of England (and others) actually carry out the death penalty. This is how Mary Tudor, Queen regnant of England and Ireland got the nickname, “Bloody Mary”.

I couldn’t flip the switch to kill someone. And yes, I’ve played out a multitude of scenarios. I’ve been asked by folks, “But what if it was the guy that murdered your wife?” or some other horrible crime against a family member or friend. Now stop and think about this for a moment. How does my relationship with the victim justify flipping the switch? How does the need for revenge overrule justice? We have a serious problem if familial status can change sin into righteousness.

Here's the question you must ask. What is it you really want? Justice or revenge? If justice, then you won’t be overly concerned with outcome. You’ll be concerned with process, was it fair, equitable, and just. If revenge is on your heart, then you won’t care one bit about process. You will have already made up your mind and all you want is blood. We see this all to often, particularly with racially themed, high profile cases. The accused is already convicted in the public and media eye. They have determined that blood is the only justice due. Riots occur if the public and media don’t get their vengeance.

“Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, *Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:17-19)

*”To me belongeth vengeance and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.” (Deuteronomy 32:35)

Am I pacifist? Not at all. If the person to be executed was chasing after me, my family, heck, even a complete stranger, with the intent to kill, then I’d have no problem in dropping them.

I do have a problem killing someone when there is no eminent danger to anyone, when the killing has been determined and approved by man, when I do not clearly see God in this picture. It doesn’t make it OK if someone else does it, or that the state sanctioned it, or any other method, person, or terminology is used to sanitize the whole ordeal. Human life is the most precious of all of God’s gifts and creations. I can’t, with a clear heart and soul push a button to end a life. I have a right and a responsibility to preserve life, including my own. Sometimes that means at the expense of another. How does executing someone preserve life?

God said, “Thou shalt not kill.” (Exodus 20:13). It’s one of the Ten Commandments given to Moses. The word kill means premediated murder or to assassinate. Would pulling the switch as an executioner be considered premediated murder?

Augustine, the 4^th century theologian and priest detailed what is referred to today as the “Just War Theory”. In short, Augustine lists out several priorities and conditions that must be met before committing to battle. For lack of a better term, the Just War Theory is a punch list or a pre-war checklist that a must be gone through and examined to determine if going to war is just and merited. In a very real way this sounds like the process of execution, but with one big difference. The Just War Theory is applied when being attacked by another country or army is eminent. Is that why we execute people? Is it the fear of the convicted committing more crime? Is capital punishment the last resort, because there is no hope for rehabilitation? Is it vengeance? How is killing someone just? Is it the eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth mindset?

Killing ends all hope, it ends all possibilities for the convicted and society.

Another bizarre statement people make to justify execution involves economics. The point is made that execution saves taxpayers “X” amount of dollars over the cost to house and feed the guilty. Do these people not understand that there is no relationship, no parallel between saving money and justice. Why is the state executing people in the first place? It isn’t for its cost saving benefits. Nothing, and I mean nothing should interfere with justice and judgment. These two things are the foundation of our legal system and government.

So, what do we do? First, I’d like to determine why we have the death penalty in the first place. Is it a simple matter of scale? Is death the ultimate price a person can pay? Is it a punishment or deterrent?

How about a life sentence without parole? If we want the convicted to benefit society then put him or her to work. Certainly, we can profit from a prisoner. Certainly, we can teach and train them to perform a function that would pay for their room and board and then some. The objective would not be to re-integrate them back into society. That would defeat the purpose of the sentencing, if not encourage others to commit the same crime. The purpose would be for them to pay their expenses of being imprisoned. This sounds like a better plan than executing them.

A person has the right and responsibility to defend and protect life, limb, and property. How does this apply to execution? It doesn’t. Execution is punishment, not self-defense. Execution by state does not make it any more just, only more legal and socially acceptable.

I am not preaching or advocation to end capital punishment. I have expressed my thoughts and concerns on the matter. I am all ears to your comments and thoughts. If I have missed something, then please by all means, speak up.

Bill Hitchcock