GreatbigHippo wrote:
Looks like you guys were talking about execution earlier. I'd like to point out that if execution is chosen for you, it is because there is no potential for you to be reintegrated into society. Execution is not a punishment. There is no point in punishing someone who would be executed, because punishment is designed to correct ones behavior. Execution is only for those who cannot be reintegrated into society, and thus there is no reason to keep that person alive.Therefore there is no logic to keeping somebody imprisoned for life with no hope of parole, because they are being punished for something without being given the opportunity to correct themselves. Punishment is irrelevant if the person does not have a chance to reintegrate into society.
This is, of course a purely objective point of view.
I must weigh in here. I used to be in favor of the death penalty. In a way, I still am in that for people that murder or deliberately do actions that they know will likely cause others to die, they deserve to be put to death as a deterrent. But, while I don't believe that such people can always be reformed, I do believe they sometimes can be reformed. I'm not saying that a mass murderer should ever be released because they've become a saint. But I also believe that even the most heinous person is loved by God. And, as such, I would want them to have the rest of their lives to hopefully come to terms with their sin and repent and accept the forgiveness that only God in His wisdom can bring.
I hate no man, no matter how devious their crime. Because all sin is equal in the eyes of God. Even the slightest defiance against God is a sin and part of our rebellion against Him. Only that which is holy may be in His presence, so we need the covering of Jesus' salvation to be the propitiation that makes us holy so that we may approach God without guilt in our hearts.
So, I don't want the death penalty for anyone. But I favor life for all reasons. In war, you must defend yourself and your loved ones, so I'm not opposed to the killing of your enemies. But, if you can take a prisoner without endangering yourself or others, then that should be what you do to your enemies, to capture and imprison them.
By that same token, not only do I oppose the death penalty, but I also oppose euthanasia in all its forms. I also oppose abortion in all its forms...even through the deliberate blockage of a fertilized human embryo by "the pill". To me, these all are murder of a person that has not the ability to defend themselves.
Here is why I oppose death in all cases, even preferring capture over kill in war. Because death is the enemy. Death is the ending of our physical lives. We were created to live forever. Adam was not supposed to ever die. The Garden of Eden had two special trees in the midst of it. One was the infamous Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. But the other special tree is the Tree of Life. That tree exists to ensure that mortal life can never die. But Adam sinned against God and the consequence of sin is death.
People say that death is natural. That it's a part of the cycle of life. They claim that things have lived and died for millions and billions of years. I say they are all wrong. I say that death is not natural. It is a curse upon our earth that was brought upon us all because of the sin of man. Men and animals all die because of the sin of mankind. Had Adam not sinned, he [and by extension, we] would be living in the Garden of Eden to this day. There would be no pain or sorrow, let alone death. But this isn't so. We have a sinful nature that rebels against our creator. Thus we needed the redemptive gift that God gives through His Son.
Death is the enemy. It is unnatural. There is no beauty in a "dignified" death. There is no child so deformed in the womb that they should be "mercifully" terminated. There is no criminal so hideous that they should be executed. And there is no enemy so despised that they should be killed when they surrender. Indeed, death is the enemy. Death serves a function to hold the souls of those who have been unceremoniously ripped from their mortal bodies. Death is a sting that prevents the spirit from being free. Death is dark. Death is cold. Indeed, death is unnatural.
I favor life. I favor life for all. This is why I bear witness of my Lord and Savior. This is why I try so hard to defend the Word of God and why I always come off as preachy. It is not that I want to sound elitist or come off as arrogant. No. I do this because I want no man to face the cold dark realm of an afterlife spent apart from the Lord. And I have no desire that anyone who has died without the saving grace of Christ be resurrected at the end only to be thrown into the Lake of Fire at the end of days.
I favor life. I favor life for all. I witness to each of you. And I call upon all of you to accept the free gift of salvation that Jesus offers to each and every one of you. Because God loves you. There is no sin so great that you can be guilty of that would keep you from being accepted by God if you only just repent and accept that salvation. He chooses you! He doesn't want anyone to go to Hell. So don't let death's cold grip take you away. Let your mortal body be one-day resurrected to life perfected, not the second death of the Lake of Fire. Let not disbelief prevent you from seeing the light and life of God.
Repent and be saved!
It seemed like such a waste to destroy an entire battle station just to eliminate one man. But Charlie knew that it was the only way to ensure the absolute and total destruction of Quasi-duck, once and for all.
The saying, "beating them into submission until payday", is just golden...pun intended.
R.I.P. Snickers <3
