Uh, oh, the "P" word...

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>>>>> "Douglas" == Douglas Ingalls <dwi@borg.com> writes:

    Douglas> This does bring an issue to mind for me. I am pretty much
    Douglas> in line with conservative politics (Republicans) except
    Douglas> for one issue: I just can't (even though my flesh wants
    Douglas> to) support the death penalty. The idea of a judge, being
    Douglas> a mere man, excercising the authority to end a life and
    Douglas> rob a person of a chance at salvation, is something I
    Douglas> can't support.  Any opinions?

I used to feel the death penalty was appropriate in certain instances,
but I have felt as you do since a good friend of mine, Bro. Jerry
Caesar <jerry@eli.wariat.org> pointed out to me in very graphic terms,
just what a person was really doing by taking another persons life.
Indeed, if a person is unsaved, then to take his life is to end his
opportunity for salvation.

But what if the person *IS* saved?  Is it then OK to take his life,
since his argument would not apply?  What if he is condemmed to die,
but you wait until he gets saved before executing him?  Wouldn't that
act as a pretty strong deterrent towards his getting saved -- he knows
he will be killed when he gets the Holy Ghost, but he will be allowed
to live until he gets it?  This doesn't seem to make sense to me!

It looks to me like this would pit eternal life against the pride of
life in a very strong battle.  The pastor that baptised me used to ask
the congregtion, "How many people want to go to heaven?"  Everyone
would raise their hands.  Then he would ask, "How many people want to
die?"  Then he would go nto a sermon on dieing out to sin!

-- 
--------  "And there came a writing to him from Elijah"  [2Ch 21:12]  --------
Robert Jay Brown III  rj@eli.wariat.org  http://eli.wariat.org  1 847 705-0424
Elijah Laboratories Inc.;  37 South Greenwood Avenue;  Palatine, IL 60067-6328
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