killing

I had to mail some postcards yesterday, so I ventured over to the post office on campus. While they were processing my order I noticed a small box to my right covered in bright yellow paper. It said something about a survey and there were bright yellow papers inside, so naturally -- I reached inside.

The survey was about the death penalty and asked whether students agreed with it, if it was a principle of christianity, and if they believed in it enough to merit the execution of their mother if she were ever convicted of murder. I was shocked at the number of people who circled yes for these questions, even the one about their mother. I only pulled 8 out, but seven of the eight circled yes for all and one circled no for all. I found this very odd.

Personally I'm not exactly sure what to think about the death penalty. I'm not sure what the right answer is, all I know is that it seems hypocritical. How is it right to kill people who kill people to show that killing people is wrong? I just can't understand how that is justified.

And I know that most christians on this campus would back it up with this Old Testament verse:

Exodus 21:23-25 (New International Version)

"But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise."

But what about this verse?


Matthew 5:38-40 (New International Version)

"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well."



Jesus came to bring a new way of living. I'm not sure exactly what that means we should do for murderers. I don't exactly agree with letting them run loose with the potential and highly probability that they will kill again.

I just found it interesting that so many students were willing to kill... even their mother. Has a christian school really forgotten Jesus' own words?