Capital Punishment: Right or Wrong?

Capital Punishment: Right or Wrong?

We all have opinions and views, so I am not looking for a fight with my readers on this controversial subject, I have just not said much on it ever in my writings in the past, of over 5000-poems, articles, books, short stories, and so forth, and why I ask myself, have l left out Capital Punishment? The best reasoning I came up with was: I never got around to it, I always had my beliefs, opinions, thoughts on the subject: so right or wrong, here area a few. Most of my view comes from my Graduate Studies at Liberty University, in Old Testament Studies (and perhaps, being in the Army for 11-years also framed my thoughts on the subject):

“Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made he man.” (KJV Genesis 9:6) Yes, I got to get a little biblical about it as I said I would, because God plays a heavy part in my life, beliefs, and direction. So you got my answer to Capital Punishment quick. But let me explain, there is more to it. Scripture is one thing and ethical decisions are another, but closely interwoven for me. I was, and you were, created in God’s image, believe it or not, it is written (Lev. 17 and Exod. 20). I am also ruling out murder, for it is not biblically grounded. I also must say, God and mankind do not have what I’d say is an understanding, or His permission to do so, but to do harm to man, is to do harm to the image God created in every human. In the old days, if an animal was to kill a man, the animal was destroyed by stoning, and the flesh of the animal was not eaten.
We should remember all life is God’s creation.
There should be a respect for the godly ground all creatures live on; thus, life given is by a supernatural power. So we are prohibited from shedding blood of man, Before the Great Flood, and after it, we never lost the divine image, and yes we do stand out in distinction form, from the animals, and vegetable worlds. God did not impose the death penalty on Cain, he gave him mercy of course for murderer (and I’ll explain that later). I do not find a clear cut pattern of law in the Bible to deal with murder in particular—we have concern, but not procedure in the Bible. The Mosaic Law restricts the right of blood vengeance.
In the book of Deuteronomy Chapter 21, we see murder endangers the whole community, and puts it at risk. It seems to me, that only the blood of the individual murderer (stranger) could make atonement for such pollution in a village, and so execution was accepted for his crime, but if it was a kin, like Cain to Abel, it was not permitted. (Deut. 24).
I do realize the 6th commandment says “Thou shalt not kill” (Exod. 20)—this really indicates murder, not the authorized taking of human life of the murderer.
In the old days, when the Old Testament was being written, sixteen offences could get you stoned to death. Of course, we are more civilized are we not, than those old times way back when, we just have wars, and protect the murderers on our city streets. Anyhow, the death penalty was also for adultery, incest and such things also.
We of course are not living in a divine theocracy (or government by religion) now. So that is often times taken into consideration by societies.
In essence, and to make this article shorter, I must simply say, the Old Testament emphasis punishment based on matching the seriousness of the crime, or offense; such as, a serious injury would equal a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, a burn for a burn (Exod. 21). On the other hand, I do not believe the Old Testament teaches that Capital Punishment is the solution for every murderer, nor mandatory. Discretion should be used. When they hung Saddam Hussein, I felt he had it coming, there were hundreds of eyewitnesses to his evilness, and murderous mind, and rulership. But I do not think one should kill a thief if over taken in the act.