Last week, the state of Utah executed a death row inmate by firing squad. I find it curious that a state known for its conservative Mormon religious ethos that emphasizes the sanctity of human life would be known for such a brutal method of execution. But then, many religious people support capital punishment. After all, does not the Bible say "An eye for an eye?" Folks love to quote that verse, forgetting, or ignoring the fact that Jesus quoted that verse and then followed it with "But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile." There you have it: a rule so contrary to our way of thinking that we choose to ignore it. Christian people continue to stand outside of prisons where executions are carried out and cheer the result. The most conservative Christian states, such as Texas, Virginia and Florida, are the states who carry out the greatest number of executions.
So, it begs the question: Why do we execute criminals who have killed others? Well, because it serves as a deterrent to repeat crimes, right? Wrong. There is no research to support the theory that capital punishment deters violent crime. Well then, the Bible commands us to do it, right? The scripture cited above shows the house of cards upon which that argument is built. Well then, why DO so many Americans support capital punishment? Well, fear, for one. The majority of persons on death row in America are African American. Most were unable to afford the kind of defense team that would have been more effective in offering an adequate defense. And for White America, people of color are the "other" and many people tend to be suspicious of those who appear to be strangers or outsiders. There is not space here to discuss the role of the outsider in the story of our faith, but I will give you a hint: in scripture, the "other" often turns out to be an agent of God's grace. But back to our question of why we take such delight in executing people. I have believed for many years that it comes down to one simple fact: it makes us feel better. We don't know what to do with people who commit horrible crimes, so we kill them. And somehow we look away from the fact that, in carrying out an execution, the state acts with the same premeditated coldness as that of the offenders whom it is putting to death. Why do you think there have been no live broadcast of an execution? Might it be because, if Americans actually viewed the horror of an execution, including the supposedly humane lethal injection method, they might just reject capital punishment as a solution to violent crime? Yes, we are a civilized society. And that is what frightens me the most.
1 comment:
It's ironic how, though Christ calls us to a higher standard, we are so determined to justify our carnality using the Word of God. Certainly there is an element within human nature that wants revenge, just as there is an element within our nature that does not want to forgive, that wants to remain self-centered, indulging in our own hurt. Yet, Christ commands us to overcome these human desires for our own sake, as hard as it may initially be, because in this way we receive the greater blessing. It is certainly not Christ's intent that we should act upon our natural and depraved desires for revenge, for certainly no spiritual maturity or growth can possibly come from it. In short, I agree.
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