Why do Many Pro-Life People Support Capital Punishment?

Why do Many Pro-Life People Support Capital Punishment?

I was recently asked this question on Facebook.

Here was my reply:

“I totally understand and share your concern that it is a great tragedy and a miscarriage of justice when an innocent person is put to death for murder. Something should be done to remedy this situation. I will try to make a few suggestions, based on Biblical principles.

“Nobody thinks that a genuine murderer should not be punished for murder, nor that a genuine rapist should not be punished for rape. However let us ask ourselves some questions which are involved here.

1. What is the appropriate punishment for a murderer or rapist if there is absolute certainty of the crime?
2. Should the families of murder victims, or rape victims, forgive the murderer or the rapist?

“I am against capital punishment except in cases where there is no doubt whatsoever that the person is guilty of murder. The standard should be higher than “beyond reasonable doubt”, and capital punishment should never be applicable where there is mere “circumstantial evidence” of murder.

“The principle of the sanctity of human life is THE foundation of Western Civlization, it is even stated in the first sentence of the 2nd paragraph of the American Declaration of Independence. To abolish capital punishment altogether is also to abolish the concept of the sanctity of human life altogether. It is ONLY because Human Life is sacred that racism, and hatred are wrong! Yet to take a human life is even worse than hatred or racism. The taking of a human life is such a heinous crime that it warrants that, in cases of absolute certainty, the murderer should suffer the maximum penalty and forfeit his own life. This is a logical rationale.  Let me explain further.

“The value of one life is the same as that of another. Therefore it is a logical rationale that because human life is sacred abortion is murder unless there is no doubt whatsoever that not to abort would end the life of the mother. This is the ONLY logical exception to abortion being murder if you accept the principle of the sanctity of human life. In fact rape and incest are not valid exceptions, as the sanctity of human life trumps any other considerations, no matter how reasonable these exceptions sound. We must be consistent and logical. The Bible and Protestant Christians, who believe the Bible, have always been clear about this. Protestants leave this choice when the life of the mother is in genuine danger to the mother. Roman Catholicism, on the other hand, has always taught that the baby must live even if it means the death of the mother. Protestants disagree with this.

“Protestant Christians are also in favor of birth control methods which PREVENT pregnancy, but we are against those so-called “birth control” methods that kick-in AFTER conception has already taken place. Roman Catholicism has always believed in any form of birth control, other than abstinence or the “rhythm method”, are wrong. Protestants disagree with this.

“My thinking here is entirely in keeping with Protestant and Biblical theology for over 500 years and it is consistent with British and U.S. Common Law. It is because human life is sacred that it is completely appropriate, wherever there is no doubt that someone has taken a human life, that the murderer should lose his own life. This is called the “Lex Talionis” – an eye for an eye, etc. Gilbert and Sullivan in the Mikado state it as “the punismeant must fit the crime”. An excellent song. I am a G&S fan!

“The “Lex Talionis” is a Biblical concept but it is LIMITED to SENTENCING after due process and does not apply to “Private Vengeance” as practiced in most Islamic countries, and the lynching that took place in the South. I have friends who have lived in Islamic countries, who were terrified of accidentally killing a child in a motor accident, as the family of that child would invariably come to take vengeance by killing their child. Jesus says “vengeance is mine says the Lord” and private vengeance is prohibited both in the Old Testament and the New.

“The Jews in Jesus‘s day took the same view as Islam now takes, and were practicing private vengeance. That is why Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, after stating that he affirmed Old Testament Law (Matthew 5:17) which includes the “Lex Talionis” goes on and strongly condemns “Private Vengeance” of stoning the woman caught in adultery, and further condemns Private Vengeance in the same chapter of Matthew. (See Matthew 5:38-48). Jesus even goes far as saying we should love our enemies!

“In view of the clear context of this passage it is clear that Jesus is not abolishing capital punishment for murder, after thorough due process, but is forcefully condemning the practice of people taking the law into their own hands and PUNISHING the guilty themselves. On the contrary Jesus is saying that as private individuals we should forgive those who sin against us, and leave it to God and the legitimately duly appointed human authorities and the courts, to punish the guilty. Anyone who has ministered to rape victims and victims of abuse, knows that in order for these victims to be healed of their emotional scars they need to forgive the abuser or the rapist. The victims get no “closure” on the matter unless they see the rapist or abuser APPROPIATELY punished. The same is true of families of murder victims, who even after forgiving the murderer, get closure after capital punishment.  My second favorite movie of all time is “Dead Man Walking”, starring  Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn, which  is based on a true story of a Catholic Nun ministering to a man on death row. This movie beautifully deals with this matter.

“In my humble opinion, the real problem here is not whether or not the punishment should fit the crime, but the fact that many innocent people are undergoing capital punishment. That is exactly why I say that only in cases of absolute certainty should anyone be given the death penalty.”