Monte Sahlin has recently posted an entry on his blog on death penalty titled: Why Capital Punishment is a Moral Mistake
Here is my comment to his blog entry:
Monte thank you for your post. It seems to me that death penalty is one of those brutal, immoral, and primitive provisions that is refraining our society to advance.FOR GOODNESS SAKE IT IS THE YEAR 2009!!! This is the future, death penalty is such a drag back to the dark ages. How can the United States, which in so many ways is symbol of innovation, progress, and human achievement be one of the few “developed” countries that still associates with such a practice!
I think there should be more talk about this topic.
I posted an entry on my blog on this topic, some time last year. Here is the link:
https://gianlucabruno.wordpress.com/2007/09/28/death-penalty-time-to-end-it/
Gianluca Bruno, MA, LPCC-S 
Monte needs to do some more homework
Regarding Troy Davis:
It is always required that both sides of the story be told.
Please read all of the references, below, in their entirety.
(1) Davis v Georgia, Georgia Supreme Court, March 17, 2008
Full ruling http://www.gasupreme.us/pdf/s07a1758.pdf
Summary http://www.gasupreme.us/op_summaries/mar_17.pdf
” . . . the majority finds that ‘most of the witnesses to the crime who have allegedly recanted have merely stated that they now do not feel able to identify the shooter.’ “One of the affidavits ‘might actually be read so as to confirm trial testimony that Davis was the shooter.’ ”
The murder occurred in 1989.
(2) “THE PAROLE BOARD’S CONSIDERATION OF THE TROY ANTHONY DAVIS CASE” ,
9/22/08, http://www.pap.state.ga.us/opencms/opencms/
“After an exhaustive review of all available information regarding the Troy Davis case and after considering all possible reasons for granting clemency, the Board has determined that clemency is not warranted.”
“The Board has now spent more than a year studying and considering this case. As a part of its proceedings, the Board gave Davis’ attorneys an opportunity to present every witness they desired to support their allegation that there is doubt as to Davis’ guilt. The Board heard each of these witnesses and questioned them closely. In addition, the Board has studied the voluminous trial transcript, the police investigation report and the initial statements of all witnesses. The Board has also had certain physical evidence retested and Davis interviewed.”
(3) read the PDF statement released by Chatham County District Attorney Spencer Lawton on the case facts at: http://tinyurl.com/46c73l
A detailed review of the extraordinary consideration that Davis was given for all of his claims.
(4) Officer Mark Allen MacPhail
The family of murdered Officer MacPhail fully believes that Troy Davis murdered their loved one and that the evidence is supportive of that opinion.
http://www.markallenmacphail.com/
Monte needs to fact check.
There have been 17 DNA exonerations out of the past 8000 death row cases in the US
Of those 9 were released from prison, after long being released from death row, because of legal issues, other than DNA, which had previously removed them from death row.
Meaning, there have been 8 cases where DNA exoneration removed an inmate from death row.
8 out of 8000.
That is 1 case in 1000.
Not 1 case in 5 as Monte stated.
Please ask Monte to fact check, next time.
Dudley,
Thank you for your reply.
It seems to me that Monte did his homework. Check out his latest response to your comment on his website.
http://msahlin.typepad.com/faith_in_context/2008/10/why-capital-punishment-is-a-moral-mistake.html#comment-137012369
peace!
Well, I don’t think this is issue is as cut and dry as it might seem to both sides. Biblically speaking, on one hand, we see the death penalty ordained by God in Genesis 9 for those who murder fellow human beings. On the other hand, we find that Jesus promotes love and turning the other cheek. It could be argued that grace even covers over the death penalty for murder because David was freed from this just punishment for his sin. However, I think the preponderance of Scripture points to a government order which can punish sin and stop evil-doers without falling into purposeful killing.
The tricky part though is calling the death penalty primitive, brutal, and immoral. It couldn’t possibly be these things because God supports it, at least in certain circumstances. I feel that it is better to say that as Christians we believe God’s grace covers a multitude of sins and that the Bible exhorts us to save sinners and not destroy them. This doesn’t mean that God won’t destroy them when the time comes, but only that it isn’t our call to decide when His creatures can be killed.
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