How Do JW's View Capital Punishment?

by Englishman 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Englishman

  Well, they were all for it in 1974:

  ?

  How do Jehovah?s witnesses view capital punishment??U.S.A.

  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Jehovah?s Christian witnesses adhere to what the Holy Scriptures present as God?s view of capital punishment. They recognize that Jehovah God, as the Creator of man, has the absolute right to set forth laws that must be obeyed if one is to continue enjoying life. Accordingly, when God determines that certain people merit the death penalty because of their persistent practice of sin, he can rightly take their life. Two notable examples of such capital punishment executed by God are the destruction of disobedient mankind in the Flood and the later destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.?2 Pet. 2:5, 6.

  As Lawgiver, Judge and Supreme Sovereign, Jehovah God can also delegate to others the authority to execute lawbreakers. After the flood of Noah?s day, for example, he authorized humans to administer capital punishment for deliberate murder. We read: "Anyone shedding man?s blood, by man will his own blood be shed, for in God?s image he made man." (Gen. 9:6) The human authority, by executing the murderer, would be acting as "God?s minister, an avenger to express wrath upon the one practicing what is bad."?Rom. 13:4.

  Of course, some may question whether human authorities can rightly execute individuals for acts that God?s Word does not designate as capital offenses. That is a responsibility the governments must bear before God. But there is no Scriptural basis for saying that governments are condemned for prescribing the death penalty for murderers. God?s view is that the person deliberately taking someone else?s life forfeits his own life. Today, however, many governments are abandoning God?s view of capital punishment, this doubtless contributing to increased crime and violence.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

  Well, that seems clear enough. They're all for Capital Punishment. But you mustn't discuss this with anyone. Look:

  Christian

  Neutrality

  >>>>>>>Unlike those clergymen mentioned at the outset, true Christians try to keep in mind an important principle: Jesus Christ told his followers to be "no part of the world."?John 15:19; 17:16.

  Can a Christian obey that injunction and still join the debate over the death penalty? Evidently not. This is, after all, a social and political issue. In the United States, candidates for political office commonly use their stand on the death penalty?whether for or against?as an important plank in their campaign platform. They debate the subject ardently and use the emotional intensity that this subject usually provokes as a lever to sway voters to their cause.

  Perhaps the question for a Christian to ponder is this: Would Jesus have involved himself in the controversy over how this world?s governments wield "the sword"? Remember, when his countrymen tried to get him involved in politics, Jesus "withdrew again into the mountain all alone." (John 6:15) It seems far more likely, then, that he would have left this matter where God put it?in the hands of the governments.

  Likewise today, one would expect Christians to be careful not to jump into arguments on this subject. They would recognize the right of governments to do as they wish. But as Christian ministers who are no part of the world, they would neither avow support for capital punishment nor promote its abolition.

  Rather, they keep in mind the words of Ecclesiastes 8:4: "The word of the king is the power of control; and who may say to him: ?What are you doing??" Yes, the world?s ?kings,? or political rulers, have been granted the power to carry out their own will. No Christian has the authority to call them to task. But Jehovah can. And he will. The Bible allows us to look forward to the day when God will bring about final justice for every crime and every abuse of "the sword" in this old world.?Jeremiah 25:31-33; Revelation 19:11-21.<<<<<<<

  Ah! The joy in being able to have a mind of one's own!

  Englishman.
• 

  gitasatsangha

  The Org waffled on that issue for awhile and finally did a 180 degree turnaround. At a Questions session at a convention (can't remember which but I think it began with "Kingdom" something or others), it was stated that the governments of the world were perfectly within their rights to execute criminals, as this authority had been given to them by Jehovah.
• 

  blondie

  w97 6/15 30-1 Questions From Readers ***
  

  What does the Bible indicate about capital punishment, the death penalty, for criminals?

  Understandably, each of us might have our own personal feelings on this, based on our experience or situation in life. Yet, as Jehovah?s Witnesses, we should try to conform to God?s thoughts about capital punishment, while remaining neutral regarding the political stands that many take on this issue.

  To put it pointedly, in his written Word, God does not indicate that capital punishment is wrong.

  Early in human history, Jehovah shared his thoughts on the matter, as we read in Genesis chapter 9. This involved Noah and his family, who became ancestors of the entire human family. After they came out of the ark, God said that they could eat animals?that is, animals could be killed, drained of their blood, and eaten. Then, at Genesis 9:5, 6, God said: "Besides that, your blood of your souls shall I ask back. From the hand of every living creature shall I ask it back; and from the hand of man, from the hand of each one who is his brother, shall I ask back the soul of man. Anyone shedding man?s blood, by man will his own blood be shed, for in God?s image he made man." So Jehovah authorized capital punishment in the case of murderers.

  While God dealt with Israel as his people, various other serious offenses against divine law were punishable by death. At Numbers 15:30, we read this broad statement: "The soul that does something deliberately, whether he is a native or an alien resident, he speaking abusively of Jehovah, in that case that soul must be cut off from among his people."

  But what about after the Christian congregation was set up? Well, we know that Jehovah authorized human governments to exist, and he called them the superior authorities. In fact, after advising Christians to be obedient to such governmental authorities, the Bible says that such serve as "God?s minister to you for your good. But if you are doing what is bad, be in fear: for it is not without purpose that it bears the sword; for it is God?s minister, an avenger to express wrath upon the one practicing what is bad."?Romans 13:1-4.

  Does that mean that governments are authorized even to take the lives of those who commit serious crimes? From the words at 1 Peter 4:15, we would have to conclude, yes. In that passage the apostle exhorted his brothers: "Let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a busybody in other people?s matters." Did you note, "let none of you suffer as a murderer"? Peter did not suggest that governments had no right to make a murderer suffer for his crime. On the contrary, he indicated that a murderer might rightly receive due punishment. Would that include punishment by death?

  It could. This is clear from Paul?s words found in Acts chapter 25. Jews had accused Paul of offenses against their Law. In sending his prisoner, Paul, to the Roman governor, the military commander reported, as noted at Acts 23:29: "I found him to be accused about questions of their Law, but not charged with a single thing deserving of death or bonds." After two years Paul found himself before Governor Festus. We read at Acts 25:8: "Paul said in defense: ?Neither against the Law of the Jews nor against the temple nor against Caesar have I committed any sin.?" But now focus on his remarks about punishment, even capital punishment. We read at Acts 25:10, 11:

  "Paul said: ?I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also are finding out quite well. If, on the one hand, I am really a wrongdoer and have committed anything deserving of death, I do not beg off from dying; if, on the other hand, none of those things exists of which these men accuse me, no man can hand me over to them as a favor. I appeal to Caesar!?"

  Paul, standing before a duly constituted authority, admitted that Caesar had the right to punish wrongdoers, even to execute them. He did not object to punishment in his case if he were guilty. Furthermore, he did not say that Caesar could use capital punishment only for murderers.

  Admittedly, the Roman judicial system was not perfect; nor are human court systems today. Some innocent people back then and today have been convicted and punished. Even Pilate said about Jesus: "I found nothing deserving of death in him; I will therefore chastise and release him." Yes, even though the governmental authority admitted that Jesus was innocent, this innocent man was executed.?Luke 23:22-25.

  Such injustices did not move Paul or Peter to argue that capital punishment is fundamentally immoral. Rather, God?s thought on the matter is that as long as the superior authorities of Caesar exist, they ?bear the sword to express wrath upon the ones practicing what is bad.? That includes applying the sword in the sense of employing capital punishment. But when it comes to the controversial question of whether any government of this world should exercise its right to execute murderers, genuine Christians remain carefully neutral. Unlike the clergy of Christendom, they keep out of any debate on this subject.
• 

  bebu

  No Christian has the authority to call them to task.

  Yikes!

  What is the reference for that second quote, E?

  bebu
• 

  Englishman

  Yikes!

  What is the reference for that second quote, E?

  Awake, March 1996.

  Englishman.
• 

  Gopher

  It is almost impossible to remain "neutral" on a topic like this in today's world, despite the Society's pretentions to be such.

  They're basically saying.. They (the Society) can come out in favor of it in print, but you (the members) better not say anything pro or con about it. (They love to control their members.)

  But they haven't always been neutral about this. When the Nazi German government was executing capital punishment on its members, or the Malawian government of the 1970's was threatening to do the same because the Society decreed that JW's couldn't purchase a 25-cent party card, it seems to me that the WTS was very much AGAINST capital punishment.

  So only when its interests are concerned, do they even care. When governments carry out campaigns of cruelty on their people or impose capital punishment more on the lower economic class of its society than the middle and higher economic classes, the Society is silent about these social injustices.

  So by saying little or nothing about these things, while claiming to be the "watcher of world events" and the interpreter of their meaning, the Watchtower implicitly supports government cruelty that capital punishment represents.
• 

  blondie

  g96 3/8 22-3 The Bible?s Viewpoint

  Should

  Christians Support the Death Penalty?

  "IT IS morally and ethically wrong." "It?s fair and righteous." These opposing views came from two clergymen, both nominally Christian. They were wrangling over one of today?s burning issues?capital punishment. The newspaper article quoting them noted: "When religious leaders debate the death penalty, both sides cite biblical passages to back their positions."

  Some argue that capital punishment protects the innocent, promotes justice, and deters serious crime. Others insist that it is immoral?a way of responding to violence with more violence and far inferior to the nobler task of rehabilitating criminals, helping them to become useful members of society.

  In the political arena in the United States, this debate is especially intense, and religious leaders have not hesitated to get involved. You may wonder, though, ?Does the Bible have anything to say on the subject of capital punishment?? In fact, it does.

  Bestowing

  "the Sword" on Human Authorities

  Shortly after the Flood of Noah?s day, Jehovah God affirmed the preciousness of human life and then stated: "Anyone shedding man?s blood, by man will his own blood be shed." (Genesis 9:6) Of course, this was not an open license for revenge. Rather, it meant that duly constituted human authorities would thenceforth be allowed to execute those who took the lives of others.

  In ancient Israel the Law that God transmitted through Moses stipulated the death penalty for certain serious offenses. (Leviticus 18:29) However, the Law also provided for impartial judging, eyewitness testimony, and curbs against corruption. (Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 16:18-20; 19:15) The judges were to be devout men and were held accountable to God himself! (Deuteronomy 1:16, 17; 2 Chronicles 19:6-10) Thus there were safeguards against abuses of the death penalty.

  Today no government on this earth truly represents divine justice as ancient Israel did. But governments do in many ways act as God?s ?ministers,? or agents, in that they preserve a measure of order and stability and provide needed public services. The apostle Paul reminded Christians to be obedient to these "superior authorities" and then added: "If you are doing what is bad, be in fear: for it is not without purpose that it [the government] bears the sword; for it is God?s minister, an avenger to express wrath upon the one practicing what is bad."?Romans 13:1-4.

  "The sword" Paul mentioned symbolizes the government?s right to punish criminals?even with death. Christians respect that right, but should they seek to have a say in how it is exercised?

  "The

  Sword" Misused

  Human governments have certainly wielded "the sword" for the sake of justice many times. But it must be admitted that they have also been guilty of misusing it. (Ecclesiastes 8:9) The government of ancient Rome was guilty of wielding "the sword" of judicial execution against innocent servants of God. John the Baptizer, James, and even Jesus Christ were among its victims.?Matthew 14:8-11; Mark 15:15; Acts 12:1, 2.

  In modern times something similar has happened. Innocent servants of Jehovah have been executed in various countries?by firing squad, by guillotine, by hanging, by gas chamber?all of it "legally" carried out by governments trying to suppress Christianity. All powers that abuse their authority will render an account to God. What terrible bloodguilt they bear!?Revelation 6:9, 10.

  True Christians shudder at the thought of bearing bloodguilt before Jehovah God. Thus, while they respect a government?s right to wield "the sword," they are keenly aware of how it has been misused. It has served as a tool for persecution and has also at times been wielded with prejudicial harshness against some and inappropriate leniency toward others. So how do Christians react to the debate over capital punishment? Do they get involved and push for change?

  Christian

  Neutrality

  Unlike those clergymen mentioned at the outset, true Christians try to keep in mind an important principle: Jesus Christ told his followers to be "no part of the world."?John 15:19; 17:16.

  Can a Christian obey that injunction and still join the debate over the death penalty? Evidently not. This is, after all, a social and political issue. In the United States, candidates for political office commonly use their stand on the death penalty?whether for or against?as an important plank in their campaign platform. They debate the subject ardently and use the emotional intensity that this subject usually provokes as a lever to sway voters to their cause.

  Perhaps the question for a Christian to ponder is this: Would Jesus have involved himself in the controversy over how this world?s governments wield "the sword"? Remember, when his countrymen tried to get him involved in politics, Jesus "withdrew again into the mountain all alone." (John 6:15) It seems far more likely, then, that he would have left this matter where God put it?in the hands of the governments.

  Likewise today, one would expect Christians to be careful not to jump into arguments on this subject. They would recognize the right of governments to do as they wish. But as Christian ministers who are no part of the world, they would neither avow support for capital punishment nor promote its abolition.

  Rather, they keep in mind the words of Ecclesiastes 8:4: "The word of the king is the power of control; and who may say to him: ?What are you doing??" Yes, the world?s ?kings,? or political rulers, have been granted the power to carry out their own will. No Christian has the authority to call them to task . But Jehovah can. And he will. The Bible allows us to look forward to the day when God will bring about final justice for every crime and every abuse of "the sword" in this old world.?Jeremiah 25:31-33; Revelation 19:11-21.

  [Footnote]

  For instance, the U.S. prison system has been criticized for executing under 2 percent of its death-row criminals each year. More of them die from natural causes than from execution. There have also been charges of prejudice?as statistics suggest that a murderer is more likely to receive a death sentence if the victim was white than if the victim was black.