As you all know the CNN/YouTube GOP Debate was held on the 28th. Sadly I have been sick and my stomach couldn’t handle it so I have been catching bits and pieces the past few days. Well Media Matters has run a piece on a question I hadn’t heard yet that I wanted to comment on. Mike Huckabee was asked “What Would Jesus Do” in regards to the death penalty.
I included the video below, but don’t expect to hear an answer from Huckabee since like most politicians he is allergic to answering questions. Instead he gives a long winded answer about his killing streak as Governor in Arkansas then ends with a joke about Jesus being too smart to run for public office. Now this isn’t an attack on Huckabee for carrying out his duties as governor. In fact Huckabee at least has the humanity to dislike the death penalty even though he supports it. No I don’t understand that logic either.
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=M5EBmZh7sMo[/youtube]
That being said, the question presented to Mike Huckabee has still not been answered. For some reason Huckabee, a Baptist Pastor, was somehow unable to formulate an answer for this simple question. The obvious reason for this is because telling the truth that NO JESUS WOULD NOT SUPPORT THE DEATH PENALTY would seriously hurt his support among the pro-life/pro-death penalty Christians. As a Baptist Pastor Huckabee probably would not feel comfortable lying about Jesus so he did the only thing he could do, avoid the question.
Now I am aware that there are many who will pick and choose their way through the Bible to justify their belief in the death penalty. This is the same methods that have been used for centuries to justify all sorts of abominations. Rape, torture, murder, slavery or whatever; you name it the Bible has been used to justify it. Conveniently enough the same book contains passages that condemns the exact same actions. This works out nicely no matter which side of the argument you want to be on.
Since the Bible is an unreliable source at best due to its vagueness and double talk we are forced to outside reading to answer the simple question of whether or not Jesus is for the death penalty. I could easily list dozens of sources but instead I want to suggest one that was very enlightening for me. It is title “Would Jesus Pull The Switch” and was written by Sister Helen Prejean. It is a bit long but well worth the read.
I cannot believe in a God who metes out hurt for hurt, pain for pain, torture for torture. Nor do I believe that God invests human representatives with such power to torture and kill. The paths of history are stained with the blood of those who have fallen victim to “God’s Avengers.” Kings, popes, military generals, and heads of state have killed, claiming God’s authority and God’s blessing. I do not believe in such a God.
Please let me know what you think. Personally I have been against the death penalty for a while. Its barbaric and inhumane to put a prisoner to death. The act of murdering a captive and harmless prisoner serves no rational purpose. It does not deter further crimes, it costs more than life imprisonment, and it simply spreads the pain and loss. All these negatives without any positives makes the death penalty indefensible to my mind and thats before you throw in the possibility of murdering an innocent man.
Bill Ludwig
Summer Ludwig