If someone murders
someone else, they have
given up their human
rights, including the one to
stay alive themselves
The punishment should 'fit
the crime' - if you have killed
someone, you should be
killed too
Giving a killer the death
sentence will stop them -
and others - doing it
again
The very small chance of
executing the wrong person
is balanced by the benefits
to society of putting off
other murderers
Arguments Against
Capital Punishment
The death penalty
goes against our most
basic human right -
the right to life
Being killed by lethal injection or
being electrocuted is not always
smooth and painless, sometimes it
causes a painful death
No-one has ever proven with
numbers that killing murderers
stops other people committing
similar crimes
Mistakes are sometimes made
in the law - what if someone is
killed who is actually innocent?
Biblical Teaching's For
Whoever sheds the
blood of man, by man
shall his blood be shed
Genesis 9:6
In Matthew 15:4 Jesus
says "He who speaks
evil of father or
mother, let him surely
die".
In Matthew 7:2 we read
"Whatever measure you deal out
to others will be dealt back to
you", though this is unspecific as
to whether it is God who is doing
the dealing, or the state.
Capital punishment affirms the
commandment that 'thou shalt not
kill' by affirming the seriousness of
the crime of murder.
Biblical Teaching Against
Many Christians believe that
God commanded "Thou shalt
not kill" (Exodus 21:13), and
that this is a clear instruction
with no exceptions.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you
do not forgive others their trespasses, neither
will your Father forgive your trespasses.
(Matthew)
“If anyone kills a person, the
murderer shall be put to death on
the evidence of witnesses. But no
person shall be put to death on the
testimony of one witness.
Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword
back into its place. For all who take the
sword will perish by the sword.