And if the answer is, "Oh, but the people that I kill when I appeal to scripture are only those who deserve death," my response will still be, "Don't you think that those others say the same thing?"

The truth be known real Christians don't believe in or condone the killing of others. As Jesus pointed out in the new testament, He who lives by the sword, shall die by it. He also rebuked Peter when he cut off servants ear in the garden when they came to arrest him. Regardless of what the old testament of the bible states or is interpreted as, killing others is not christian, for any reason. There will be people who say that it is 'justified' but it is not by God.

While I applaud TRN's stance and -- for myself -- agree with it, it's certainly not the case that Christians historically have thought this way. You only have to read Martin Luther's treatise "On Temporal Authority" to see some relatively widely-accepted Christian justifications for participating in the administration of capital punishment.

My my my - theology my fav subject sorry TRN enbar is right not only have "christians" condoned violence but have instituted it since the begining. I find it amuseing that a culture so well documented could remain so shrouded in myths...The Bible is a document written by man distributed by man as well as designed by man in a fashion pleasing to????? You guessed it MAN!!!!!!!! I honestly dont know were to start nor do i have the time or energy to type for hrs about it but I encourage those who have been TOLD the bible to research it and come up with there own conclusions...formulate ur own opinion PLEASE do not take someones word for it .U be the judge

The religious section of society that is pro capital punishment should be truthful for their reasons for support i.e. they want revenge / they want to use the death penalty as a means of deterring extreme criminal behaviour / they want to eliminate undesirable individuals from society. Instead many use the religious justification as though some supreme being has demanded such punishment & condones it. This is an example of religion being used to abdicate personal responsibility.

Gandhi pointed out that many are willing to kill but the lesser number of non-violent activists who take on the evil of the killing machine are willing to die. He also sai, "I like your Christianity but not your Christians."

Don't forget Matthew 10:34: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword."

Same book, different chapter.

I don't believe we think of the death penalty in relation to theology that much. We do believe if you take a life(s) in certain crimes you should forfeit yours, it's just that simple.