Death Penalty For Crimes

Against for the most part, but if they were on camera and there are multiple witnesses, it's obvious who did it. While in that realm, rehabilitation is economically and socially inefficient.

I'm for people being allowed to choose the Death Penalty over Life Imprisonment if they want, but the execution must be done by firing squad. I believe that a Life in Prison can be more torturous to some than simply taking the easy way out, if we're looking at this from a moral standpoint. Also shooting them is cheaper than life imprisonment or injection.

Although this is an excellent point. Not saying I agree but it is a valid objection.

Against definitely, studies have shown that 77% of people who have been in prison in US have committed a second crime in the next 5 years of their release. The prison system just doesn't work, because it allows other prisoners to communicate and learn new ways of committing new crimes efficiently and have less chance of getting caught. The best way to "punish" a criminal is to give them rehabilitation, and not cage them like an feral animal and certainly not kill them off.

Cost. The cost would be massive. If I remember correctly, there about 2.3 million prisoners in the US, they can't use that funding to help prisoners that the government just doesn't care about.

So you take the commandment literally?
The Hebrew:יב לֹא תִרְצָח translates to: Do not murder.
Do you think the death penalty is murder?
Or just that killing of any kind goes against the commandment?


As for the original question, I am for the death penalty.
Obviously there are people that deserve the death penalty, but the question then becomes: Do we really want to give the state that power?

I think it is very simple on the surface, but the devil is in the details.

That was an instance of Jesus being merciful to someone who deserved to die under Jewish law which indecently was created by God himself. You use the term that shalt not kill as your reasoning but as stated earlier thou shalt not murder is what the original Hebrew says. We also know that this is the case because God in the Old Testament (in which the ten commandments were written) in his law commanded the death penalty for many crimes, the aformentioned adultery being one of them. He also commanded his children to slaughter whole tribes for their sin. Also in the New Testament the Apostle Paul explicitly endorses the death penalty. 

 Romans 13:1-7 King James Version (KJV)

13 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

God gives governments the power of the sword, that is the power to kill people, to execute wrath on those who do evil.