In <>, "Darren R Middleton" <> wrote:

>Personally I would be in favour of such a move on the basis that Scripture
>seems to encourage capital punishment outside of the cultic law (ie Gen 9:6).

For Jesus' attitude to Capital Punishment, see John 8:1-11. Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone, flick the first switch, mix the first injection, tie the first rope, ...or cast the first vote for capital punishment.

There is not one word of support in the NT for capital punishment.

Furthermore, within a couple of hundred years after Jesus (maybe earlier), the leadership of Judaism had realised the inherent injustice in capital punishment, and formulated rules governing it's use that would have made it almost impossible to ever put into effect.

>I reckon in a referendum it would be a certainty but I doubt the major
>political parties would have the courage.

Sadly, I think you are right.

The fact that jurisdictions with capital punishment generally have a higher rate of violent crime than elsewhere, the danger of wrong decisions and unjust executions, the inhumanity of society putting one of its members to death, and the evidence that executions actually cost slightly more than life imprisonment on average, all seem to pale against a desire for vengeance and blood.

Maybe we are not as civilised, or as Christian as we think.

(Rom 12:19 NRSV) Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."

Nigel B. Mitchell